Trigger warning: mentions of eating disorders and imposter syndrome
As I embarked on my journey to make the most of my time and bring some positive changes into my life, there were a few things that truly helped me see the world differently. Some of these are more personal remedies than others, but I think they can help anyone nonetheless.
Battling Binge-eating Disorder:
It was very effective for me to write down the feelings and thoughts I had before I found myself in a binge-eating session. This way, I could see patterns in my urges to binge and when I was feeling a certain way, I could quickly distract myself with other activities to make sure that I wasn’t satisfying my brain’s signal to just go and eat something to avoid the problem.
When it came to dealing with my excessive exercises, I realised that short sessions (20-30 minutes) that make me sweat and out of breath were much more rewarding than longer sessions that consisted of movements that no longer challenged me. Picking workouts that would take me to the next level was not always easy because I didn’t want to be uncomfortable (though, sometimes, it’s good to do things because you like them) but when I saw myself progressing, it became a great motivator.
It’s really important for people who are considering dieting (or just anyone who eats — which is everyone on the entire planet) to take some time to study the nutrients our body needs and how they work to keep you alive and well.
For me, one of the best ways that I controlled my urges was through baking. Since I was meticulously measuring and following instructions, it finally felt like I was in control of the food I eat. Also, because most of the time I would bake things in order to share them with others, it helped me with portion control as well. I’ve also used my creativity to substitute ingredients to make them more healthy than their original recipes.
Standing against Imposter Syndrome:
Successes will help you overcome the feeling that you cannot do anything. It doesn’t have to be big — small but frequent successes will help you see that there is evidence that you are definitely enough and that there is nothing that can change that fact.
Even if I did fail, focusing on the next action that I can control was much more effective with handling the stress of failure instead of focusing on the goal that I did not reach. And don’t let the failure feed fear into you because it’s most likely fear (of knowing your limits, of change, etc) that is preventing you from trying your best. I used to take on challenges (if you can call them that) which I knew that I would succeed in because I didn’t want to look like I couldn’t do anything. This didn’t help me improve that much.
When your mind gets boggled up with different thoughts about the past and what the future holds for you, try telling yourself that you will only live for today. Personally, I like to set bigger pictures and goals but I don’t think about them until the very end. If you’re on a path to do something, just trust yourself that you will not fall from it.
Miscellaneous advice:
For me, a lot of the doubt for myself came through when I felt like I was just repeating the basics over and over again. But even if you feel like that, there is still progress being made and if you go one step further than the last time you started something, that’s better than stopping completely.
Being consistent is key in everything you do. Trying to take shortcuts or chances might work a few times, but in the long run, they prove to be the weak points that might let you fall. For me, I tried to cut corners in my diet by eating the smallest possible amount. That amounted to a much bigger problem after a while.
If you feel restless and nervous, a fidget cube might be worth investing in. It’s helped me quite a bit with my habit of biting around my nails.
Youtube (or any sort of media) is only ever good when the values they add to your life (like new information or true happiness) is greater than what they take away (like time).
I felt so happy writing about these pieces of advice because these are genuine things that I have found out to work for me while I was struggling to change. I’m so glad that I was able to turn around from my troubles and bounce back on my feet 😊