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sarahlizking

🤸‍♀️ Trainer | Coach | Speaker
🎧 Holistic Health Radio Podcast
🚫 No BS approach to health & fitness
🤓 Science, not trends
💯% Fad-free

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This is gonna piss a few people off, but I'm going to say it anyway
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Fuck the algorithm.
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If you really care about people's wellbeing, you'll find a better way to get engagement.
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Your body doesn't need to be a billboard for your message.
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Subjects like mental health and body image in particular need to be handled with care.
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A photo of you slouched over with your very normal skin rolls when you are in fact living in a very lean, able body, isn't really helping in the way you feel it should.
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I know your heart is in the right place, but please stop.
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Use your beautiful brain to educate people.
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Let your intelligence and knowledge about these sensitive topics be discussed with compassion and nuance.
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Empower people to seek out their own assistance if they feel they are struggling.
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But please, please, please stop using booty shots and suggestive photos to do so.
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Let's do better👊
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P.S. For those doing work in the fat acceptance and body liberation space, I see you, and I encourage you to keep doing your work in the way you see fit.

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🎧 NEW PODAST: My journey with chronic pain and the 1% mindset for making meaningful progress
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Not all transformations can be seen. Sometimes they don't need to be. It's the story that matters, so here's mine.
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3 years ago I started this Instagram account after quitting my corporate job. I was passionate about health and fitness, but also incredibly displeased with how it was portrayed online: 6-pack abs, intense workouts, ridiculous food plans
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I wanted to be that voice of reason for both myself and others, and my mission today remains the same: eat for pleasure, move for joy, and work towards healthy habits that last a lifetime.
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I'm pretty outspoken about the food side of things being balanced, but to be fair I've kept rather quiet on the exercise front.
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Slightly ironic considering I'm an exercise physiologist, but a lot of that had to do with the car crash I had on this day 3 years ago and the unexplainable pain it left me with.
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I lost my confidence to move, to be carefree in the gym, and use my body to do fun activities like I once did.
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Everything hurt. Walking became near impossible and most days the pain was so bad I'd be left in tears
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But I also knew that retreating and giving up wasn't the answer. And so my rehab and recovery journey began and still continues today. Although I'm not completely pain free it's good to feel strong again, and I've come SO FAR from where I once was.
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I attribute much of this success to the 1% mindset shift I made, my stubborn never give up mentality, and the team of health professionals who helped me along the way (shoutout to Andrew @befit.physio and Jake from Apeiron Performance who doesn't use Insta😂)
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To listen to the full episode click the link in my bio❤️
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P.S. Swipe for a few videos of my training. Reaching this level again took years. Progress takes time. Start where you are, don’t compare yourself to others and never give up👊

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Sometimes you need to press pause before you can press play again
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Exercise is an incredible tool that allows us to use our bodies, feel stronger and fitter, and hone our motor skills in a variety of different ways.
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It also provides a multitude of benefits for our physical and mental health, safe-guarding things such as our heart health, bone health, and risk of depression.
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However, too much exercise without adequate rest and recovery or exercise fuelled by negative motivations and low self-worth can become deleterious to our overall well-being.
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For many the line can become blurred around healthy exercise behaviours because identity might be wrapped up in being the "athletic one" or the fear of being seen as "lazy" for taking a break, especially when weight stigma is thrown into the mix.
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Asking yourself if any of the situations above are relevant to you can be a good starting point in figuring out whether your workout routine is helpful or harmful.
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But where to from there?
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Dealing with less exercise when it has become a big part of your life can feel challenging. So here are a few strategies I use with clients to help rebuild a healthy relationship with exercise:
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1. Change the intensity - you may not need to stop exercising altogether, but the intensity might need to be toned down for a while. This might be the case if you're recovering from hypothalamic amenorrhea, an eating disorder or another health condition.
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2. Change the type - if one particular mode of exercise has become inherently rigid or disordered, taking a break and doing something different will help.
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3. Change your environment - if going to the gym has led to consistently overdoing it, try exercising under the guidance of a trainer or exercise physiologist
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4. Have a plan - if you're not sure what to do or what's appropriate for YOU right now, get a plan from a professional. This takes the guesswork and decision making out of the equation.
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Making fitness fun and enjoyable again is totally possible! And if you any guidance I'm always here to help ❤️

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It’s a beautiful thing to have lungs that allow you to breathe air and legs that allow you to climb mountains, and it’s a shame that sometimes we don’t realise that that’s enough.
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Learn to be kind to your body, gentle with your mind and patient with your heart today and every day.
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Happy Saturday❤️
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P.S. Last day to join the Body Freedom Academy is December 8th. Click the link in my bio for more info or to sign up to my newsletter💌

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Here’s reason number 971 of why I love teaching intuitive eating
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It changes lives
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And creates the most supportive community.
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Here’s a few words from @jennxyang who took my Body Freedom Academy course a couple of months ago:
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“I was drawn to the Intuitive Eating course because I wanted to stop fearing food, hating my body, and dwell on these two things constantly.
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The topics we talk about are difficult, and Sarah shows nothing but compassion and support, even when challenging our beliefs and behaviours.
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I really appreciate the education and real talk, without any judgement.
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This course is for anyone who feels overwhelmed by diet culture and the constant pressure to be smaller (whether it’s internal or external).
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What makes Sarah’s approach intuitive and enjoyable is that
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1) the course makes us look inward to first understand what drives our behaviours; and
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2) we are given a wealth of strategies to explore without the expectation that every one needs to work for us.
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It truly challenged me to develop my own approach to wellness and although it can be very scary to let go of rules and restrictions, it is liberating.
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Thank you Sarah, I hope this community grows.”
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Making sure each person feels supported every step of the way is what I’m so committed to because I want YOU to get the results and finally feel relaxed around food, comfortable in your body and overcome emotional eating.
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If you’re thinking about joining the Body Freedom Academy do it TODAY!
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Registrations for the next round close on Sunday December 8th. Link is in my bio❤️

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Some days I miss my smaller body, but here’s what I don’t miss:
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1. Feeling cold all the time
2. Having no period
3. Being grumpy
4. Being emotionally numb
5. Being afraid of food
6. Prioritising exercise above everything else
7. Never feeling good enough
8. Always saying no to dessert when I really wanted to say yes
9. Feeling sad and alone
10. People asking me for food/fitness tips when my habits were disordered AF
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And many many more
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It’s ok to miss what you used to look like
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I sometimes do too.
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When society elevates one type of body above all others and/or you come from a history of basing your self-worth on your weight and shape, it can still be hard to feed badass in your bod 24/7
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Even though I still fit into the “thin ideal” I still have bad body image days.
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But here’s the difference:
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I deal with them in healthy ways
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I allow myself to feel my feelings, to let the thoughts come and then pass, and try to reassure myself that there’s more to life than having a thigh gap and visible abs.
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Changing my body won’t solve the problem, changing my mind will.
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And I if you need to hear that today I’ll say it a little louder again:
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CHANGING YOUR BODY WON’T SOLVE THE PROBLEM
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Here’s what will though:
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1️⃣ Understand the cost of being lean and the sacrifice it often takes on your relationship with food and your body 2️⃣ Start practicing health habits from a place of body respect
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3️⃣ Working on your mindset and body image with a coach or therapist
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4️⃣ Diversifying the types of people you follow so you see that health and happiness exist in all shapes and sizes
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If you want more help and support through each of these steps click the link in my bio to check out the Body Freedom Academy or sign up to my newsletter for daily inspiration.
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Love you❤️

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[NEW PODCAST] Your Fear of Weight Gain is Holding You Back From Your True Potential
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I've got a really important question I want to ask you and maybe you haven't considered it before, so here goes:
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If you were already good enough, what would you be doing with your life?
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What would you be spending more time on?
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What would you be spending less time on?
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How would you feel?
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Our bodies are often the façade for deeper beliefs about ourselves
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What is it about weight gain that you're actually fearing?
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Have you scratched beneath the surface?
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Because 99% of the time it's not your body that's the problem
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It's the fear of not being enough, or feeling like an outsider, or not getting the validation you crave
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In today's podcast I unpack why the fear of weight gain is so deeply rooted within our society and how it prevents us from living our healthiest, happiest lives
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We are all powerful people
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And our bodies are simply the vessels that allow us to pursue our passions and reach our highest potential
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You were not born to simply pay bills and obsess endlessly over your appearance
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You've got options
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The choice is yours
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So what's your next best step?
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Listen to the full episode of my podcast Holistic Health Radio by clicking the link in my bio👆 and don't forget to sign up to my newsletter for more daily inspiration💌

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Are you afraid of being home alone with a fridge or cupboard full of food?
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When you step inside your house do you instantly dump your bags on your bed and make a b-line for the biscuits?
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Or maybe you wait until everyone is asleep at night so you can sneak to the freezer for some ice cream?
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So many people feel out of control around food and that the answer is further restriction and forbidding themselves from having certain foods.
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Except that only leads to more food obsession and feeds into the binge-restrict cycle.
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And it leaves us feeling broken, ashamed, like there's something wrong with us, and we simply have no willpower.
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If you are feeling like this was I just want to remind you of a few simple things:
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1. You aren't alone - so many people struggle with this!
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2. Your body isn't broken - however you have likely been underfeeding it or have been stuck in a semi deprivation mindset that has led to your binges or hyperfocus on food
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3. Stricter dieting is not the answer - allowing yourself full permission to eat is.
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This combined with better awareness of hunger and fullness, getting the basics of self-care, and learning to manage your emotions without food is actually what will stop food obsession and the binges for good and is what I teach in the Body Freedom Academy which is now open for registrations (and closes on December 8th so get in quick)
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Jump to the link in my bio and sign up to my newsletter to register your interest❤️

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Healthier alternatives of your favourite foods are totally fine, but if you're eating them out of fear of having the real thing then it's potentially problematic.
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I think it's important to mention that for some, food swaps and alternative options are necessary for health reasons.
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And you may even have a personal preference for enjoying some of the foods on the left hand side.
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I myself don't mind some frozen bananas as "ice cream" or in a smoothie bowl.
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However, for some, always going for the "healthier option" isn't fuelled by preference, but by fear or concern of what the normal option could do to their bodies.
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Getting over these fears can be particularly challenging because of the culture we live that tells us certain foods are "bad", that eating them will make us gain weight, cause inflammation, and a whole bunch of other deleterious effects.
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And I get it - processed foods in excess aren't favourable for long-term health and generally don't make us feel our best.
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However, that doesn't mean we need to avoid them altogether.
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Eating food should be an enjoyable experience!!!
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You can have your cake and eat it too - the one made with real sugar, butter, flour and eggs.
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And if you're not quite there yet, here are a few tips to help you overcome your food fears:
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1️⃣ Remember food has no moral value - nutritional value might differ, but it doesn't make them bad or good
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2️⃣ Start small! Challenge a food that ranks slightly lower on your fear food list first
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3️⃣ Get support - processing the thoughts and feelings swirling around in your head can be tough on your own, so work with a coach or professional who can support you through the process
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If you want more tips and tricks on how to improve your relationship with food, be sure to sign up to my newsletter. Link is in my bio 😘

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I don't know if I can ever put this into words or if I've ever said this before, but here goes
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I'm so incredibly happy to be alive
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Be here sharing my story, be a source of inspiration to guide those who still feel in a dark space, and provide no BS information so you can all feel your happiest, healthiest selves
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Honestly if we throwback to 10 years ago I was in a very different place.
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An eating disorder (or any mental illness) is a really friggin tough thing to go through.
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It's not a 'lifestyle' choice either
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And the harsh reality if we look at statistics are kind of grim:
-Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness
-They also have many physical health complications
-They can be inherently difficult to treat and
-It often takes many attempts at recovery before the right kind of help is found
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So yeah, I'm pretty happy to be here.
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To have beaten something, which at one point I felt might take my life away, and to have the courage to share my experience and show that there is light at the end of the tunnel is something I don't ever take for granted.
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Your body, your earth suit, your home, or whatever you want to call it, can sometimes feel like a difficult place to live in. This is something we all experience whether disordered eating has affected us or not.
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But we were not put on this planet to simply obsess over our bodies endlessly, and waste copious amounts of time, money, and energy trying to morph ourselves into society's thin ideal
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You are meant for so much more than that in this great life.
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Today I'm honoured to be speaking at the Embrace event run by @ashlee.thomas to share my story, discuss diet culture, breakdown the fitness and nutrition misinformation that floats around online, and provide education on the health habits we need to focus on for better mental and physical wellbeing
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Every day I'm so grateful, but it's events like this that remind me of how far I've come
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Recovery is possible❤️

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“Burn off your bird” and other diet/fitness BS that ruins Thanksgiving can kindly piss off🤬
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It’s one day Susan, LET ME LIVE!
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Honestly I understand holidays can be triggering AF.
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My first Thanksgiving during recovery from my eating disorder (circa 2009) was riddled with anxiety and I’m pretty sure I ugly cried into my slice of pie.
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It was not a good time and made me realise how difficult it can be to enjoy the holidays when you’re not in a good headspace around food or your body.
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But it doesn’t have to be that way. Food freedom and happy holidays are possible.
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Here are a few things to focus on to help you get there:
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1️⃣ & 2️⃣ EAT FOODS YOU ENJOY, PASS ON THOSE YOU DON’T - stop trying to people please. Instead focus on what foods you like, and kindly pass on those you don’t. A simple “no thank you, I’m fine” typically works
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3️⃣ COUNT MEMORIES NOT CALORIES - give yourself permission to fully enjoy your food and focus on creating happy memories not counting calories. Diet culture instils so much fear of weight gain over a couple of meals a year so they can sell you some plan after the fact when you’re feeling guilty. Don’t buy into it!
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4️⃣ FOCUS ON GRATITUDE - if you find yourself becoming overwhelmed, take a moment, a few deep breaths and remind yourself of all that you are grateful for.
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5️⃣ WEAR COMFY CLOTHES - dress so that you feel relaxed and can focus on the people you’re with
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6️⃣ DITCH THE DIET TALK - if someone starts being the food police feel free to speak up. Saying something as simple as “I really enjoyed this meal, let’s not ruin it with silly diet chat” usually helps people clue into how you’re feeling.
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Let’s make holidays great again instead of listening to the negative diet talk telling us we simply have to “survive” them or make amends after the fact.
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What do you love most about the holiday season? Any traditions you look forward to?
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P.S. I’ll be running a BLACK FRIDAY SALE tomorrow so be sure to sign up to my email list. Link is in my bio❤️

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Do these distress you or empower you?
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The methods by which individuals engage with nutrition and training vary greatly and I used to be very much in the camp that any form of tracking was disordered.
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However, what I came to realise was that my own experience had tainted these very reasonable avenues that some people find empowering and help them move towards their health goals in a flexible manner.
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So I started to change my tune because I never want to be that one size fits all health professional who has a black and white mindset.
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Instead, I want to provide a safe space where people can be honest with themselves and their approach. To use my expertise and experience to help them check in with their intentions and make sure they are coming from a positive place.
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A more structured approach might be favourable when someone knows eating more intuitively will mean they don't hit their nutritional needs.
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Meal prep might be helpful for some with a busy week, so they can respond appropriately to hunger cues, while for others it can feed into rigidity around food choices.
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Some people love a strict workout plan, while for others just doing what feels good helps them break the cycle of unhealthy exercise.
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Tracking steps may motivate someone to move more in a healthy way, while for others it can become obsessional.
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The point is there are pros and cons to each of the methods above, and what works for one person may not work for another.
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Being respectful of people's choices and curious about your own intentions when it comes to these tools is, in my opinion, incredibly important because it can clarify whether it is a helpful habit or an unhealthy obsession.
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I work every day with clients asking them these very same questions - is this habit adding to or taking away from your overall physical, mental, or social well-being?
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And if it's NOT working, what can we do differently.
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What has been your experience with any of the above?
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And how has that shaped the types of health habits you engage in today?
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Let's have a discussion below.

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10 books that have changed my life for the better:
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1. The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
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Life lesson: work smarter, not harder. Be careful how you define "success". If it's only dollar bills it won't leave you feeling fulfilled.
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2. The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma
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Life lesson: adopt an attitude of Kaizen. The idea is to always be learning and getting better in a non-judgemental way
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3. Atomic Habits by James Clear
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Life lesson: changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them for years.
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4. Deep Work by Cal Newport
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Life lesson: the ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare at exactly the same time it is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy.
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5. Intuitive Eating by Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole
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Life lesson: no matter how long you've been stuck in the binge-restrict, or fad diet cycle, it's possible to heal your relationship with food, exercise, and your body.
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6. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
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Life lesson: values underlie everything we are and do. If what we value is unhelpful, if what we consider success/failure is poorly chosen, then everything based upon those values—the thoughts, the emotions, the day-to-day feelings—will all be out of whack.
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7. Sick Enough by Dr. Jennifer L. Gaudiani
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Life lesson: to promote better care of eating disorders, we must have better understanding/medical knowledge combined with deep empathy to encourage clients to move through this difficult journey. 8. Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
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Life lesson: the shorter you sleep, the shorter your lifespan.
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9. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
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Life lesson: have the courage to be vulnerable in a world where everyone wants to appear strong, confident and like they know what they’re doing.
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10. Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday (very excited to read his new book as well)
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Life lesson: ego is there undermining us on the very journey we’ve put everything into pursuing, but it can be managed and directed with humility, diligence, and self-awareness
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What's one book that has changed your life for the better and why? Any recommendations?

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Carbs are like the black sheep of the macronutrient family. They seem to get all the blame, and are at the epicentre of a whole lotta nutrition fear-mongering, and diet rules that can wreak havoc on your relationship with food.
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Things like:
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You shouldn't eat carbs after 6pm🤦‍♀️
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Sugar is as addictive as cocaine🙅‍♀️
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Eating carbs leads to weight gain🙄
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All processed carbs are terrible and should be avoided at all costs🤬
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You have to give up bread to reach your health goals🤨
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And the list goes on, yet none of them are true because nutrition is much more nuanced than this!
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Carbs within a balanced diet provide us with so many benefits, and the best time to eat them is when you feel like them.
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Honestly, I fucking love carbs🥰, but there was a time when I was deadly afraid of them because of the perpetual diet messages thrown at me left, right and centre.
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It took me forever to reintroduce things I had previously loved like bread, rice, and the one that took the longest (thank you I Quit Sugar Movement🙄) FRUIT🍉🍌🍑
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I know I'm not alone in saying this either.
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So many of you out there are probably sticking to similar food rules and justifying to yourself that they're not "that bad" because society deems them as "acceptable" to follow in our fad diet obsessed world.
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NEWS FLASH!
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This my friend is a form of disordered eating, and even though it's common, it doesn't mean it's normal.
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The best time to nip these little food rules in the bud is NOW. Not tomorrow. Not next week. TODAY. And you don't have to go it alone - if you need some help I help clients with this daily
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Because life's too short to feel anxious and hung-up around food. You can have your carbs and eat them too.
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Love you❤️

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Them: Hey, your world looks bright, shiny, and perfect.
Me: Let me stop you right there✋
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Welcome to your Monday reality check.
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You wanna know something about the girl who runs this page, has a podcast, is trying to make her business work, help some kick ass humans be their best healthiest selves, and be a good human to the people she loves
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Well she doesn't always feel smiley and pretty.
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In fact I've been feeling like that a lot these past few weeks.
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I've lost my oomph. Looking back over my Instagram stories I can see how tired I am
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My limiting beliefs and negative self-talk are well and truly present so let's just air a few out that might resonate with you such as:
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I'm not good enough.
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I don't know enough
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I must always be seen as strong; emotion is weakness
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Now normally I'm a self-aware motherf**ker who can fend off my demons like nobody's business, but lately it hasn't felt as easy. And this has been the case for 2 reasons:
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1. I've been very stretched with commitments and work lately and
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2. OWNING YOUR SHIT IS FUCKING HARD
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And I say this mostly because I never want you to think I'm perfect.
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I'm a work in progress, just like you and I continue to use the tools I've learned through professional development and personal experience to get my ass back on track
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I'm committed to realness, not just wellness
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Everyone has their demons, but people rarely air them out or open up about them because it's uncomfortable being vulnerable and doesn't feel socially acceptable.
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But here's the thing
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HOW OFTEN HAVE WE ALL FELT LIKE THIS AND JUST STAYED QUIET?
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Said we're okay, when really we're not
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Put on a brave face and pretend to be happy when we really want to cry
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Used laughter as a distraction from the really tough shit we're going through
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The answer is too often
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So today I'm calling myself out and giving you permission to do the same
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I feel really burnt out and emotional. I need a rest and to look after myself a bit more this week.
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And if you need to do the same PLEASE PLEASE DO!
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You are your number one priority - always look after yourself❤️

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Different shoe size, different eye colour, different skin tones, different body shapes and sizes. Let's celebrate diversity
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Health is complicated and the factors that influence it are many.
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Taking care of your body with habits that serve to make you feel good mentally and physically are always a good idea, but selling them as a guaranteed way of reshaping your entire image and entire life can be misleading.
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Your genetics make up so much of your individual characteristics including eye colour, hair, skin tone, and can also influence our physical body.
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So today, I invite you to celebrate your uniqueness instead of fighting against it. I know how difficult it is to navigate the unrealistic body expectations of society, but I also want you to know that your worthiness means more than your physical appearance.
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Valuing our self-worth solely on one attribute, such as appearance, is a very narrow minded view of who we are as human beings.
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Remind yourself of all that you are, and start moving for joy, eating to nourish not punish, and engaging in habits that bring about real health for a lifetime.
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Double tap if you’re with me on this one❤️
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P.S. If you want to learn how to fully embrace your body, eat intuitively and move for joy then join the next round of the Body Freedom Academy starting December 8th. Link is in my bio for more details☺️

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