Nia Shanks

Lift Like a Girl: Be More, Not Less

Confessions of a Personal Trainer: Experiences with Binge Eating and Over Exercising

by

confessions of a personal trainerIf I sit still for a moment, close my eyes, take a deep breath and relax, I can remember it like it was yesterday.

The disordered eating habits I battled. The binge eating episodes. The horrible, cruel, and negative things I would say to myself on a daily basis about my diet failures and how I didn’t look a certain way. The high standards with nutrition and working out I placed on myself. Basing my self-worth on the number displayed on the bathroom scale.

Obsessing over my perceived “flaws” and trying so desperately to “fix” them. Feeling like a total failure when I couldn’t stick to my diet and spiraled into a restrict — binge — restrict cycle. Forcing myself to perform extra workouts because of the frequent binge eating episodes.

For several years, this was my reality; disordered eating habits combined with over exercising and an abundance of negative self-talk — and I hated it.

After all, I was a personal trainer. I was supposed to have everything under control.

I knew that my actions and thoughts were wrong — binge eating, revolving my life around a diet, constantly engaging in negative self-talk, working out at least twice a day to the point of total exhaustion — but I just couldn’t break away from the horrible habits I had developed.

I felt like a hypocrite and total failure.

I knew what I needed to do, but putting that knowledge into action was a struggle at first. (You can get the full story about my battle and victory with disordered eating habits in this article, but please keep reading). But despite the difficultly, I eventually reigned victorious.

Today everything is, thankfully, completely different.

  • I can now keep my favorite ice cream in the house without being tempted to eat it every day, or to eat the whole container at once. I can put a few scoops in a bowl, enjoy it guilt free, and not feel the need to go back for more.
  • I no longer succumb to the vicious restrict => binge => restrict cycle like I had in the past.
  • I no longer demonize foods or food groups.
  • I no longer have a negative body image.
  • I no longer perform extra or more grueling workouts as punishment for eating too much.
  • I no longer feel guilty for taking a day off from working out if I feel like I need it.
  • I no longer obsess over what to eat, and what not to eat, and instead keep it simple and stress-free.

A couple of days ago I reveled in awe over these facts. Years ago, when I was battling disordered eating habits and the vicious binge eating cycle discussed above, I never thought I could eat “normally” ever again. I thought I was destined to struggle with food and a negative body image for the rest of my life. But I’m pleased to say that those disordered eating habits accompanied with over exercising are a thing of the past for me.

My past experiences — with food and working out — has shaped my present beliefs and approach toward health and fitness both personally and with my clients. In addition to the “sane and simple” methods I employ, if I can keep just one person from experiencing disordered eating habits, or be any help in assisting them to break free from them, then I’ve succeeded.

That’s why this website, Lift Like a Girl, is what it is.

That is why the information presented on this website proclaims:

  • NO to rigid, “non-negotiable” rules (e.g. “Skinny Rules“)
  • NO to grueling workouts that have the sole purpose of achieving as much fatigue as possible
  • NO to “rapid fat loss methods“
  • NO to dieting
  • NO to attempting to fit the “ideal image” as dictated by society
  • NO to defining yourself on numbers like the weight on the bathroom scale

And instead proclaims:

These beliefs are reflected in every article published on this website and in every single program and product offered.

It’s because of the experiences I’ve had over the past 10+ years. It’s because I’ve worked with numerous clients who share a similar background with chronic dieting, paralysis by analysis from all of the superfluous and conflicting information, and over exercising.

It’s because I’ve seen, and experienced, how much of an impact the saner and simpler approach has had on my clients and the results they’ve achieved, both physically and mentally.

It’s because I believe it’s possible to achieve the health, performance, and aesthetic goals you desire without having to follow a strict diet, revolve your life around the gym, or waste time stressing over the minute details.

It’s because I believe in a saner and simpler approach and you can read the details in this article: 6 (Sane and Simple) Rules to Lift Like a Girl and Get Results.

It’s because I believe you are already awesome, and the goal is simply to become even more awesome.

Add Fuel to the Fire

Things are starting to change in the world of health and fitness, and I couldn’t be more excited.

That is why I want YOU to keep adding fuel to this amazing fire that’s blazing brighter and larger every day.

So if you’re sick of the same ole fitness approach that revolves around restriction, grueling workouts, and rigid guidelines that stress you out, then I invite you to take the Lift Like a Girl approach to eating and working out for improved health, performance, and building the body you’ll love.

I don’t proclaim it to be the “best way” or even the only way to accomplish your goals, but I do believe that it works.

There are dozens of articles on this website in addition to several Tutorials (available on the right side of the page) that you can use to get started. One of my favorites is the Train to be Awesome Tutorial as it elaborates on many of the topics discussed in this article.

And if you want a closer look at the Lift Like a Girl philosophy, then be sure to get the free Beautiful Badass mini course. You’ll see how simple nutrition can truly be in addition to a sample workout program. Just enter your email below.