Hi Friend,
One of my favorite things in the work that I do is to hear someone's story. People are so fascinating and live through incredible experiences. What excites me even more than a good story, however is to witness restored hope through lifestyle change.
Today I am highlighting two ladies for whom hope has returned unexpectedly while on their journeys to healing and health.
Highlight 1.
The first story highlights a woman I have been working with for over one year. She has steadily been making major lifestyle changes to improve her health, but it wasn't until she took a trip home that she realized just how much her perspective on nutrition had changed.
My client recounted in a recent session how her mom and sister have been dieting on-and-off for as long as she could remember. Fad diets had also been a part of her past before coming to see me. When her family saw how much her body composition had changed over the course of the past year, they immediately assumed she was following the latest fad diet and asked her how they could sign up for the same program.
She shared with them that she wasn't adhering to any set rules around food but instead has been working to change the way she thinks about food. She implements intentionality in planning out her meals for the week and she makes swaps for more nutrient-dense foods where she is able. This has allowed her to practice grace with herself, has led to an improved body image, and has grown her self-confidence.
She didn't realize how toxic her family's food and body talk was until re-immersing herself into it. A year and a half ago she wouldn't have thought anything wrong with constantly talking about how she wanted to have a "cheat meal" or how badly she needed to restart her diet on Monday.
She came back from her trip thankful for the healing she has found in her own food journey.
Highlight 2.
A second testimony highlights a client with a history of dieting who has been consistently chipping away at her mindset around food as she aims to improve her overall health. In the past she would restrict her intake or skip meals after consuming something she hadn’t planned or was out of norm. She has been working on fueling herself adequately and consistently. When we first started working together she noted doubt pop up when she would hear of a friend embarking on the keto diet or another overly restrictive eating plan. She would wonder if she was choosing the right path in focusing on the root cause of her eating struggles rather than tossing carbs off her plate for the next month. Fast forward many months, and she is now confidently convincing her friends to NOT engage in the Keto diet because she has been able to see progress in her own life from staying the course in addressing her core belief system while simultaneously learning how to be consistent in her nutritional fueling.
Unexpected outcomes are everywhere in my line of work. Hearing the "I never thought I would...." phrase is my favorite thing to hear from a patient.
"I never thought I would come to a place where fad diets don't tempt me."
"I never thought I would feel confident in my food choices."
"I never thought I would break free from generational shame around body image."
Unexpected outcomes may be finding yourself able to do something you thought you'd never do again or becoming confident in an area of your life you thought you'd always be insecure. Unexpected outcomes may also come from the positive changes in others as a result of witnessing your health journey. When others see positive changes in you, they often become interested, inspired, encouraged, and motivated to improve their health as well.
The moral of the story is that change is possible. When these two women started their quest for a truly healthy lifestyle, they had no idea what was around the corner. There have been ups and downs in their journeys, but they've continued to say yes to the long haul and they now find themselves in places where hope is restored and they believe their futures will be continually brighter.
Today, I invite you to begin or continue your own personal journey to restored hope and unexpected outcomes. You never know what awaits right around the corner for you.
Heaps of blessings,
Mikyah, RDN, LD, CD
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