As it’s Halloween soon, let’s revisit this concept of treating yourself – which I’m sure we all relate to!
“I’ll have this Twix – it’s a treat..”
“Let’s get a chippy tonight – aw I know it’s unhealthy but it’s a special treat isn’t it…”
“Go on – treat yourself! (with this junk food…)”
You get the gist. And yes – there is something is wrong with these statements.
Be careful what you tell yourself – because you will start to believe it.
The stories we tell ourselves around food are what manifest into our daily choices and actions around food.
The beliefs and stories we repeat internally are what will then appear and play out externally.
This is how we trick ourselves.
Essentially, every story you tell yourself – about you, about your food, about your body, is what you are choosing to believe.
We can trick ourselves into believing anything – simply by telling it ourselves enough times.
This is why negative self talk can be so unbearable and seriously hold us back from creating the lives we want.
This is also why positive affirmations and using mantras are so powerful in personal development work.
What we think, we become.
Somewhere along the way we all picked up the story and belief around food, that junk food was unhealthy for us (correct) – but instead of deciding we would raise our standards and not invite it in to our bodies, we decided to make it a ‘treat’ instead.
Ok. Cool.
BUT – what happens then?
By forbidding these foods, but saving ourselves up for having them as special ‘treats’ we are TRICKING ourselves.
We are TRICKING our minds into believing that this low quality, junk food – is in fact, a ‘treat’ for us.
We are glorifying this junk food by making it ‘special’.
You say want to get healthier, you want to live in a body you feel at home in, you want to feel at complete peace around food?
You need to break up with the idea that junk food is special.
Because the truth is, it’s not special at all. It’s low quality, poorly made, with very little nutrition or benefits for your body.
If you want to completely transform your health – You need to redefine what feels like a real treat for you.
And what feels like ‘treating’ your body.
And you need to raise your standards, and start believing that you deserve the BEST. High quality, real food. The food that will make you thrive. The food that will create a body to serve you for a long, happy life.
With every choice we make we are creating our changing human body.
So what do you choose to be made of?
“I’m really good with my food during the week, but on a Friday night I always treat myself to a takeaway”
I understand that on first hearing this, it may feel like a balanced and a healthy approach. However, I ask you to pay close attention to the language and words you use around food – for this is the story that is playing out in your day to day.
When the Chinese takeaway becomes a ‘treat’ that you are saving yourself for, looking forward to, or planning ahead in advance, you are – whether you realise or not – making a low quality food ’special’. And glorifying junk food. You are essentially training your mind to look forward to eating, low quality crap food. And this is simply by the words you are using by defining those foods as ‘treats’.
Here’s what to do instead.
Make a list of what really feels like a treat to you – AND your body.
When you make this list, think about treating yourself like a Queen, a Goddess – and your body a temple.
How can you TRULY treat yourself?
Ask yourself the quality of the treat, the value, the worth? What does this treat mean to you? What makes it special?
If you want to feel a million dollars, why are you eating off the dollar menu?
You should never feel guilty about treating yourself. You’re worth it. But how do you choose to do that?
Maybe it’s treating yourself to a luxury massage or spa treatment? Maybe it’s treating yourself to a date night at your favourite restaurant? Maybe a treat for you is a special experience that is sentimental to you? Maybe a treat for you is a candle lit dinner, cooked for your loved one. Or taking a long walk somewhere with a book, and having time for you? Maybe a treat is burning incense sticks, or having an afternoon of doing your favourite hobby, or having a day out to somewhere special with your family. How can you treat yourself with experiences, rather than food?
And when it comes to food – treat yourself with high quality EXPERIENCES.
There’s nothing high quality experience about sitting in a car park eating a KFC out of your lap. That’s not a treat at all – I mean, is it?
Treat yourself with high quality experiences around food. High quality dining experiences, high quality sentimental experiences, high quality FUN experiences around food.
Treat yourself with the best version of your favourite food you can find. Don’t settle for the cheap version.
I’m not suggesting that junk foods becomes forbidden, or something we never have – I’m just suggesting it stops being so god damn SPECIAL – and starts becoming, extremely UNspecial in your mind.
Inside The Academy, and with the women who I coach 1-1, the biggest triumph is not “I have managed to successfully refrain myself from eating chocolate biscuits for a whole month!”
it’s
“I can’t believe it, the chocolate biscuits have been sat there, in plain view in my kitchen or a whole month and I haven’t even WANTED them!”
Because they stopped being special. They stopped being a treat. THAT is when you have the power back. THAT is when you are healing your relationship with food.
Remember – you and only you, have the power to retrain your mind, and rewrite your stories.
You’re worth it –
Happy Halloween!
With love,
Mel
XO
P.S – Want some healthy Halloween-themed recipes? Check out these on the website: Pumpkin Chilli, Cinnamon Fig Rolls and Pumpkin Smoothies!
