Getting stuck in the land of negative self-talk

After teaching a yoga class yesterday, one of the students came up to me to talk about something she had been able to do for the first time. She told me that she was able to grab her heels in Camel pose and she was elated! She said that after she'd finished the posture and come up, she was so excited she wanted to tell everyone. She wanted to celebrate! Her daughter was practicing next to her and she said it was hard not to call out to her and share her success.

Her excitement and happiness over what her body was able to do is still in mind today. As women (and men) we can be so critical of ourselves, specifically of our bodies. I am constantly hearing people talk about their body in a negative way. Body-shaming has become a normal and accepted part of the way that we talk. It's as if there is something wrong with you if you don't complain about how fat you think you are or how you wish you had tighter abs. It doesn't help that we are constantly bombarded by the media and ads telling us that we need to change something about our appearance, to fix ourselves in some way. Everyone gets down on themselves once in a while, I do too. It's part of life to feel insecure once in a while. But, I'm happy to say that after many years of a constant stream of negative self-talk I have finally found a great love for my own body.  I love the way my body feels when I stretch on my yoga mat. I celebrate when I try a new arm balance and am able to hold it for a few extra seconds. I enjoy the feeling of a full belly after eating a delicious home cooked meal. I didn't always feel this way though. I used to be very critical of myself and was constantly finding faults and things that I didn't like about my appearance. When I look back at that time, I feel exhausted thinking about it! I wasted so much energy and gained nothing from that kind of thinking.

If you find yourself getting stuck in the land of negative self-talk, start to think of one reason that you are grateful for your body. It can be anything, like "I'm grateful that my body has the energy to play with my kids." Or "I'm grateful for my ability to ride my bike today." It doesn't have to be a massive endeavor, celebrate the little things. Challenge yourself to find a few things, each day, that you like about yourself. Just like the student in my yoga class, we should all be celebrating the little victories as they come along. I encourage you to listen to how you talk about your body and be aware if you start to use body-shaming in your conversation (either in your head or out loud). In my own experience, the more negative and critical your thoughts, the more stress and anxiety you will have in your life. But if you can reduce the body-shaming and replace it with a more positive, loving voice, you will start to find more peace inside yourself. This will automatically spill into a more peaceful life, a more joyful life. Remember, this takes time, so be patient, take it one day at a time. Be kind to yourself. You are amazing and unique and there is so much to celebrate about you.


Love from Oz.

It's 2015 and I'm not hear to talk about detoxing

As we move into 2015, I can't help but feel bombarded by the articles on Facebook, the news and different blogs about detoxing, starting over, losing weight, eating better, etc. I agree that the new year is a great time to start fresh and think about making some changes but I wonder when it's ever enough. When does all of this detoxing, food control, fasting and new diet border on unhealthy?

When I suffered from anorexia, I restricted everything I ate. Everything. For those of you that have never experienced an eating disorder or been around someone with one, please note that I don't use the word everything lightly. There was so much thought and control that went into every little bite. Every single tiny bit of food was planned out and then planned out again....it takes up your entire life. No, I'm serious, it consumes you and then some. It's the saddest existence and I would never wish it on anyone. We are given this amazing chance to live and enjoy each day and I spent so much of it worrying about what I was going to eat, if I was going to eat but even more so; worrying about what I had already eaten. (because in my mind, any food was too much food) This is not living life. This is shrinking, controlling, disappearing....and for what?

We live in a world of shouldn't, should, must, have to, better not, can't have that...there is so much that isn't good for us, there is so much we should be doing to be healthier, thinner, younger looking, etc. I feel as if there is this never ending search for the perfect diet, workout, juice, recipe...it's exhausting. I am all for living a healthy lifestyle and eating well, don't get me wrong! In fact, just recently, I've discovered that I have much more energy and feel so much better without a lot of gluten in my diet. But, I don't like to focus too much on what I "can't eat" in my own diet, simply because of my history with an eating disorder. I am wary of anyone that tells me I have to stop eating this or that in order to be healthier. In fact, I've stopped restricting my food a long time ago and I feel healthier and happier for it. Everyone is different but I feel that most people struggle with a "diet" that tells you to never eat bread or fruit or chocolate. The more I had to restrict my food, the more I thought about it, the more it took over my day. It becomes an unhealthy thought pattern and that can quickly spiral out of control.

I believe that our health obsessed culture breeds more eating disorders and more people with a negative body image. Here in Australia, one in 20 people have an eating disorder and that rate is on the rise. It's for this reason that I want to encourage people to be aware of their thoughts around their habits and lifestyle. If you feel guilty for eating that one cookie or find yourself obsessing over the fact that you didn't get to yoga today, it could be time to cut yourself some slack. As a yoga teacher, I am constantly hearing people beat themselves up for not getting enough classes in this week...or eating too much pasta last night. There is so much pressure to live a certain way, to be "healthy."  I encourage you to take care of yourself, but sometimes that means staying home with your family and eating pasta instead of working out...or enjoying a dessert at a restaurant while out with your girlfriends. It means living without all of the control and the "I shouldn't" and the "this is bad" mentality.

So instead of thinking about your next fast, why not focus on that painting you've been putting off, or the book you've been meaning to read, or your family's holiday plans? After I recovered from my eating disorder, I couldn't believe how much time I had to do other things, the whole world opened up to me. If you find yourself always thinking about your diet, weight, body, please don't take that lightly, even if all of your friends and family are of the same mindset. (that's a whole other blog post) Here's to a new year with less emphasis on what you shouldn't be doing and more on what you can do! Here's to your dreams and a positive body image and this beautiful life you've been given.  I am grateful today for the food I get to eat and the body that allows me to move and dance and do yoga. I hope that more people, in their search for a healthier existence, see their ability and beauty and strength. This life is precious, eat it up, right now!

Love from Oz.


I feel very strongly that if you or someone you know is developing unhealthy eating or exercise habits that you visit http://thebutterflyfoundation.org.au/ for more information. You can also send me an email at contact@butterflychrissy.com.au.