This episode is not what I had planned for today. Rather than go ahead with my regular recording schedule, I’m here to let you know that I’m going to be pressing pause on the show. This does not mean I’m closing my business! Intuitive eating is still the heart and soul of my practice, and I’ll continue to see clients (and get ready to enroll more amazing women into my new membership program!).
However, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed in my life at the moment (more on that below), and the podcast was on the list of things I don’t “have” to be investing time into right now. If you’ve been feeling a little frazzled yourself, let this be your invitation to take a deep breath and see what you might be able to press pause on in your own life.
Life Update: The Boys
This last year has been hard! You know that, because you’re living through the same global pandemic as I am. Seriously — we all deserve some extra self-care right now.
On top of all that, there have also been some not-so-easy home adjustments. Last month Cooper went back to school, and I was so excited to use that time to be able to get back into a regular routine. I had visions of yoga and more time to focus on work and just an overall sense of peace and productivity. And….it didn’t happen at all.
Tanner has been on an allergy journey since December. First we thought it was severe cradle cap, but we found it was an allergy he had to our laundry detergent. We addressed that, and although it made a huge difference, it also didn’t fully go away.
Now, it’s flaring back up again. We’re trying to trace what it could be connected to, and looking into all the food I’m eating (since he’s breastfeeding). We also noticed that when he spent time with his grandparents so I could work, he was drinking way more milk than he does at home. When we tried supplementing with formula, his skin flared right back up again. (We tried a goat’s milk formula and that created even more issues!)
Life Update: Lack of Freedom
In addition to the stress of watching my little go through all of these struggles, there is also the stress of experiencing my own lack of freedom. He’s back to exclusively breast-feeding, so it’s hard to arrange for him to be away from me for more than a few hours. Plus, my husband can’t really help much at night.
It makes me feel really alone, and also really restricted.
Over the last few weeks he’s been sleeping so terribly, and I’m truly exhausted. Last night I broke down in tears, and my husband stepped in so I could get a solid 4 hours of sleep in row. Whew!
Right now, I know I need to scale back on whatever I can scale back on so that I can take care of me. I need more rest, more time with my family, and more time to work in a few things that I love. So I’m stepping back a bit, including pressing pause on the podcast.
I’ve also realized that I really need to find a new creative outlet. I had been doing 30 minutes of something creative, like my painting, every night, but that isn’t working anymore. Tanner eats a lot at night, and I’m just not getting that time with myself.
So now I’m working on figuring out what kind of project would bring me joy and fit into an earlier part of my day. I’m sure I’ll get it figured out, and I’m excited to look for ways to care for myself.
Pressing Pause
I hate when things just stop out of nowhere. I also want you to know what I’m up to (and that the show will be back!)
But in the interim, I’d also like to encourage you to take some time to think about what areas of your life could use a bit of a pause. What could you take off your plate? In what ways are you pushing yourself too hard?
Can you ask for help? Can you redistribute the weight of a project or task or need at work or within your family? How can you create more space for yourself and your needs?
Focusing On Growth
One thing I’m really excited about when it comes to pressing pause on the show is the chance to take a deep breath and rework a few other things in my business. I’ve wanted to rework my Quit Dieting for Good program for awhile now so it can be more accessible and beneficial to even more women. Pressing pause is going to give me a chance to do exactly that!
(If you’re not on my email list and you want to know as soon as the new membership is live — or when the podcast starts up again — just head here and sign up for the free guide!) You can also grab my free training on how to stop dieting and gain body confidence; that will automatically add you to my list so you can get updates as soon as they come out.
During this pause, I’m also going to be brainstorming a few ways to update the podcast. I want to add some fun new features, and make it more exciting. Pressing pause will give me a chance to do exactly that!
Thankfully, there are over 125 episodes for you to binge on already! So if you’re a long time listener, or you’re just joining us recently, there is a lot of material to enjoy. Below, I’ll list the most popular solo episodes and interviews I’ve done in the last two years. Happy listening!
Throw-Back Episodes
Top 10 Teaching Podcasts
Episode #68: How Practice Self-Love
Episode #2: My Definition of Intuitive Eating
Episode #3: How Living in Switzerland Changed My Eating Habits
Episode #28: Body Acceptance and the Desire to Lose Weight
Episode #13: Weight Loss: You’re Doing it Wrong
Episode #11: Are You Addicted to Sugar?
Episode #45: Intuitive Eating 101 – Letting Go of Restrictions
Episode #12: Why You Shouldn’t Try a Cleanse, Keto, Whole 30, or Calorie Counting This New Year
Top 5 Interviews
Episode #10: Surrendering to the Fear of Weight Gain (Isabele Foxen Duke)
Episode #4: Removing Diet Culture From Your Home (Dr. Salena Schapp)
Episode #9: Quieting the Inner Critic (Jamie Mendell)
Episode #25: Defying Beauty Standards (Morena Diaz)
Episode #42: Letting Go of Perfectionism (Simi Botic)
PS: Want to stay connected? I’m on Instagram pretty regularly, and would love to connect!