No Wonder You’re Stress Eating

A former client who still reads my newsletters responded to Tuesday’s email:

Now you’re seeing the end-result, but let me tell you how ate-up her situation was when she contacted me.

On our first call, she was frustrated by recent unwanted weight gain and asked (okay, begged) me to support her with meal plans.

Despite my love for food and nutrition, I told her matter-of-factly,

“I don’t do meal plans. I don’t believe in diets. They don’t work, so I’m not going to coach you down that path.”

In our 30 min Breakthrough Session, I quickly got to the root of her newly plumped rump.

Peep this out: She had just started a new job. Oh, and she was replacing the predecessor who had served as the head of the department for 30 years.

And, as the new leader of this department—she was the youngest person on the team.

But wait. The plot thickens.

She was also about to get married!

And yes, there’s still more.

She had just moved across the country—to Washington D.C.—a beast of a place to land.

A new high-powered job, upcoming nuptials, and a cross-country move to a new city.
All within a few months.

“Honey, a meal plan ain’t gonna help you.”

Now, I could have easily signed a coaching contract right there, taken her money, and dished out weekly meal plans.
My job would have been super simple and completed with just a few hours of my time.

But that’s not how I get down.

I explained to her that my coaching takes an all-inclusive look at her life: career, relationships, finances, health, environment, and more.

Had I just asked her questions about what she’s eating and how much she is (or isn’t) exercising, I would have totally missed the root cause of her problem:

She was stressed the fu*# out!

She was coping with stress-eating.

She was working early mornings and late nights, completely neglecting her sleep and her body.

Had I just focused on her diet & exercise habits, she would have ended right back in the same depressing situation.

But I did something different.

I taught her about mindfulness so she could be aware of all the self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.

We examined her relationships and I coached her through some Courageous Conversations with her staff and soon-to-be-hubby.

We spent time implementing boundaries where she had none.

This allowed her to re-prioritize her choices and how she spent her time.

And I provided consistent and encouraging accountability.

In the end, she lost the weight…and then some.

She came off three blood-pressure medications & blood thinners by the time our coaching partnership concluded.

All without me giving her a single meal plan or exercise program.

Like her email says, she learned how to prioritize what’s important to her, set boundaries, and live mindfully.

She feels incredible and free.

If you want your life to look and feel different, you need to do something different.

Binge dieting, New Year’s resolutions, a new job/car/man/house/child…how’s that worked out for you?

Stop lying to yourself.

Stop telling yourself that a new high-paying career with a better boss will solve all your problems.

Stop being so hard on yourself, thinking “I just need to be more disciplined.”

Stop thinking that a new man who loves you is all you need to be happy.

Stop it.

If you’re ready to do something different,  book a complementary Breakthrough Session and let’s talk about it

Live well,

Gigi

P.S. If you want to be a good friend, share this article with someone.