All of my clients hire me for one goal: To get leaner
Some want to lose a significant amount of weight. Some want to get leaner at basically the same scale weight. But that’s pretty much what people hire me for.
Over time it becomes about much more than that (hopefully) like exploring their values around food, and developing the skills to check in with their bodies, and their what matters to them, and make choices that align with that, even when it’s hard. But in the beginning it’s basically just about looking better.
Right now, you really don’t have to.
It’s weird, because — as I write this — tomorrow I’m releasing a book called “Lean & Strong.” But, in truth, I really don’t want you to worry about getting leaner or stronger right now.
We’re in a global pandemic. The first in any of our lifetimes.
We’ve never seen anything like this. There’s no playbook. I for sure don’t have any answers about what to do.
But I do know that you have bigger things to worry about than weight loss right now.
It’s appropriate to focus on keeping your family safe. Trying to maintain some emotional well-being. Taking care of yourself. Sheltering-in-place. There’s a lot going on.
There are also a lot more people self-soothing with food. That’s ok.
I’m all about people learning skills for how to be with their emotions and be with stress, without having to soothe with food, most of the time. I want you to be in the driver’s seat with food, and have other ways to take care of your well-being, other than food, most of the time. I want you to distinguish between self-compassion and self-soothing, most of the time.
But that means we have to leave room for some of the time.
We have to leave room for when things are extraordinary. This is an extraordinary time. If self-soothing with food is part of what gets you through this extraordinary time, that’s fine. And, let no one judge you. There isn’t a right way to get through a pandemic, that I know of.
You really can put aside weight loss for now. If you’re social distancing, that’s enough. That’s what the world needs of you. And, it’s enough.
It probably feels good to do some home workouts. If so, that’s awesome. It probably feels good to get some vegetables when you can, or some whole grains. If so, that’s great. It probably feels good to get some protein, when you can, I’m for that too. And, if if it feels good to self-soothe with food, now, and more than you would in the course of your normal life, that’s probably ok too.
Just take care of yourself right now.
—Josh
P.S. I did just write this new book Lean & Strong: Eating Skills, Psychology, and Workouts. Like I said, don’t even worry about getting leaner or stronger right now, just take care of yourself. That being said, if you are a nerd about health behavior change, you might find it’s a really cool read. If a good read would be a nice distraction for you right now, then check it out.
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