Discover the power of self-compassion in this episode of Health Bite with host Dr. Adrienne Youdim.
Hear how a simple act of self-hug resonated with hundreds of executives and learn why self-compassion is crucial for our relationship with food, our bodies, and ourselves.
Dr. Adrienne Youdim, a triple board-certified internist, obesity medicine, and physician nutrition specialist, delves into the importance of redefining nutrition to include physical, mental, and emotional nourishment.
Tune in to explore the impact of self-compassion on overall well-being and hear why everyone could benefit from a virtual hug.
What You’ll Learn From Today’s Episode
- Learn about the importance of self-compassion in our relationship with food, our bodies, and ourselves.
- Discover the three main components of self-compassion: self-kindness, acknowledging common humanity, and mindfulness.
- Learn how self-compassion can be a game-changer in nutrition by releasing oneself from perfectionism and cultivating a balanced relationship with food.
- Determine the transformative power of self-compassion in nourishing oneself with kindness, understanding, and acceptance for pursuing health goals effectively.
“People who practice self-kindness felt less guilty and more positive about themselves despite the setback.” - Dr. Adrienne Youdim
Connect with Dr. Adrienne Youdim
Connect with Dr. Adrienne Youdim
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Recently I spoke to several hundred executives over zoom. It was one of those days when the news was particularly hard to swallow and I felt like I needed a hug. At the same time I had spend an hour talking to these folks and even though they were thousands of miles away and on a zoom screen, I felt connected to them and wanted to hug them as well. And then at the end of my keynote I asked them to put their left hand over their heart. Their right hand over their left hand and to give themselves a squeeze. The chat blew up….Stay tuned to hear more about this week's episode and why self compassion is so critical to about our relationship with food, our relationship with our bodies and to aceiving our goals in general.
Welcome back to Healthbite, I'm your host Dr Adrienne Youdim. I am triple board certified as an internist, obesity medicine and physician nutrition specialist and I help people redefine nutrition to include not only the food that we eat well but all the ways we can nourish ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally.
So back to my story. I basically asked these executives over zoom to give themselves a hug. And the response was explosive. I feel like I know through my many years of work with humans what it is that people are struggling with and what it is they need. I believe I am empathetic and intuitive and so my antennas are always up to the people around me and have a sense for what people are longing for these days. In short everyone needs a hug. And yet I am still floored when I witness the response to this small gesture of self compassion.
Self compassion becomes particularly important in our moments of self-discomfort when we experience our own setbacks and shortcomings and sadly there is so much discomfort around our bodies and our relationship with food, which is why a self compassion practice is so critical.
I have always promoted self-compassion in my practice with patients on their journey to heathier weight and better health. From experience I know that we are better able to overcome our challenges and meet our goals when we act from a place of self acceptance and self compassion. And a study shared by my friend Wendy last week makes this point beautifully.
A study of 140 people diagnosed to be overweight or have obesity showed that higher levels of self compassion and self kindness in particular was associated with reduced negative feelings following a dietary setback.
The 140 participants, who were trying to lose weight through a group-based lifestyle modification program, responded to surveys multiple times a day to report whether they had experienced a dietary lapse – eating more than they intended, a food they didn’t intend, or at a time they didn’t intend – and the extent to which they were responding to that lapse with self-compassion. The researchers also asked about participants’ moods and how well they had been able to practice self-control over their eating and exercise behavior after the last survey they responded to.
People who practiced self kindness felt less guilty and more positive about themselves despite the setback and afterward felt more in command of their eating habits, suggesting that self compassion can help people feel a sense of agency after a dietary lapse. They also not surprisingly reported better mood overall as compared to the group that did not practice self compassion.
This study counters the notion that being kind with ourselves makes us lazy or complacent rather it builds resilience. Self compassion counters the negative and self defeating self talk that sabotages us in pursuing our weight loss goals and our goals in general. That is the beauty of this work of coming to terms with our relationship with food. It is a mirror for our relationship with ourselves. And to that point, we can take this teaching out to our greater life goals. Meeting ourselves where we are at with self kindness, self love and self compassion allow us to persevere following setbacks so that we can resume the work of hitting our goals. I also want to highlight that mood scores went up. This is a huge quality of life bonus. Think of all the ways that we try to boost our moods- medications, therapies and our hedonistic responses like eating, drinking, smoking. And what about the spin of how our positive moods impact how we act in our relationships, in our workplaces, heck even on our drives to work. Can you see how compassion towards ourselves is an act of compassion to the greater good?
Lets review what self-compassion is. Self-compassion involves treating oneself with kindness and understanding, especially in times of struggle or failure.There are three main components: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Rather than harshly criticizing ourselves for perceived flaws or mistakes, we can offer ourselves comfort and understanding. We can remind ourselves that we are not alone. All humans experience set backs. All humans make mistakes. All humans have roadblocks to achieving their goals. Third mindfulness in this context is being aware so that we dot over-identify with the negative beliefs that come from our limitations. No we are not flawed, incapable, doomed or any of the millions of other ways we criticize ourselves. We can choose not to buy into that belief or thought.
When it comes to nutrition, self-compassion can be a game-changer. Many of us have experienced moments of guilt or shame surrounding our food choices or body image. However, self-compassion offers an alternative approach—one that is rooted in self-acceptance and understanding. By practicing self-compassion, we can release ourselves from perfectionism and cultivate a more balanced and flexible relationship with food.
Setbacks are a natural part of any journey, including our relationship with food. Whether it's overeating at a holiday gathering or veering off track from our nutrition goals during an extended vacation, setbacks can trigger feelings of self-criticism and discouragement. However, by embracing self-compassion, we can respond to setbacks with kindness and resilience. Instead of berating ourselves for perceived failures, we can acknowledge our humanity and learn from our experiences with gentleness and grace.
Perfectionism can be a significant barrier to cultivating a healthy relationship with food. And lets face it to a healthy relationship with ourselves. When we strive for an unattainable ideal thru trigid dietary rules, guilt, and a constant sense of inadequacy, we essentially set ourselves up for failure. However, self-compassion offers an antidote to perfectionism. By embracing our imperfections and treating ourselves with kindness, we can break free from the cycle of self-judgment and engage in a more balanced and forgiving approach to nutrition.
What about our perception of our bodies. Our bodies deserve to be treated with respect and appreciation. Unfortunately, many of us struggle with negative body image and self-criticism. In fact on one study, nearly 78% of college aged girls expressed dissatisfaction with their bodies. In another study 53% of 13 year olds stated that they were unhappy with their bodies. This was associated with a higher incidence of mental health issues including depression.
However, through the practice of self-compassion, we can cultivate a kinder and more loving relationship with our bodies. By offering ourselves the same compassion and care that we would extend to a dear friend, we can foster a sense of acceptance and gratitude for the bodies we inhabit and teach that to our children as well.
So I encourage you to reflect on the role that self-compassion plays in your own relationship with food and body image. And extend this to how self-compassion is important in how we view ourselves in general. By embracing self-compassion, we can transform our mindset and nourish ourselves with kindness, understanding, and acceptance. And to pursue our goals with our health and otherwise with greater resilience and effectiveness. I hope that you take this to heart and should you be willing to learn how to do this more concretely, I encourage you to go back to past episodes linked here in our show notes, where I take you through, setp by step, a self compassion practice.
Wishing you a happy and healthy week filled with love and compassion for yourself.
Have a great week and see you here again next week on healthbite.