005: Setting Realistic Goals for Your Body Type

May 20

Knowing your specific and unique body type will make setting realistic goals that you actually reach possible. First, you need to learn to listen to and trust your body. This episode is about setting realistic G.O.A.L.S. for your body type.

Listen to Episode 5 Here

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The Chief Complaint: I don’t know how to set realistic goals for my body type

This episode of Life Coaching for Women Physicians is all about setting goals to achieve YOUR optimal health.

There are three different body types, but we don’t necessarily fall into one specifically. I explain what the body types are and what some of the characteristics of each are. Did you know that if you want to actually achieve a goal and sustain the result, especially when it’s body-related, your goal needs to be realistic and specific?

When we work together, I focus on G.O.A.L.S., not goals. Let’s break down what this means.

How often do you let yourself feel hungry? Allowing yourself to feel that hunger, actual hunger, deep in your belly is the first step to succeeding with intuitive eating. When we do that, we can finally start listening to the queues our body is giving us.

Next, I want you to think about how often you eat to the point where you feel sick. From now on, I encourage you to eat two fewer bites per meal. So if you normally clear your plate, which our moms always taught us to do, leave two bites behind. It might surprise you that you will still feel full, even with food left behind on the plate.

Now we need to talk about a currently hot topic: emotional eating. So often, we eat when we’re not hungry in order to not feel our feelings. I want you to focus on what you’re feeling because feelings aren’t a bad thing! They’re there for a reason.

I also want you to stop relying on your willpower because I can pretty much guarantee that you will give in at some point. Instead, I want you to practice the above steps so that it’s not only willpower standing between you and overeating.

Let’s talk about exercise. You know I’m a huge advocate for moving your body in whatever way that makes you feel good. So find an exercise that works for you, and while you’re at it, try to include strength training at least twice a week. It’s good for you!

Lastly, ladies. Ditch the perfectionism. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If you overeat or don’t feel like exercising, it’s okay. Just make sure your next choice is in line with your goals. You don’t have to wait until Monday!

Homework

What were you built to do? What is the first goal you can pick that’s going to take you one step closer to optimal health? Let me know in the comments below!

In This Episode

How you can view your unique body and set goals for your optimal health
What the different body types are
How setting realistic goals helps you sustain
What it means to set your G.O.A.L.S.
Why you shouldn’t eat until you feel hungry
What happens when you take two fewer bites per meal
How to accept your feelings and actually feel them
What happens when you rely on your willpower
What the best exercise for your body type is
Why you should ditch perfectionism
How to get back on track before Monday

Quotes

“It’s all real, but it’s all about accepting our unique bodies. That doesn’t mean that we can’t set goals.” (11:57)

“Any external source that takes away negative emotion typically gives us some amount of dopamine, that’s what we call buffering, and that’s basically what we’re talking about when we say we’re not allowing our feelings.” (14:09)

“By navigating the urges and not relying on willpower, what happens is our desire for food, typically, decreases. And when our desire for food decreases, we are not going to have as much emotional eating.” (16:36)