Do you struggle with perfectionism? Have you tried to ditch the diet, but still find yourself obsessing over eating "right?" Do you have a hard time letting go of the weight loss goal, even if you are far into your intuitive eating journey? Does food feel like an all or nothing experience for you, either eating for pleasure or restricting for weight loss? Listen now for some advice on how to work through these issues.

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Key Points:

• It's National Dieting Month! Be sure to listen in on all the bonus episodes this month to help you avoid the excessive diet talk and fat-shaming gym membership chit chat!
• Sometimes we can go into certain food restrictions, such as vegetarianism and veganism, with the best of intentions, but they can quickly spiral out of control and feel obsessive.
• Weight loss is seductive!
• How do we relate to food in a neutral, balanced way, rather than one that feels like an all-or-nothing, binge restrict cycle?
• Perfectionism can stand in the way of feeling safe with food and trusting your body.
• Rebecca Scritchfield joins for some more insight on this topic, and a conversation on body kindness!
• Diet culture is toxic!! We all need some love and compassion when trying to tackle it.
• If we're trying to put ourselves first, embrace self-care, and embody self-acceptance but we have not yet fully accepted our bodies just as they are, this can lead to a common but difficult tug of war: to diet, or to drop the diet and plunge headfirst into body acceptance.
• "Fears and anxieties can lead to desperate decisions and actions." - Rebecca
• How do we strive for a healthier, happier life in a holistic sense, rather than one that focuses on our size or shape?
• Feeling stuck between dieting and self-acceptance is draining... how do we break out of that? Rebecca weighs in!
  • Acceptance even in the face of anxiety and discomfort.
  • Space to reflect and engage in compassionate and rational thinking.
• "Perfectionism means unachievable!" - Rebecca
  • We must be able to question why we are holding ourselves accountable to something that we know no one else can achieve.
  • Practice setting up boundaries around perfectionism and asserting that it does not work for you!
  • STOP allowing it to control your choices.
• Can we accept ourselves and love ourselves, but still hold weight loss as a goal?
  • If we sit with that desire, but choose not to pursue specific, unhelpful weight loss goals, and instead just bring those feelings along for the ride, eventually that desire will work itself out in favor of self-care and self-love.
  • Take the action that you would take if you were ALREADY the person you "want" to be, and take steps to enjoy life!
  • Eventually, the weight loss goal becomes less important just by doing the things that help you to love yourself more.
• Diet culture is everywhere, and NOT engaging in diet culture is a huge job!
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Rebecca's new book, Body Kindness!!
  • Guidance and flexible tips to engage in self-care in all aspects of your life.
  • Discussing the benefit of both good AND bad emotions!!
  • How to we set up sustainable, good goals?
  • The benefits of connection, compassion, and kindness... how do we engage in a meaningful life NOW?
  • A special discount for Love Food listeners available for a limited time: order Body Kindness and get 25% off with the code KIND at this link https://www.workman.com/products/body-kindness

Show Notes:

• Link to subscribe to the weekly FREE Food Peace Newsletter. It is sent out every Tuesday morning and no spam EVER. By signing up, I will also send you Love Food's Season 1's Food Peace Syllabus.
• Body of Truth by Harriet Brown --> This week's Food Peace Syllabus addition #1
• Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach --> This week's Food Peace Syllabus addition #2
• The Happiness Trap by Dr. Russ Harris --> This week's Food Peace Syllabus addition #3
• ACT Made Simple by Dr. Russ Harris --> This week's Food Peace Syllabus addition #4
• Rebecca's new book, Body Kindness: She has a special limited time offer for Love Food listeners and subscribers of my newsletter (hooray!): 
  Order Body Kindness and get 25% off with the code KIND at this link https://www.workman.com/products/body-kindness.
• Body Kindness Get Started Training!!
• Rebecca's main website
• Brené Brown
• Eating Disorder Dietitians
• Julie Dillon RD blog

Do you have a complicated relationship with food? I want to help! Send your Dear Food letter to LoveFoodPodcast@gmail.com. 

Click here to leave me a review in iTunes and subscribe. This type of kindness helps the show continue!

Thank you for listening to the Love, Food series. Give me feedback via Twitter @EatingPermitRD.

This episode is sponsored by my friends at Green Mountain at Fox Run.
A special promotion for Love Food listeners:
Join Green Mountain at Fox Run for their Binge & Emotional Eating Weekend Intensive (January 20-22, 2017). Participants will explore personal barriers and how to counter them with evidence-based strategies to prevent eating in response to stress and emotions. For more information or to register, please visit https://www.fitwoman.com/therapy-services-eating-disorder/offerings/binge-eating-intensive-weekend/.

TAKE TIME TO INVEST IN YOU.

It’s time to shine the light on yourself and make YOURSELF the priority. Here at Green Mountain at Fox Run, we’re all about embracing and supporting yourself through self-care. Through powerful tools such as mindfulness techniques, stress management skills, and movement that is customized to your body and fitness level, you’ll learn to practice self-care in your daily life. Visit https://www.fitwoman.com/ for more information.

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