shhh, secret sufferingI talk to a lot of women about their body.

I’ve been talking to women about their bodies for 24 years, because that’s how long I’ve been helping women feel at home and good in their own bodies. Helping women reclaim their body is my life’s work. 

And  there’s a common theme that I’ve heard over and over again.

  • I don’t like my body
  • I hate my body
  • My thighs are too big
  • My belly is too flabby

You may in fact be experiencing this kind of painful relationship with your body. But there’s an aspect to this body struggle that makes it worse, and that’s not telling anyone about it.

Women keep their body shame, their food wars, and their negative body-talk a secret.

Just like women who are in abusive relationships – and don’t want to tell anyone that they are getting hurt by someone they love – women who are constantly tearing themselves down, generally don’t tell anyone the true extent of it. 

This has a HUGE cost. 

When you’re in a body-war it impacts how you feel about yourself, your confidence, how you dress, the risks you take in life and so much more.

Plus…

When you keep your painful relationship with your body a secret, you are keeping yourself in an abusive relationship. 

Keeping quiet about how you feel about your body keeps you stuck in the loop of:

  • I hate my body…
  • I should do something!…
  • How about a diet or maybe a marathon?…
  • I can’t stick to my diet (or my training)!…
  • What’s the matter with me? I’m smart and capable, why can’t I do this myself?…
  • I feel like such a failure when it comes to food and body issues!…
  • Forget it I give up…
  • I hate my body…
  • I should do something….

and around you go. 

There are many layers to explore in this issue of body-hate and self-rejection, but right now, I just want to talk to you about the secrecy aspect. 

Keeping quiet about your body pain is a form of shame…shame being the feeling that there is something wrong with you – which by the way…there isn’t anything wrong with you!

Keeping quiet is a also a form of isolation. The feeling that you are all alone in the world, that you have to do everything yourself, that there’s no support – which by the way isn’t true – you are not alone, and there is support out there for you!

When we can step out of the secrecy, we step into the solution.

I’ve seen it over and over again that when my clients start talking to me about the relationship they have with their body – it starts to free them.

Opening up and really examining what’s going on with you and your body, and you and your food, versus trying to fix it with a diet or the newest exercise regime, is like getting therapy for a dysfunctional romantic relationship.

Talking about, journaling about, drawing about, expressing your relationship with your body – as it is, brings it into the light of day and can start you on a more conscious more mindful relationship, more loving relationship with your body.

And of course, getting expert support speeds the process along. Working with someone who has experience in both the psychological and food/health issues that are present with this kind  of body-image issue, is imperative. If you only focus on one or the other, it will not bring you to the place of body and food peace that I know you truly want. 

Let’s get you out of your silent suffering and into a positive and healthy relationship with your food and body!

If you want to be looking in the mirror and loving what you see and could use some guidance and support to make that happen, let’s talk

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nina Manolson, MA, CHC, certified Health Coach and Psychology of Eating Coach believes that every women deserves to feel good in their own body. She helps women create a healthy and positive relationship with their food and body so they can love their body and life!  She’s the founder of NinaManolson.com and NourishedWomanNation.com 

She helps busy women look and feel their best, and helps them feed their kids well in a world that doesn’t.

She’s the author of “Feed Your Kids Well In A World That Doesn’t: an everyday guide to make healthy food happen in your home and beyond”. She’s also the recipient of the prestigious Health Leadership Award from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

To get your F.R.E.E. Video Series “What to do now, when everything you’ve done hasn’t worked” by mail and receive her healthy recipes and wellness tips click here.