Our Values Should Frame Our Health Decisions

We all have a set of core values. We use those values to inform the decisions that we make as we move throughout the world. An activity to try is to write down as many of your core values as you can think of, then spend time contemplating how you're currently living them out, how that will look in the future and what's getting in the way of living out those values right now.

This gives you a foundation to work from. When we identify what we hold most important in our lives, we know what to focus our time and energy on. So often our core values do not align with the concepts of dieting and pursuing weight loss. If we value time spent with loved ones and serving others, it doesn't make sense to also be engaging in diet culture. The lifestyle needed to manage our weight and food intake can be incredibly isolating. It would be difficult to maintain strong relationships with friends if we're always worried about our food choices. When we're doing something that goes against our values, we usually feel a sense of discomfort. We just have to be willing to be honest with ourselves about it.

Your values might be different than mine, or someone else, but that's okay! It's important that we take the time to think about what our own biggest priorities are. If you're ready to start thinking about how to align your values with your health, try answering some of the questions below:

Questions for reflection:

What are your core values?

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

How will you think about and treat your body?

What food will you eat?

How will you move your body?

Think about your answers to these questions and decide what steps you can take to start aligning your core values with your health decisions and what might be getting in the way of living out your values.  It may be helpful to work with a dietitian to help you dive deeper into these topics. Please reach out if you have any questions!