The constant messaging is relentless

I was having a chat with Stefan on our Sunday afternoon walk about how all I see on social media is how I should be holding Luca to sleep, having contact naps and how it's the best thing for them.

I feel guilty because I pop Luca down in his cot wake and then he goes to sleep all by himself.

He doesn't even like me patting his back anymore.

There's no tears, no drama, he just goes to sleep.

But I feel guilt. (isn't mum guilt wild)

He said any words around parenting should start with 

"what worked for us was....."

and should finish with

"but that might not work for you"

And the same can be applied to nutrition.

Chatting with one of my clients this week and she said that the constant messaging around nutrition was really hard to follow and it was making her feel like a failure.

I've heard this before.

Because anyone on social media or in the news has one way of doing things.

Other ways are wrong - only their way is right.

It promotes black and white thinking when nutrition and parenting is anything but black and white.

It sets you up for failure because 9 portions of fruit and veg a day is a lot and if you eat 8 does that mean that you are unhealthy?

The constant noise creates confusion.

Another thing you have to think of when trying to cook a dinner which everyone will eat, doesn't take 3 hours to cook and isn't as expensive as a fillet steak at Miller and Carter.

It also creates paralysis - decision paralysis so you end up doing nothing and sinking into a takeaway and feeling bad.

I see your perfectionist tendencies......

So here's what I want you to do.

A media audit - where are you getting your information from?

Social media - what accounts?

The Daily Mail, The BBC, podcasts?

Now I want you to unfollow and turn off notifications for news which is nutrition based.

Quieten the noise.

See how it makes you feel - they are always going to be there so you can go back but I guarantee you won't want to.

Diet culture and food rules (from the media) is a section of my Introduction to Mindful Eating Workshop which is happening tomorrow.

Come along if this has resonated with you and you need some clear guidelines (not rules) around nutrition.

You will leave feeling clearer and more confident to spot food rules out in the wild before you take them on yourself and use them as another stick to bash yourself with. 

 Get yourself booked on here.

Drop this weeks Chatting with Cara podcast a listen too as I go into this in more depth.

Find the Chatting with Cara podcast here.