I practice self-care, yet I don’t feel any different.
This is a HUGE problem and many times we don’t even realize what is going on until we are so completely empty and drained then we decide to do something about it.
Self-care is beginning to be discussed more and more these days, which is AWESOME! The problem however, is are we doing the self-care actions that are right for us? Let me introduce a new concept to you:
Concept 1: Actively Resting
Actively resting is the idea that whatever restful activity you are doing is actually providing you with energy. I don’t mean that you go for a run and therefore are “actively” resting or that you take a nap then feel like you can do 100 jumping jacks. Imagine this— like a gas tank in a car, you have an emotional tank and this tank slowly gets depleted as you go through the day / week. Whether it is work, taking care of others, having to get the chores done, whatever, you are depleting your emotional tank. The idea of self-care is that you take time throughout the day, everyday, to replenish this emotional tank.
When your emotional tank is on “E.”
When your emotional tank is empty, or pretty-darn close to empty, you may be receiving poor sleep. You could be showing signs of this by being irritable, having intense cravings or an appetite that feels like it is never ending. Maybe you don’t feel hunger and instead feel nauseous or lethargic or sick. You could be emotional with moods up and down all day long. It doesn’t sound good at all for that emotional tank to be empty. So we need to replenish it!
This brings me back to the concept of Actively Resting.
Are the forms of self-care you are working on implementing throughout the day actually re-energize you? Do they replenish your emotional tank or are you just sitting in the bath tub turning wrinkly and thinking… “what am I doing right now? I’d rather be watching Greys Anatomy.”
Yeesh. If this is how you’re feeling, then I would like you to decrease the baths and increase the Greys Anatomy watching.
All jokes aside, ask yourself this- when I am performing self-care or going on my weekend getaway, am I actively resting?
What is the opposite of actively resting? Well draining activities is probably the opposite, but let’s talk about Numbing. There are Numbing activities we do that we may think are self-care or restful, but they are not.
Concept 2: Numbing Activities
Numbing activities can be similar to our go-to, destress after work or a long day, activities. Keep in mind, what is numbing for one person can be active rest for another person. A numbing activity is something you do as a distraction from something, but it does not re-energize you. A common example of a numbing activity is playing on your phone- scrolling through social media, playing a game, etc. These activities suck time and provide little to no enjoyment. Sometimes numbing activities can even continue to drain us as we participate in them.
Can you think of your numbing activities?
Let’s Practice.
Consider making a list of all the activities you do for yourself on a daily basis. Example: buy a coffee, take a nap, take a shower, put on makeup (or not put on makeup), cook a meal, play with your fur baby or children, call a friend/family member. Make this list and don’t be afraid of its length.
Next, separate out what is numbing and what is energizing / active rest. Consider on a daily basis, are you participating in more numbing activities than active rest activities? If so, how can you mix this up?
What does this have to do with food?
Right, let’s connect these two things because after all, we are a group practice of registered dietitians!
Remember earlier when I mentioned the emotional tank? Well, you have a physical tank too. The physical tank is solely for food and beverages. When you are attune to what fills your emotional tank and recognize when this tank is depleted, you are less likely to participate in emotional eating or bored eating. Rather, you are more apt to take care of your body as a whole, mentally and physically.
When clients ask how to decrease their emotional eating, I usually ask them to consider two things:
Are you nourishing your body consistently throughout the day? Meals and Snacks.
Are you drained and exhausted? If so, what does your self-care look like (numbing or active rest)?
Looking for more?
If you feel like we are just scraping the tip of the iceberg, reach out to us! We do a lot more than just focus on your intake at Bamboo Nutrition. We work with you as a whole person and help you see how food connects to mental health and physical health. We would love to get to know you and help you feel like your optimal self!
Our registered dietitians specialize in various aspects of nutrition and health. To learn more about our team, click here. Bamboo Nutrition is located in Columbia, MO and sees clients in-person and virtually.