Have you ever asked yourself, what are the things that matter to me most?

And if so, do your actions reflect what matters? Do they reflect your true goals and values?

By now you may be asking, “ehmmmm, and what does this have to do with food and nutrition and why does this weight loss doc care?”

In the many years of working with people, one thing I know to be true, our relationship with food is a reflection of our relationship with ourselves, how we engage with food is a symbol of how we engage in other areas of our lives, and awareness of these patterns can be a clue to the areas in our lives which might need more attention.

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First things first, identifying the most important things in our life may feel intimidating, but simply put, values are just the things that matter to us.

Family, spirituality, community, service, vitality, autonomy, health, independence.

our relationship with food is a reflection of our relationship with ourselves

More often than not, our actions are not aligned with what we truly value. For example, we say we value family but then we let our work or social media and our phones get in the way of spending quality time with our family and being truly present.

The same is true with our health.

• We want to feel energized but we don’t make time for sleep
• We want to feel vitality but we don’t make time for movement
• We want to preserve our health but we don’t make time to eat the right foods at the right time

And of course, all of these things impact our weight.

If this resonates, don’t worry, you are not alone, because whether we admit it or not, we are lured by distractions that keep us from engaging in the practices that require time and effort, in the practices that keep us aligned with who we are and what we truly value. 

So, what can be done?

First, be kind. Remember that living up to your potential is a process. We have good days and bad days, good weeks and bad weeks, good quarters and bad ones…you get the drift! So be kind to yourself, have self-compassion and above all meet yourself where you are, right now, and in this moment.

Next, take some time for self-reflection. Pull out your journal and list the things that you really care about. Without judgment or auto-editing yourself, write down what really matters.

living up to your potential is a process

Then, objectively look at where your time is really spent. Be honest and be detailed. Do a time audit from the time you wake up to when you go to sleep. How much time is spent on your phone before you go to bed and just after you wake up? Write it down.

Now compare these two lists. Are they similar or are they not aligned? If the latter is true, brainstorm some ideas on how you can bring these two lists closer together, to match your being with your doing.

And yes! This is very relevant to your weight. Not only because you may decide to make time for exercise or cooking a homemade meal, but in a deeper and more spiritual way. Because when you are living in alignment with what you value most, you are less likely to soothe that disconnect with alcohol, shopping, scrolling and yes, with food. 

Let me help you uncover your hunger with 36 short personal and patient stories, backed by science, to help you uncover once and for all what you are truly hungry for.