The question that can change everything.

“Love or fear?”

Seemingly simple, this question can be incredibly profound when applied to every aspect of our lives. It's a guiding principle that I’ve found indispensable, especially when it comes to our relationship with food and exercise.

Understanding Love vs. Fear in Daily Choices

Each day, we're faced with countless decisions – from what we eat to how we move our bodies. But what drives these choices?

Is it love – a genuine care for our well-being and happiness? Or is it fear – an underlying anxiety about how we appear to others, fear of weight change, or not being 'enough'?

When we choose from a place of love, our actions become filled with ease and sustainability. Eating becomes less about strict control and more about nourishing and respecting our bodies. Exercise shifts from a gruelling task to an enjoyable activity that celebrates our body’s capabilities.

Conversely, decisions made from fear can lead us down a path of negative self-talk, restrictive eating, or over-exercising. It's a cycle that's not just unhealthy physically but emotionally draining.

Applying This to Eating and Exercise

1. Love in Eating:

   • When you eat out of love, you choose foods that make you feel good physically and mentally. It's about balance and listening to your body’s needs, not depriving or punishing yourself. Somedays the cupcake is what you truly desire, not needing to be earned or filled with guilt for eating, you eat it with love.

   • Journal Prompt: Reflect on a meal you recently enjoyed. What made it special? Was it the taste, the company, or how it made you feel?

2. Fear in Eating:

   • Eating out of fear often looks like obsessing over calories or nutrients, fearing certain food groups, or eating only what we deem 'safe'. If you were for example to make cupcakes off limits to start a new diet and tell yourself that starting tomorrow you can no longer have cupcakes, this is coming from fear and would likely result in binging on the cupcakes. The same food, cupcakes, can be eaten from love or fear depending on how you approach it.

   • Reflection Point: Think about a time you chose not to eat something you craved. What was driving that decision? Fear of weight gain or judgment?

3. Love in Exercise:

   • You exercise out of love by engaging in activities you genuinely enjoy, whether a dance class, a walk in the park, or a yoga session. It's not about burning calories but about feeling energized and alive. In the Revive Health Course, I talk about exactly how to cultivate this mindset for exercise known as the Intuitive Movement.

   • Journal Prompt: Describe how you feel physically and emotionally after an exercise you love. Do you notice a sense of accomplishment, joy, or relaxation?

4. Fear in Exercise:

   • Fear-driven exercise might include working out excessively to 'earn' food or to fit a certain body image. It’s often accompanied by guilt if we miss a session.

   • Reflection Point: Have you ever exercised even when you were tired or unwell, driven by fear of not meeting your fitness goals?

Love vs. Fear: A Broader Perspective

This dichotomy of love and fear transcends beyond eating and exercise. It seeps into our relationships, our work, and how we treat ourselves on a daily basis.

As you move forward, I encourage you to ask yourself this simple yet transformative question in your daily decisions:

"Am I doing this out of love or fear?"

Let this be your compass, guiding you towards choosing love at every opportunity you can. Fear will keep you stuck but love will propel you forward to achieve all your health dreams and life goals.

Journal Prompts for Deeper Reflection:

1. Identify an Area of Fear: What aspect of your life is currently most driven by fear? Is it your approach to work, relationships, health, or self-image?

2. Reimagining with Love: Envision how this area would look if it were driven by love. What changes would you make? How would it feel?

3. Small Steps Toward Love: List three small, actionable steps you can take this week to shift from fear to love in this area.

Ready to dive deeper and truly transform your relationship with food, body and exercise?

Click here to start your journey!