​4 practical and 5 creative ideas for dealing with food cravings when you start exercising again

Why do you gain weight every time you focus on getting in shape with exercise?

It is so frustrating! You are really excited to be taking it on again- getting in shape- wanting to feel really good in your body. You have an intent that seems healthy and straight forward- maybe an exercise class or a renewed commitment to get out and walk every day, or maybe you are focusing on healthy food. Whatever it is- as soon as you start- you notice that the numbers on the scale are actually going up! What is this?!!
 
This is the body’s and the psyche’s natural resistance to change. Yup it is normal. And yes there are creative and playful ways to get through and past it without gaining a ton of extra weight that might even take you to a new understanding of what is going on emotionally in your life.
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Let me just clarify- There are both practical things and also playful creative things to do. This is because the body and the psyche are deeply intertwined. There are amazing lessons to learn by acknowledging and engaging that connection. And the creative process is a great way to do that. So let your practical logical mind take on the practical tasks, and lets play a little in the creative realm to open up the psyche connection!
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If you are taking on new exercise then two things are happening physically- first your body is using more calories and second your body may be feeling aches and pains from working in ways it is not used to.
When your body is using more calories- the fat cells kick into gear to do their job- they need to gather more energy to be prepared. So they send out hormones  that inspire cravings and feelings of hunger. I know it sounds crazy- but it has been shown scientifically that the fat cells are actually the ones that produce those hormones. The question then is how do you either convince the fat cells to not send out those hormone- or somehow not respond to them. If you are like me the latter is almost impossible. So what do you do
on a practical level- here are some suggestions

1. Take note with compassion- It is quite likely that you are actually eating more or giving in to cravings more. It helps to write it down. While I do not advocate constant calorie counting, there are times when it helps to become aware.  But be careful not to be mean to yourself and reprimand in the process. It is your body’s natural and approapriate response to increased calorie burning. The trick will be to let go of that response. And that can be addressed with the more playful creative exercises.
2. Drink more water- the water does two things- first it fills your stomach so the urge to eat can recede a little, and second it helps to wash away the waste product of the calorie burning that causes pain. And often what feels like hunger is actually thirst!
3. Walk away from the food. After you eat something in a reasonable quantity- get away from the rest of it. It takes time for your body to actually feel the satisfaction from the food- so give it the time by getting some physical distance- if this means going for a 5 minute walk around your office or house- go for it- your brain probably needs the break as well!
4. Keep exercising and enjoy it! Find ways to make it fun for yourself or you will not keep it up.

On a creative level- play in this way

1. Journal- have a conversation with your fat cell. If you are hand writing then split the page in half down the middle and let your voice be on the left and the fat cell be on the right- and start asking questions as if the fat cell is a person who you have compassion for, who is going through a rough time, who has good intent and who you really like. See what happens.
2. Journal- use the idea above to have a conversation with your fat self. Start by letting yourself create an image of the fattest self you can come up with- the really really big one. Get to know her a bit as if she is someone you really care about and are interested in. And once you have set up a nice rapport ask her what it is she really needs.
3. Meditation- do a meditation in which you invite your wise being to offer advice.
4. Write a letter from your 80 year old self to your current self addressing this issue.
5. Get some visual art materials and after doing a short meditation in which you let yourself feel the weight that you want to release- just start working. Let yourself just follow what looks and feels right to you- follow your creative impulse and trust that the process is going to offer what you need.

There are other visualizations that are useful, but I have to admit that most of them work much better with a good guide- someone who is leading you into the visualization. The point is that by tapping into your creative unconscious you can find ways to shift your not useful but natural physical responses to adding exercise into your life.

So back to you- I would love to hear from you about what your particular struggle is and how any of these suggestions worked for you.

If any of this sounds right on to you and you want to see what it would be like to work with a coach to develop a plan, co-create visualizations specifically for you, and get the support you need to change your aproach to your body- click here to schedule a free initial consultation!