Declare Your Independence From Eating Disorders!

This is the July 4^th Holiday weekend in the United States, when we celebrate American independence.  

Let’s take the opportunity to declare independence from the oppressive ideas, thoughts, and beliefs about yourself that hold you hostage and keep you from the freedom of self acceptance.

Ideas, thoughts and beliefs lead to feelings, which lead to behavior.  

If you think negative thoughts about yourself, you will feel bad, and be vulnerable to using food (whether turning to it or from it) to comfort, numb and distract yourself from those painful and upsetting emotions.  

When your ideas shift, you feel better, and you won’t need comfort or distraction.

Let's challenge those negative ideas about yourself.  List some of the things you think about yourself: (i.e., "I have no willpower... there's something wrong with me... I'm a freak... nobody else does this stuff with food... if people knew the truth, they wouldn't like me"...)

Where do these ideas come from?  Family?  Culture?  Friends?

What qualities about you do you imagine need to change?   Why?

Do you have to be perfect to be lovable and acceptable?

What does “perfect” mean to you?

When you think about self-acceptance, what do you imagine?

Now, imagine that a good friend or loved one has the same "negative" qualities that you attribute to yourself.  Would you think differently of your friends if you found out they were struggling with food?  Or would you have compassion and want to help?)

Declare your independence and liberate yourself from self-doubt, self-criticism, anxiety, fear and anything else that makes you feel bad about yourself or feel unsafe around people.

Practice responding to yourself as you would treat a friend.  You will feel better, and when that happens, you'll be less focused on food, weight and body image.

That's how you declare independence from self-hate and make peace with food!

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Want help declaring independence from binge eating, stress eating and emotional eating?
Join the Binge-Free Babes Project and get started on a path of freedom: https://bingefreebabes.com/