Why I Stopped Bulk Cooking
It’s Sunday night and I just finished up bulk cooking my chicken breast and broccoli. I’ve been doing this for about five months now, successfully cooking up batches of chicken breast after chicken breast, portioning out my veggies for the week in freezer-safe bags, and steaming pounds of sweet potatoes.
I wipe the sweat off my brow and wave to my roommate as she passes through the kitchen.
“Hey Cameryn,” I mutter as I stop the timer and pull out the tray of twenty breasts, careful to keep the juice in the tray to prevent my hand from getting burned.
“Another month of chicken ready to go?” she asks as she walks over to grab her usual midday snack of crackers and peanut butter.
“Yeah, well, you know. It keeps me on track,” I tell her as I pull out my food scale from the cabinet.
Cameryn nods at me with a sympathetic smile and retreats back to her bedroom where her boyfriend was lounging on her bed as they catch up on Mad Men.
I knew I was close to being as carefree as Cameryn. I just needed to lean out a little more, and I too would be able to finally relax and watch Mad Men without feeling guilty about missing a workout.
Maybe I’d even be able to find myself a handsome man to watch it with.
In the mean time, I knew that I needed to continue to stay sharp on my diet and workouts to ensure that I kept up with my body image and figure. If I lost my figure, I’d really have nothing.
I thought about all of the things I needed to work on in order to find myself living like Cameryn.
I need to lose a few more pounds. I need to eat cleaner. I need to eat less fruit. I need to eat less sugar overall. I’m sure my daily bowls of oatmeal are adding too much sugar, as well as my occasional Emergen-C packets and packs of gum.
I need to have more self-control. I need to be more disciplined.
My thoughts divert to Cameryn.
Cameryn doesn’t have any of these obsessions.
She’s never on a diet, she’s never changing anything about her body, and she focuses on finding value within.
This got me thinking…how would I feel about Cameryn if she were just like me? Would I like her and admire her as much as I do?
Reflecting on the irony of the situation, I realized that I appreciate Cameryn as much as I do because of the fact that she’s different from most women.
She’s not obsessed with her body, food, or image…she’s pleased with how she is (right now!) because she’s using her body to live. She doesn’t have time to bulk prep a month’s worth of chicken.
She’s got a relationship to grow.
She’s got a career to pursue.
She’s not dwelling in a place of lack.
Why is it that some of us search for our worth within our chicken breasts, green beans and sweet potatoes, while others have an easier time cultivating happiness in more gratifying places?
After years of asking myself this question, I narrowed it down to two main categories. Of course, there are many subcategories but these are two of the most common originations.
1. Fear of rejection
This is primal. Our ancestors had to deal with some pretty terrible situations in regards to “fitting in” with the cool kids. If a tribe didn’t protect you, you and your family were left outside in the cold to starve and die.
Similarly, we want to be accepted- in a more social light. This brings us a sense of security. Whether or not we want to be accepted because of our good deeds, our bodies, or our social status, it feels good to be recognized and accepted.
But what happens when we don’t feel accepted, even if we are? Some people shrug it off, and say “Oh well, didn’t need that anyways.”
Or maybe my personal favourite, “It wasn’t meant to be!”
But what happens when “shrugging things off” isn’t your strong suit? It’s quite possible you take it out on yourself with the one thing you can control…the one thing you are certain you’ll receive recognition for.
Your body.
2. Fear of losing control
We aren’t in control of the future. We aren’t in control of most things, actually. In any minute, our lives can be taken from us. Our loved ones can be stolen away. Our careers can disappear without notice. Our homes can be destroyed. Our friends can turn their backs.
With all of this said, without the bad there is no good. We have to learn to take the bad with the good, because then and only then can the good be so very good.
For example, if you focus solely on controlling your diet (because you fear the unknown) you will never truly experience the best life imaginable (yes, the one that’s currently waiting for you on the other side of that meal plan!). You’ll miss out on the opportunity to cultivate relationships, love, happiness, dreams, and everything else. Sure, there will be dark days of course. But without those dark days, there aren’t amazingly bright ones.
Here are two big reasons why dieting could be keeping you from love…
No matter what your reason is for fixating on your food and body, it’s leading you further away from the life you desire.
People who only like you for your body are not your people. Finding your self-worth within your food will never bring you satisfaction.
Avoiding all good because you’re scared of the bad will only lead you down a mediocre life.
Don’t you think it’s time to live fearlessly with body respect, self-acceptance and food freedom?
Truth be told, dieting, leanness and weight loss are not a prerequisite for receiving love and feeling carefree. They never will be.
If anything, they are keeping you from feeling unconditional bliss.
It’s time to forget about bulk cooking, meal timing, and food combinations.
Commit to eating for enjoyment, touching for pleasure and loving for the sake of love.
Then and only then, will you be able to experience true freedom.
If you’re ready to take the leap, and leave your meal plan once and for all (but just don’t know where to start), join me in a four week course that will change your life. Body Freedom is an engaging program where you can become my personal client, and I’ll teach week-by-week, how you can eat without a meal plan, while still loving the way you look.
It doesn’t have to be so hard to feel good, look good and live good.
Join me in Body Freedom here.
See you there…