Self-care is more than just a buzzword describing staycations and pedicures. It’s a way of life for some people who recognise the mind/body connection and how it pertains to weight.

When your needs are being met in the different areas of your life, the foods you choose to nourish your body with are in alignment with how great you feel. You have time set aside to meal prep delicious dishes that provide you with excellent nutrition but not a bunch of excess calories you have a hard time burning.

You’re the first to say “No,” to things that don’t fill you up but instead drain you energetically. You also make hydration, sleep, and relaxation priorities because you know how good you feel with a little extra TLC.

The more in tune you are with your body, the healthier you are overall. You sense imbalances before they become bigger issues such as illnesses, mental disorders, and diseases and do everything you can to prevent them from causing you grief and wreaking havoc on your life.

Self-Care and How It Pertains to Health and Wellness

Self-care is among the most intimate forms of healthcare there is. It is initiated by you which means that it can be customised to meet your unique needs as a person. If you’ve ever struggled with your weight and wondered if it was due to something other than the foods you ate, it’s important to do a self-inventory of your life to see which areas need the most improvement.

For example, if you work long hours, you may find it challenging to feel like cooking something nutritious to eat at night. Investing in a slow cooker and devoting a half hour each morning to meal prepping ensures that you’ll have a delicious, home-cooked meal to eat no matter how tired you are. It’s just one of the many ways you’re looking out for your future self.

When you’re in tune with your body and mind, you know precisely what you need to thrive. It becomes less of a mystery and more of a priority to take care of yourself day after day. You know that in order to stay well, you must meet your needs satisfactorily.

Coming up with new ways to do this regularly is as easy as writing out a list or journaling about the subject. Ask yourself, what do I need more of in my life? Which areas need the most attention and improvement?

Then, start coming up with one or two solutions for every challenge you face. For example, you may find it hard to go to the gym every day because of schedule constraints. On the days that you’re pressed for time, you get up a half hour earlier so you can jog around the neighborhood.

By seeing challenges as opportunities in disguise, you’re able to problem-solve quickly and come up with solutions that inch you closer to your health and wellness goals. You’re then able to lose weight more quickly.

Better Self-Care Leads to More Rapid Weight Loss and Greater Overall Health

The following five ways show how self-care and weight management go hand-in-hand.

When you’re looking after yourself, you’re engaging in healthier lifestyle habits.

There are times in your life when things are going remarkably good. You’re doing great at work, making enough money to take care of your needs and boost your savings, have great intimate relationships, feel equally challenged and valued, and appear calm, cool, and confident. Your weight isn’t yo-yoing because you’ve had the money to spend on fresh, non-processed ingredients and the time to prepare your meals before making it to the gym each day.

You’re not eating out of habit or boredom, either, because your life is full of meaningful activities and relationships that support you physically, emotionally, and mentally. The work that you do is in alignment with your values so there is no conflict there. The wage you bring home is enough to take care of your basic needs and still afford you the luxury of some of your ‘wants,’ too.

Pro Tip: Every few months, do an evaluation of the different areas of your life that make you the person you are. See which feel good and which require work to feel balanced. The more you become aware of what your mind, body, and soul needs, the easier it is to take better care of yourself physically.

Having relationships that energise you and not deplete you discourages disordered eating.

When you’re lonely, you’re more likely to engage in healthier habits such as eating less and moving more. You take the time to nourish your body because you know that without your health, you’re not able to do as much as you once hoped you could. You take the time to care for yourself because your wellness is among the greatest assets that you have.

Relationships that energise you keep you healthy and motivated

Stressful relationships take from you and give very little. They’re emotionally and physically draining. They can cause you to act out of character and binge eat or elect to buy foods that you wouldn’t normally prepare for yourself. If your relationships are nourishing, your meals will be, too.

Pro Tip: Find a group of like-minded people to join that are also on a weight loss journey. That way, you can offer each other support along the way. If you can’t meet in person, find an active group online that you can be a part of.

When you engage in activities you enjoy, you’ll find yourself less bored and reaching for food only when you’re truly hungry.

Many people eat because they’re bored and can’t think of anything else to do. When you’re busy living your life in a way that feels right and authentic, you’ll be too busy to snack. You’ll be too involved at the task at hand to concern yourself with excess calories.

In fact, finding activities to do that don’t involve food is ideal. It removes all sources of temptation. You’re then able to focus solely on the task at hand without setting yourself up for diet failure.

Pro Tip: Take a few minutes to list everything you enjoy doing. Then circle five of the most intriguing answers you’ve written down. Even if it’s something you have yet to try, let it inspire your future plans as you’ll only be exposed to the activity if you’re the one to initiate an interaction with it.

Valuing yourself at every stage of weight loss allows you to slay your goals more quickly.

Celebrating your achievements is a great way to get yourself to want to do more. Once you’ve passed that first milestone, you’ll be hooked. You have the momentum needed to succeed at whatever it is that you set out to do.

When you’re able to celebrate every victory, you’re doing yourself the ultimate favor. You’re honoring your hard work and telling your brain how much you do matter in the grand scheme of things. You’re putting your needs first so that you can help others better, too.

Pro Tip: Start a board where you can list your accomplishments. Put it in a highly visible part of your home so you remain motivated to slay your weight loss goals. List every single thing that makes you feel good about your new lifestyle.

Crowding out unhealthy options makes room for healthier practices.

By systematically removing habits that no longer serve you and replacing them with habits that do, you’re increasing your health one step at a time. Crowding things out makes room for even more amazing things to enter your life. If you’ve noticed some resistance surrounding weight loss, it’s due to the comfort you feel because of your complacency.

Making changes takes courage. It’s something that isn’t necessarily easy to do. By engaging in the ultimate act of self-love, self-care, you’re able to identify the obstacles getting in the way of your weight loss.

Pro Tip: Try habit tracking through an app or by bullet journaling. Decide which goals are the most important to you and then check them off as you accomplish them. That way, you see your progress and continue to feel motivated by it.

Fitness and diet apps can keep you on track

Don’t Be Afraid to Love Yourself More

The aforementioned five ways that self-care and weight management relate to one another serves as a real eye-opener for you. You’re able to see the direct correlation between how you feel and how you look. When you’re able to take care of your personal needs in all the areas of your life, it becomes far easier to make better choices concerning your health and weight.

Show yourself extra love and attention this year. See how it positively impacts your weight. When you take good care of yourself, it shows. You have a much easier time managing your weight because the stresses of life are handled in positive and productive ways. You thrive physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, socially, financially, and creatively, and it shows!

Weight loss needn’t be difficult or damaging to your body. It should be something that comes naturally by eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, and choosing the right relationships to spend your time and energy on. Once you get these things straight, you’ll have no problem losing the weight and keeping it off for good.