On this episode of the Weight Loss for Food-Lovers podcast, Molly dives in to the concept of self-care 2.0—getting past the idea that self-care is all about massages and face masks and really looking at how deeper self-care can reveal our desires and jumpstart sustainable weight loss. When we satisfy our needs with extra food, alcohol, scrolling social media, or Netflix, what we’re actually doing is stuffing down those true desires for things like love, connection, rest, or a transition from one part of our day to the next. Those superficial forms of self-care are not all bad, but they fail to get at what we’re actually desiring as humans.
Molly introduces this idea of self-care 2.0 as a willingness to consider what you want out of your life. The desire for food is not the problem, but what are you actually desiring when you reach for that bag of chips? That desire may be for a new career, to be married, to go on a trip, to reach out to that person, or to accomplish a goal you’ve been putting off. If you’re confident in your ability to control what goes into your mouth, what else could you accomplish with your time and energy?
As you get more into self-care 2.0, you’ll discover that this type of self-care isn’t always pleasurable, in fact, it looks a lot like tough love. To wrap up this episode, Molly shares some of the hard things she does every week that set her up for success, including going to bet at 9pm so she can wake up at 5:15am to swim, planning out her schedule in advance, and not working on the weekends. What can you do for yourself this week that goes beyond the surface of self-care? Molly challenges her listeners to ask themselves what they truly desire instead of that extra food or alcohol.
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Topics Covered
Special announcement: dates have been finalized for Molly’s 12-weeks to weight loss course
Self-care on a deeper level
When we satisfy our needs with food/alcohol/Netflix, we’re not actually practicing true self-care. Our need is probably for something deeper, like love, rest, or fun.
Some of us aren’t successful at weight loss because we’re not used to taking time for ourselves or prioritizing what we actually need.
Losing weight sustainably means being intentional about the choices you make around taking care of yourself.
What you put in your mouth
How you spend your time
Incorporate some of those superficial forms of pleasure—taking a bath, getting a massage, doing your nails—into your weight loss journey.
An introduction to self-care 2.0
What deep self-care actually looks like
Starts with looking below the surface of what your deeper needs actually are
Listen below the surface for that urge to escape how you feel and eat/take drugs/scroll social media
Self-care 2.0 is a willingness to genuinely consider what you want out of your life.
The desire for food by itself is not the problem—desire is meant to be there.
When you take away the food and alcohol you usually have a lot more time, energy, and money.
How do you want to spend your time and energy with what’s left?
If you can be confident to control what goes in your mouth, what else can you do?
Maybe what you really desire is not extra food or alcohol.
Deep self-care isn’t always pleasurable or easy in the moment.
Deep self-care involves identifying emotions you feel in the moment and validating them.
Listening to your true voice within and sometimes speaking that voice to others
Self-care 2.0 can resemble tough love.
Sometimes self-love involves doing hard things, even when you don’t want to.
Exercise
Type of food we choose to eat
How can you be a parent to yourself in a kind, loving, and nurturing way?
Things Molly does for herself that aren’t always easy, but set her up for success:
Planning her schedule in advance
Blocking off weekends with no work involved
Going to bed at 9pm
Waking up at 5:15am to swim
Showing up to be coached by her coach
What things can you do for yourself this week that involve going beyond the surface of self-care?
Molly’s challenge to ask yourself this week what you truly desire instead of extra food or alcohol.
Key Quotes
“The number on the scale can’t change the way you think about yourself.”
“These superficial things pretend to satisfy the deeper needs, but they only go so far.”
“Deep self-care isn’t always pleasurable the way superficial self-care is.”
Self-care 2.0 means doing the hard thing anyway, even when we don’t want to.”
“What if I was willing to honor something I knew I needed that didn’t involve extra food, that didn’t involve extra alcohol, but that addressed a true human longing?”
Links & Resources
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