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- Making sustainable change isn't sexy.
Making sustainable change isn't sexy.
Stuff you actually want to read about from Pam Moore
Hi ,I am a chronic listmaker. I’ve been at it since I was at least eight years old. My earliest diary, dated 1988, features a list called “what’s hanging over my head.” (I give my younger self credit for her stress management skills.) In my 20's I made a list every December including all the changes I would make in the new year... I wouldn’t skip workouts anymore. I’d quit procrastinating, hitting snooze, and obsessing about my cute neighbor who was clearly no longer into me. I’d start making my coffee at home instead of buying it on the way to work. I’d do it all at once, starting January 1st. I had a ton of enthusiasm... but zero success. For years, I assumed I failed at all the things because I hadn’t tried hard enough, when in fact the opposite was true. I was trying too hard to do too many things at the same time. I wasn’t broken — my strategy was. These days I approach change (both for myself and my coaching clients) with a completely different mindset.Instead of trying to do everything at once, I make small adjustments, one at a time. It's not super sexy but it's sustainable. Here’s what that looks like in real life:
When I decided to prioritize strength training this fall, instead of trying to add four strength training sessions per week on top of the workouts I was already doing, I swapped out some of my swimming and cycling sessions for two lifting sessions per week.
If I have a client who feels overwhelmed by the idea of giving herself permission to eat all foods, I’ll suggest she experiment with one formerly “off-limits” food at a time. I’ll ask her to try it several times a week until the novelty wears off, at which point she can try another food she used to restrict.
Professionally, I’ve been working on committing to finishing one goal (establishing and maintaining a routine of sending this newsletter twice a month, for example) before starting on another one (hosting a women’s retreat).
Is it hard to say yes to one thing at a time when that means saying no to all the other things? Yes, absolutely. But the traction you make when you focus on one thing at a time more than makes up for it. (Believe me, I wasn't sad about all the swims and rides I missed when I hit a new deadlift PR last week.)
What goals are you committing to this year? Hit reply and let me know; there’s nothing I love more than hearing from my newsletter gang. And if you need support to break your intuitive eating journey down into small, manageable chunks, let’s talk. I offer 1:1 coaching services and I would be honored to work with you.
xo,
If you're ready to…
Let go of food rules and embrace food freedom
Stop letting a number on the scale determine your mood or self-worth
Be more present with your friends and family over meals
... You won't want to miss this.
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6 Things Worth Checking Out
If you have 30 minutes: I shared the microphone with my good friend, fellow writer and podcaster Nina Badzin on the Dear Nina Podcast, where we talked about the intersection of friendship and diet culture. It's a juicy listen if I do say so myself.
If you have six minutes: Intuitive eating is getting some of the attention it deserves. Last week, The New York Times published a profile of the co-authors of Intuitive Eating, originally published in the 90s (now in its 4th edition).
If your nightstand doesn't have a great book on it: I just finished I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy and it lived up to all the hype. (It might not be for everyone though, due to graphic depictions of her eating disorders.)
If you have five minutes: Fellow freelance writer Meg St. Esprit penned a moving personal essay on her experience with bariatric surgery for Romper in response to the American Academy of Pediatrics' new “Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Obesity", which was released a couple of weeks ago. (She's not a fan).
If you have five minutes:The Academy for Eating Disorders isn't a fan of the new AAP Guideline, either. Their response statement is here. (TLDR: Weight stigma is already a problem in healthcare. The new guidelines, which say little about eating disorder screening and prevention and recommend surgical intervention for kids as young as 13, violate the Hippocratic oath, "First do no harm.")
If you have three minutes: A new meta-analysis suggests that dieting is a risk factor for weight gain.
The Real Fit podcast features real conversations with women athletes on topics like body image and confidence, my goal is to share stories that will let you know you're not alone and that you're already enough. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere you listen to juicy podcasts. New episodes every other Tuesday.
Are you ready to heal your relationship with food and exercise?
I’m on a mission to help smart women like you stop wasting your precious energy on the quest to shrink your body. You were made to do amazing things and your obsession with food, exercise, and body image is a huge distraction.Together we can clear that mental clutter and turbocharge your path to being your best self.I'm a certified intuitive eating counselor, occupational therapist, and certified personal trainer and I offer 1:1 intuitive eating coaching services.
Thank you so much for inviting me into your inbox.
If you appreciate receiving this newsletter, my podcast, or any of the other content I'm creating,you can show your gratitudeby treating me to a cup of coffee.
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