The Restriction Demons

We survived our flight home from our holiday and all slept well.

Straight back into work, school, clothes washing and I'm prepping to head off to my besties wedding tomorrow evening.

Like most people returning from hols, I'm feeling bloated and a bit meh.

Despite training and eating relatively well I've defo put on a kilo or 2. I won't know for sure because today is not the day I need to be stepping onto a weighing scales.

What good would having that information do me? Probably just make me feel like shit, so I'll pass on that one thanks 😅

You see even after years of adjusting my mindset, therapy and leaning into self acceptance even I get the demons in my head telling me a few days of restriction will have me feeling 'better'.

'Press the reset button' 🚨

Spoiler alert .... IT WON'T !!!!

I know I'm just feeling under some pressure with this event so close to my holiday ending.

So when that little inner critic says to me

'Maybe a fasting day will help?'

'What about a juice diet for 2 days?'

'Cut out carbs and that will get rid of the fluid retention'

'I wonder what the long term effects of Ozempic actually are?' 😂 Extreme much !!! but that's the inner dialogue for you

I will not tell her to shut up and stop being an absolute idiot.

What I will say to her is

'I know you are questioning your value and your effort and are worried you won't look your best on Jenny's wedding day but you are not there standing beside your best friend because of how you look, you are there because she loves you and cherishes your friendship. Deep down inside you also know that doing any of the above radical actions will make little to no difference to how you look on the day. Take a deep breath and start again like you always do'

You see that inner critic is not a 'bitch' as you often here her called. She is a vulnerable, wounded, scared part of you that needs kindness and compassion.

So with running the risk of sounding like a broken record, Today's course of action

• Water and lots of it

• Training as normal (I went for an early walk and resisted the urge to do a double training session today)

• Cut down on the treats

• Eat 3 balanced meals

• Take supplements .... no herbal diuretics😅 ....another thought that crossed my mind in the dead of night last night (hey, I'm just being honest)

• Wash my hair and put some tan on 😂

Have a great day and the next time you feel like I do right now, give your inner critic a hug, ask her what she needs. The answer might surprise you.