Are you making the choices you deserve?

When you chose to start intermittent fasting, you chose to take control of your health. The ability to choose is one of our greatest assets. We get to choose our actions, responses, the path we take and our personal growth.

By consciously owning our choices, we become deliberate about the life we want to build based on what truly matters to us. It allows us to move from blaming circumstances to owning our own path. By making decisions that align with our values and goals, we can build confidence in our body’s signals. As positive results confirm our intuition, like the clarity and focus you experience with intermittent fasting, you’ll trust your body’s messages and solidify your commitment to this lifestyle.

However, life throws a lot our way and feeling like we always have to make the right decision can be paralyzing. Sometimes it seems like everyone else has the answers while we’re left fumbling in the dark. Adding to this, we’ve learned to seek validation from others, and trust their choices over our own, pushing us towards the easy path of following them. 

But following others can leave us feeling powerless in the long run. “Easy choices” can become habits, and habits become progress without intent. If you’re following someone else’s intermittent fasting plan without considering your own needs and preferences, you might find it unsustainable and eventually give up. Or, we can get stuck in the “sunk-cost fallacy,” feeling like we can’t change our direction because we’ve already invested too much time or energy.

We also often fall into the trap of prioritizing others’ choices, fearing selfishness. But ignoring your own well-being limits your ability to truly be there for your loved ones. Choosing yourself isn’t selfish, it’s the foundation for showing up as your best self for everyone you love. This is especially true with intermittent fasting. When you prioritize your health, you have more energy to be fully present for the people who matter most. 

Taking ownership of your choices doesn’t have to be daunting. Start by considering the choices you’re making. Is it what you want? Or is it what you think someone else wants? I’m a people pleaser, so I always put the wishes of others above my own. I realized I needed to live my life on my own terms, and it’s also my choice to carry (or not) their disappointment.

Every experience, even a so-called “wrong” choice, teaches us something valuable, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. There might be days when your fasting window slips, or you eat that sweet treat you’re craving. Don’t beat yourself up! These experiences provide valuable information about your body’s needs and preferences. Learn from them, adjust, and move on.

At any time, if the decisions you need to make become overwhelming, you can step back. Take the time (if you have it) to consider what each choice would mean to you, or recognize that you can choose more than one option at the same time. Don’t let analysis paralysis hold you back. Once you’ve gathered enough information or a clear direction emerges, move forward with confidence.

You can choose to work through any fear holding you back from your dreams with the next decision you make. Lean into that feeling – it’s a sign you’re on the right track. You have the strength to move forward and make the choices that will create the amazing life you deserve.