We spoke with weight educator Diana Bedoya about the struggles of emotional eating, dealing with cravings, how to be a voice for our body, and more. Read our main takeaways from the show below:
- All bodies are different. Appetite and weight management are complex and very individual to each of us. It’s important to realize that certain weight management strategies will not prove successful for everyone, but listening to our bodies can help us find what does work for us.
- Listen to your body. We, as humans, speak in words, but our bodies are different – they speak in sensations and feelings. It’s crucial to get to know our bodies and become aware of certain sensations we feel throughout the day, for example – when we are walking, eating, working, or just performing daily activities. Ways to “tap” into these feelings or sensations can be done through meditation, breathing exercises, or simply just watching our bodies, trying to stay aware & mindful of our feelings. Journaling to note any patterns can be helpful.
- Working with a healthcare professional who is educated & informed on obesity and weight management can help you find a strategy and create an individualized plan for reaching your best weight. The outside world may try to tell you what’s going to work, but you are the only person that is going to know what will fit with your lifestyle, and be sustainable over time.
- Be a voice for your body. Stay aware of your body’s feelings and sensations everyday, and try to understand what it’s telling you. Try not to ignore important cues – if your body is telling you it’s tired, you need sleep. You, and only you, have the power to advocate for your body and gain access to the medical treatments you think should be considered.
- If you catch yourself starting to obsess over food, or even what your body looks like, try to acknowledge it and be aware of what’s occurring, without judging yourself. Take a step back, and think, what can I do differently next time to avoid this? Self-acceptance and non-judgemental curiosity will help in situations like these.
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The medical information on Diabetes – What To Know’s website is provided as an information resource only. The content is not in any way intended to be nor should you rely on it as a substitute for professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, advice and treatment.
