Mounting evidence suggests that an unhealthy lifestyle plays a significant role in depression. A sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition can increase relationship stress, poor sleep, and medical conditions like arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and obesity - all of which can negatively impact your mental wellness.
If you struggle to lose weight or maintain healthy habits, YOU are not broken or deficient. It’s the plan that’s not a good fit for you because it doesn’t take into account your lifestyle, food preferences, hunger patterns, or your unique strengths and limitations. That is why trying to “white knuckle” your way through is a sure way to end up right back where you started!
You aren’t lacking in motivation! If you think about it, you have plenty of motivation to do many challenging things in your life. You’ve already overcome challenges and accomplished significant goals in your life, so you know you are capable. The difference is, you are motivated to work hard toward goals you believe you can achieve. This is a difference in mindset. With weight loss or health habits, the way you think about yourself will either fuel motivation, or sabotage your efforts. We will work with you to notice those self-defeating thoughts, and to change your mindset so you can accomplish your health goals.
If you’ve been around the dieting block, you’ve probably experienced trying to force your body to be okay with long bouts of hunger, grueling workouts, or eating food that is “healthy” but doesn’t excite you. You can learn to eat and move your body in Intuitive ways, meaning that you eat in response to your body’s hunger and fullness cues, and based on what foods feel most fulfilling and energizing. You’ll meet yourself where you are, taking into account your unique preferences and abilities and limitations. You’ll feel empowered to know that you can get healthier and lose weight, AND do it without suffering. Weight loss may be a side effect of learning to eat Intuitively, especially if you’re changing from a long period of eating emotionally or eating foods that are draining your mood and energy. Switching to eating foods that energize you, and eating in response to hunger and fullness can help your body arrive at its desired weight, naturally and lovingly. Your body is wise and wants you to treat it with care. You can learn by listening to your body–your physical and emotional cues–so you can get healthier while connecting more with yourself, from the INSIDE OUT.
Binge eating is eating for reasons of hunger or emotions, but beyond the point of fullness, and feeling out of control while eating. Some people describe a feeling of “zoning out” or “numbing out” while binge eating. Emotional and Binge eating can bring shame and self-loathing. You can implement more healthy coping strategies to deal with the emotions that may be fueling emotional or binge eating. You may also create different patterns so you can feel more confident and connected, within yourself and with others.
When willpower is replaced with habit, your behavior change switches from “white knuckling” to “autopilot” and will then last long-term. You already know how to create and maintain habits–you get dressed every morning, brush your teeth, take care of work or school or family responsibilities, pay your bills, take care of pets, and do many things throughout your day that are “automatic” and habitual. At some point those behaviors became effortless because they became HABITS. When you create a new habit, it requires some amount of motivation in the beginning, but over time, it can become automated. There are strategies for timing and type of behaviors that help you make them into habits more easily. Health and Nutrition Coaching services help you learn the “hacks” of the psychology for forming and maintaining new habits, so you can sustain your healthy lifestyle long-term.
Read more about the link between chronic systemic inflammation and depression:
Dr. Rhonda Patrick presents an informative and enlightening description of the link between chronic inflammation and depression.
