Surprising body wins (diet culture dropout edition!)

Surprising body wins (diet culture dropout edition!) 🙏

It’s been a month since I decided to ditch diet culture and start listening to the areas of my body that were screaming for some help. And you guys, it’s making a difference. Here’s where I started…

👉I found it hard to breathe. I was recently diagnosed with asthma, had increasing anxiety, and found myself on the verge of panic attacks almost daily.

👉My body ached when I had done nothing. Depression kept me in a really stagnant state for a couple of months and my muscles were so mad.

👉My self care had gone out the window and I was finding it hard to make space for gentle self care - even just washing my face which is so common amongst us mental health warriors.

So I did a few things. I hired a coach to help me with breathing and gentle movement. I invested in some non-toxic skincare to see how it went when I made a kinder decision for myself. I started doing the same 12 minute yoga video every night. Here’s where I am now…!

🎉I am using my inhaler half the amount I used to. I’m starting to catch myself and take deep belly breaths.

🎉My knee no longer hurts when I do a stretch I love in yoga and my range of motion is just that little bit wider.

🎉I’ve been having less dizzy and faint spells.

🎉I’m now taking walks midday because I enjoy the ritual. Podcast in my ear (Brene Brown wisdom today!), some me time, away from my laptop (huge) and hug the fresh air. It’s made such a difference to my mental health.

🎉I am on week 6 of my new skincare routine and I actually had to order more product because I ran out. I have never, ever in my life run out of product before because I used it regularly except for my makeup wipes.

So often, we don’t think about our bodies in any capacity other than how much it weighs. And yet, all these little wins are showing me what it can do.

And look, I’m not sitting here typing this telling you that I’m happy and that my relationship with myself is healed. I have such a long way to go.

But my days feel happier.
I’m breathing properly.
I’m treating myself with kindness.
And that is worth celebrating.