The result of negative messages/mindset around food, movement and body image put Sarah in a place where she was restricting food, counting calories and moving her body as a form of “punishment.” She wouldn’t go out to eat with friends or co-workers because of the unknown of how many calories a certain meal was, or how she would have to make sure to exercise more that day to have extra calories left. Sarah had a negative view of her body that stemmed from these messages.
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In her journey, she decided to stop counting calories. Sarah realized that she wasn’t listening to her own body, but instead was letting an app who didn’t know her life, goals or situations dictate how much and what she ate. Sarah stepped into a place of trust and growth. What didn’t work for her was expecting perfection- that it was going to be easy. Learning to trust your body when you’ve been told it can’t be trusted, is hard but doable! Sarah started to block out the noise of diet culture and started to trust her own instincts.

Solution

Sarah read the book Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, which gave her tools to use, and to know that she was not alone. She talked to her friends and leaned on people for support when she needed it. But the biggest choice was (and is) self-compassion. We too often jump to the negative, blame ourselves and feel shame when something doesn’t go “right”. But to choose self-compassion is a choice that encourages change, support and love!

The result? Food freedom! Sarah is much better at listening to her body and actually acting on what she hears without judgment or guilt. She is less concerned about how many calories are burned each day, but more focused on whether or not she enjoyed herself. The flexibility, freedom and joy she feels now is amazing. It is so freeing to let go of all the rules and limits set by diet culture.

Reflection From Sarah Randall:

I let go of diet culture. It will always be there, but when you step away from it, you get to see the world through new lenses. If you’re going through this right now at any level and want to relearn how to be an intuitive eater, my advice is to start reading, join a community that is in alignment with where you want to be and find support wherever you can!

Here are five key takeaways:

• Learning Is A Process: When we are in unknown territory, we often grasp for restriction and control- reacting from fear, in a state of contraction, as we learn how to expand.
• Listen To Your Body: Listening to our bodies is a part of honoring ourselves and inner guidance system. We know best and are continually discovering what is as well.
• Self Compassion: Compassion can assist us in understanding the many patterns that come into conscious awareness- setting the stage for transformation as we learn how to rework and process deep issues such as shame, blame, etc.
• There Is Freedom: It’s not always about what choice we make but how we make it. Freedom can often be found in how we approach the journey as we let go and grow, learning to embrace the light and stand within it.
• Community Support: There are so many great resources and communities that can act as a catalyst, a safe space and a container of support as we work through our challenges and towards our health goals.

Sarah, thank you so much for sharing your story with us. Please continue to spread your light in this world and inspiring people every single day. Be sure to check out her 12-week yoga program called the Good Yoga Series and her 12-week group program called The Mindful Method– all links are down below!

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Do you have a personal growth story that you would like to share? We would love to feature you on our page! To contribute your authentic story about personal growth, please check here. We truly appreciate your time and intentions to help others #letgoandgrow.

Sarah Randall

Sarah is a Certified Health Coach and Registered Yoga Teacher living in NYC. She runs a 12-week yoga program called the Good Yoga Series designed to give you a structured program to deepen your flexibility, strength and knowledge of yoga. Additionally, she runs a 12-week group program called The Mindful Method, which helps you ditch diets, improve your relationship with food and develop positive self-talk skills. She loves to practice yoga, walk her dog, eat out at all the amazing NYC restaurants and spend her time with friends. She lives and breathes what she teaches and loves the community that has become international. Check out her website here and her TikTok page here!

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