06/11/2025
"Over the past few weeks, through the questions and exercises, I’ve had quite a few “aha” moments regarding my nutrition. I’ve realized that my “expansion” is rooted in three things: false assumptions, wrong beliefs, and self-neglect. Let me explain:
False Assumptions
When I moved out to study, I finally had the “freedom” to eat whatever I wanted. “A little bit won’t hurt—I’m active enough,” I thought, and I ate. But there were several things I didn’t take into account:
I spent a lot of time sitting at my desk while studying.
There were social outings that included food and drinks.
The foods—especially processed ones—are no longer the same as they were in my childhood. The ingredients have changed drastically, often making them far less healthy.
That was the beginning of my first extra pounds.
Wrong Beliefs
Life went on, but the weight stayed. I met my husband, we got married, and soon after, our daughter was born. During pregnancy, I gained some extra pounds that didn’t go away- partly due to sleep deprivation and all the usual challenges of motherhood. By the time my son was born, I still hadn’t lost all of it. That was also partly due to my wrong beliefs, which became even stronger after his birth.
I feed my children as healthily as I can, making sure they get everything they need. But this led to some odd habits: we eat together, I eat my portion, and when the kids don’t finish theirs- well, you can’t just throw it away, right? So I eat it. A snack for the kids? Mama can have a little too! They don’t like something? Fine, Mama will finish it.
To put it simply:
I don’t have to eat my kids’ leftovers!
I now give them very small portions, and they can always have seconds if they want. It works great- we don’t waste food, and Mom doesn’t act as the garbage disposal. Highly recommended!
I eat mindfully.
No more random snacking or just popping things into my mouth. When I eat, I make a conscious decision to do so- and that saves me lots of little calories throughout the day.
Self-Neglect
Unfortunately, this is something I often talk about with other moms: the self-neglect that tends to come with motherhood.
Once the baby arrives, your priorities shift completely. My children came first, and I tried to give them everything. But what often happens is that you- and your own needs- get left behind. Your partner often can’t make up for that because he’s working, or there just isn’t enough time. Or maybe you’re still learning to navigate this whole new system of life. It becomes hard to carve out time for yourself. And even when you do have the time, sometimes you just don’t have the energy.
Lack of sleep, constant noise, taking care of two little kids all day, managing the household- maybe even working, too... At the end of the day, the bag of chips looks a lot more tempting than the running shoes.
But I have to say this: children grow, and this phase passes too. During that time, I told myself, I’ll save my energy now and use it later, more powerfully. But this self-neglect is tough- it’s real, and it shouldn’t be underestimated. You have to take active steps against it. The exercises that make you reflect on yourself help enormously with that!
And here I am now—halfway through the program, 15,4 lbs (7 kilos) lighter, and truly happy that I started this journey.
Thank you so much for your wonderful support!"
Milena Dolega
Bad Honnef, Germany
