How will I know if I am making progress?

​When working with clients, often there comes a point where they might ask ‘How do I know when I’ve made progress?’.  This will often arise alongside the understanding that focusing on weight loss has been harmful for them and wanting to shift from that, but not knowing how to get a gauge of their progress with working towards feeling better about food and their bodies.

We are often taught during our lives that progress is measurable with numbers.  However, progress with food and body healing is an inside job, and reconnecting with your biggest source of knowledge (that’s you!) can be the most powerful way to notice how far you have come.  

So, I have a few things you could consider experimenting with if this has been something you have also been curious about.
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Notice your self talk

Over time and as you start to work on your relationship with food and your body, your self-talk will often shift alongside these changes. 

Often my clients won’t even realise how much their self-talk has shifted until they specifically reflect on it.  They might remember that prior to exploring this work their food and body worries took up most of their day, or that their self-talk was generally pretty negative.  Then reflecting on how they feel now, they might realise that they have much of their brainspace back to think about whatever they want to, and that their self-talk is much more self-compassionate.  

​These shifts in thinking can often start happening without us realising, so taking the time to notice these changes can be super helpful when reflecting on your progress.

Reconnect with your values

Reconnecting with your values is also a great way to notice your progress. 

As an example, one of your values in life might be to try new things whenever you can.  When in the grips of food and body worries, your capacity to live according to this value might be impacted considering how much time and energy these thoughts can take up.  After a while of seeking support with your relationship with food, you might notice that you have some more of your brainspace back to then be able to live according to this value more often. 

Reconnecting with your values in this way can not only support you in checking in with how aligned to your values you are feeling, but also offer a little marker of your progress with food and body stuff too.
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Keep a 'little wins' journal

Taking the time to note down your ‘little wins’ as they pop up can be super helpful to be able to reflect on your progress over time.  Things you note down can be anything, and could be related to what you are experimenting with at the time. 

A few examples could be:

• Noticed I was hungry and ate straight away this time
• Ate regularly today
• Caught up with a friend for lunch today and felt really present with them
• Noticed I was tired this afternoon so I rested
• Ate a food I’ve previously worried a lot about but didn’t notice fears pop up this time
• Met my sensory needs during dinner this evening

What you note down is specific to you, so the options are endless.  Many of my clients have found this helpful, especially if they find the more general reflection tricky.  (Plus, starting a ‘little wins’ journal can be a great way to use that pretty notebook you have been saving up!)
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Working towards a more peaceful relationship with food and our body can often feel really new, and we can sometimes feel like we don’t have a built in sense of how far we have come.  Starting to tune in to your own experiences and reflect on how things may have shifted for you can be really supportive to try out.
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Looking for support with your relationship with food and your body?

You are welcome to get in touch or book an appointment.