Five Tips for Women Contemplating Weight Loss

I jumped on the Body Positive Train in early 2012, and found it to be a community of radical acceptance, deep hope and some gorgeous attitude. For several years after that, when clients would ask me about weight loss my response was "Just love yourself NOW and get strong. Weight loss doesn't matter!" ... so, basically, I lovingly invalidated what they were voicing was important to them.

These days, we deeply acknowledge that our culture is fat-phobic, that health is MORE than possible at any size and that the fitness and clothing industries make a lot of money on making people feel like shit about themselves.

We also acknowledged that feeling uncomfortable in your body or living in a body you don't quite recognize can be scary and uncomfortable. We acknowledge that weight loss is a legit goal...It's just not the ONLY goal, and we won't get you there "at any cost."

So if you're considering weight loss... here are my top five tips:

1. Get CLEAR on what you really want. If what you're craving is partnership, love, self-care or acceptance ... there is other, important work to do. If you want to feel strong, embodied and energized... there are modalities that focus on ADDING to your life. If you want to lose weight ... why? Be honest with yourself, and make sure that a weight loss plan is the right thing for right now.

2. LOVE yourself now. Fall deeply, passionately, wonderfully in love with every part of yourself that you can. Learn who you are and what you are excited about, and start to bring that person to the world in the body you currently have. I cannot overemphasize the power in this step because your INSIDES will show no matter what your pants tag says.

3. Prioritize HEALING first. If there is inflammation, illness, injury or other healing to do, your body will handle that first. Fat loss is an energetically expensive process, and your brain will give you permission to engage in that AFTER you have the resources to do so.

4. HONOR your hormones. Your endocrine system will trump your calories in / calories out efforts when it comes to fat storage and loss. If you're cycling or going through menopause, learn about what your body needs to support these processes and eat / exercise to honor those needs! (PS. Hormonal birth control can factor in!)

5. Lift Heavy Weights. Slow, heavy-ish, consistent strength training will keep your system in a place to digest and metabolize fuel well! High intensity cardio will typically trigger stress hormones that can have the opposite effect.

YOU - as you are right now - are incredible.

And YOU - right now - have the right and ability to exercise body autonomy, however that feels right to you.

If weight loss truly feels important, take some time to find a program or coach that will honor your emotional and health history, factor in your unique biology, and give you permission to be HAPPY while you do it!

(Need some support finding that? Schedule a free call with me.)