Done with Dieting Episode #128: Are You An “Almond Mom?”

Today, we’re diving into a topic that is a little new in pop culture, and it’s the concept of what’s called an almond mom. Now, if you’re not familiar with this term, you are going to want to lean in and listen up.

If you’re a mom and you find yourself in not the greatest relationship with food or your body, you might just be what they call an “almond mom.”

One of the things that unites most of my clients is that they are terrified of passing down their struggles to their children. The last thing they want is for their kids to inherit the same tricky relationship with food, exercise in their bodies.

So, today we’re rolling up our sleeves and we’re getting down into the nitty gritty of how to break the “Almond Mom” cycle.

Today’s episode, we’re aiming to create a healthier environment, not just for ourselves, but for our kids too. We’re looking to live in a world where they can navigate their relationships with exercise, food, and their bodies with a little bit more grace, love, and freedom than we ever thought was possible for us.

So, grab your headphones and stay tuned. We’re about to get into a journey of self-love, body positivity, and food freedom, and I could not be more excited to have you with me. So, here’s to building a better world for ourselves and for our kids together.

You are listening to the done with dieting podcast. The podcast for women who are experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms and want to feel better – like they did before their body started changing.

I am your host, Elizabeth Sherman, Master Certified health, and life coach for women in menopause and peri menopause. I’ve helped thousands of women manage their symptoms, get off the diet roller coaster, and change their relationship with food, exercise, and stop fighting with their bodies. And I do it through a feminist lens – which means exploring how we are socialized as young women has a huge impact on our current relationship with food & exercise, our bodies, health, and ourselves.

What’s different about this podcast is that we’re exploring your health from all sides, not just food and exercise. We also address the mindset shifts that will make you happier and lead to better health.

My goal in this podcast is to illustrate that the reason diets don’t work long term is because your health doesn’t exist in a silo. Your health and your weight are a symptom of the OTHER parts of your life and how you show up. I want to help you to feel good and live the life you desire from a 360 degree approach: body, mind, and soul.

Welcome. Let’s get started.

Hey everyone, welcome to episode number 128. Today, we are diving into a term that’s been causing quite a stir in the mom world. It’s called being almond mom. And it’s a phrase that’s new even to me.

So, first thing first. What on earth is an almond mom? Well, an almond mom is a mom who’s deeply entangled in diet culture. She’s obsessed with healthy eating her own body image, and yes, even her own daughter’s body image. She may have a destructive relationship with exercise that borders on the extreme.

The term almond mom took the TikTok world by storm last year. All thanks to a resurfaced clip from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. And in it a young Gigi Hadid, admits to her mom, Yolanda, over the phone that she’s feeling weak after consuming just an almond all day long. Yolanda’s advice is to eat a couple more almonds, but chew them really well.

And so, this exchange sparked the term almond mom. But why are we talking about it? So, let me share a story from my client, Janie. Janie messaged me about a conversation that she had with her daughter. Her college age daughter who pointed out that Janie used to be an almond mom but wasn’t anymore after working with me. Her daughter thanked her for working on her relationship with food.

Now, Janie had been driving her family up a wall with her food related, just neurosis. She was agonizing over calories. She was binging, and then the guilt that she would feel afterwards. And her daughter who had her own problems about food and everything else didn’t want to deal with her mom’s food issues as well.

And so, this is a real common thread among many of my clients. If they can’t improve their relationship with food and their bodies and exercise for themselves, they at least don’t want to have to pass it on to their kids. And it’s a strange thought, isn’t it? That we want better for our daughters, our sisters, and our mothers, but sometimes we struggle to want that same betterness for ourselves.

We don’t want our daughters to grapple with body issues, but yet we repeat harmful habits again and again. We can see when our best friend deserves better in relationships or a job. But when it comes to standing up for ourselves, we often shy away. We don’t feel like we deserve it.

And so, that’s why we’re diving into this topic today. We’re talking about changing your relationship with food, exercise, and your body, and most importantly, yourself.

Now, I had a realization that when I speak about having a relationship with food, exercise your body, or yourself, it might sound strange to some of you. And I remember a time when I would’ve been just totally confused as well. Like, what does it mean to have a relationship with food, or exercise, or your body. And how can we be in a relationship with ourselves? Sometimes doesn’t really make sense. So, that’s where we’re going to start today.

Let’s go ahead and unpack these relationships and see how they’re shaping our lives and the lives of those around us.

Alright, I want you to picture this. It’s a Monday, it’s the start of a new week, and you’ve promised yourself that this week you’re going to be good. No more sweets, no more snacks. Sounds familiar, right? Or maybe you’ve just enjoyed a delicious meal, but now you’re hit with a wave of guilt or anxiety. And you feel like you’re mentally punishing yourself for indulging.

These are just some signs and examples that indicate that you might have a possible disordered relationship with food.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s completely okay to want to eat healthy or wanna have a treat now and then. What’s not okay is when these actions are driven by feelings of guilt, fear, anxiety, and leading to restrictive or emotional eating patterns.

When we label certain foods as good foods or bad foods, we create an unnecessary emotional battleground within ourselves. And we turn eating a basic life sustaining activity into a source of stress. And this stress isn’t limited to food. Many of us are also struggling with how we view and treat our bodies.

Now, think about it. How many times have you looked in the mirror and focused solely on your flaws? How often do you push your body to its limits ignoring its pleas for rest, all in the pursuit of the ideal figure? If this hits close to home, you might be dealing with body dissatisfaction and an overemphasis on appearance.

But remember, your body is so much more than its appearance. It’s an incredible just mechanism that allows you to experience life in all of its richness. It breathes for you. It moves for you. It heals for you. Your body deserves your kindness and your respect. And it really doesn’t deserve constant criticism, regardless of what it looks like.

Now, if you found yourself nodding along, recognizing these behaviors and thoughts on your own life, know that you’re totally not alone. And more importantly, know that it’s possible to break free from these patterns.

It’s possible to cultivate a healthier and happier relationship with food in your body, and you’re absolutely capable of it. And I’m here to help you grow on that journey.

Remember, there’s no judgment here. We’ve all been there in one way or another. Recognizing these signs isn’t about blaming yourself. It’s about understanding where you are now so that you can map out a path of where you want to be.

So, let’s take this journey together with compassion, with understanding, and a whole lot of self-love. Remember, it’s not just about changing what you eat or how you exercise. It’s about changing how you think and feel about food, your body and yourself. And that is a game changer when that happens. It’s a path to freedom, joy, and just self-acceptance.

So, let’s shift gears a little bit and dream together. I want you to imagine waking up in the morning and feeling good about yourself. Not because you’ve lost weight or hit a certain number on the scale, but because you are you in all of your wonderful uniqueness. You look in the mirror and instead of picking yourself apart, you actually have appreciation for your body and all of the amazing things that it can do for you.

Can you feel that sense of peace? That deep appreciation and respect for yourself. That’s one of the many benefits that creating a healthy relationship with yourself and your body lead to. It can lead to increased body confidence and an overall boost of self-esteem. Which let’s be honest, we could all use a little bit more of, right? But it doesn’t stop there.

Now, picture yourself at a dinner party surrounded by friends and a table full of delicious food. You’re not anxious about eating any of these bad foods, nor are you worrying about eating extra calories. You’re just enjoying your experience. You’re enjoying the food and the company and everything about it.

Now, here’s the thing. You’re present and you’re in the moment. You’re savoring each bite. So, you’re not mindlessly checking out thinking about how many calories are in the food. You’re attuned to what’s happening within your body, and the signals that your body is sending you of hunger and fullness.

And so, that right there is just the joy of being able to have a healthy relationship with your body and with food. It’s about having freedom, enjoyment, and having balance. It means breaking free from the cycle of guilt and restriction and discovering the pleasure of mindful, intuitive eating.

It’s really about nourishing your body and satisfying your taste buds and making peace with food. But it’s not just about the physiological benefits. A positive relationship with food in your body can also lead to an improved physical health as well.

When you’re in tune with your body’s needs and signals, you’re better able to provide it with the right nutrients and care that it needs. And here’s the thing. When you start loving and respecting your body, you naturally want to take better care of it, right?

That might mean being physically active on a more regular basis. Not as punishment or a means to burn off more calories or your past indiscretions, but as a way to take care of your future self and manage your stress. Or even celebrate your body’s strengths and capabilities. It might mean prioritizing rest and self-care because you recognize that your body needs a little bit of downtime and recovery.

So, imagine this, like having more energy, having a better mood, less stress, more confidence, a more joyful and mindful eating experiences. These are all ripple effects of improving your relationship with food in your body.

Now, I know, it sounds like a pipe dream, doesn’t it? But I’m here to tell you that it’s completely possible. It’s not always easy and it doesn’t always happen overnight. But the journey is so incredibly worth it. And the best part is that you don’t have to do it alone. We’re in this together.

And once you experience this, once you do it, you will never have to think about calories, or food, or good foods, or bad foods again. You will never have to diet again in your entire life.

Now, let’s shift tacks a little bit and talk about the tools that you need to start nurturing a healthier relationship with food in your body. So, picture this as your roadmap guiding you towards a happier, more self-loving you.

First up is intuitive eating. What that means is understanding that you can eat anything that you want. You just don’t eat everything that you want. So, this is kind of like your internal compass. Pointing you towards what your body needs and when. It’s about honoring your hunger, and respecting your fullness, and finding satisfaction in your meals.

This means not having food rules or guilt trips for eating foods that are tasty and that society deems as being unhealthy. It’s not about eating perfectly; it’s about listening to what your body tells you and what you feel like you need. Sometimes that might be eating brownies. Sometimes it might be having broccoli.

So, if you’re craving chocolate, have a piece. If you’re hungry for a salad, go for it. It’s all about balance and enjoying the journey.

Now, this next one is a big one, body acceptance or body neutrality. This is about changing how you see and talk to your body. Instead of focusing on your body’s flaws and why it’s not good enough, we celebrate its strengths and what it allows us to do. We see our body as just being the thing that we take care of because it allows us to exist in this world.

Now, here’s the thing. We don’t tell men that they should love their body. And so, I don’t want to go there with you. Remember, that your body is an amazing, and it’s this incredible machine. Like the more you understand how your body works, you can really find it fascinating.

And so, we start treating it like this amazing thing that is going to help us feel better. We practice gratitude for our bodies and remind ourselves daily of our worthiness beyond our physical appearance.

The next phase is self-care. Now, this isn’t just about bubble baths and spa days. Although, those things are fantastic. It’s also about getting enough sleep, making sure that you’re getting enough water, you’re getting enough nutrients, you’re moving your bodies in ways that you enjoy, and you’re taking time out for downtime as well as connecting with those people that you love.

See, when you start treating yourself like someone that you appreciate, you start to feel the love too.

And lastly, but certainly not least is positive or at least neutral self-talk. Now, I know sometimes we can be our own worst critic but imagine what if we could become our biggest cheerleader instead.

Changing the narrative in our brains from one of criticism to one of support can be a total game changer. Like instead of saying, gee, I really messed up. You can do better. Try, I’m learning and I’m growing. Instead of thinking, I can’t do this, tell yourself this is totally something that I can learn. I just have to keep doing it.

I want to remind you that these changes won’t happen overnight. This is totally a journey, it’s not a race. And so, we want to start small by incorporating one thing at a time. And patience and compassion with yourself is going to be key. Remember, progress over perfection is always better than having to be perfect because we are human, we are not perfect.

So, there you have it. Intuitive eating, body acceptance, body neutrality, self-care, and positive self-talk. This is your compass, your roadmap to a healthier relationship with food in your body. You have the tools and I believe in you.

So, let’s talk about how coaching can be a game changer on this journey. Imagine you’re off on a hike in a new area. You could try navigating it alone, but how much easier would it be with an experienced guide. Someone who knows the terrain. Someone who can help you avoid pitfalls, and who can provide support when the going gets tough. That’s what a coach can be for you.

A coach provides personalized strategies based on your unique needs and goals. They help you tune into your body signals and break free from restrictive eating patterns. And shift your mindset to one of self-acceptance.

But more than that, a coach can provide support, accountability, and also being that sideline cheerleader. Cheering you on, holding you to your goals. And reminding you of your why when you feel like giving up. Just think of the challenges that you’ve faced so far in your relationship with food in your body.

A coach can help you navigate these obstacles providing guidance, tools, and strategies to overcome them. They can help you make progress more quickly and sustainably than if you are to try to do it alone.

So, let’s do a quick recap now. Today, we’ve talked about the signs of disordered relationship with food and body, and the incredible benefits that come along with nurturing a healthier relationship. We’ve introduced some amazing tools like intuitive eating, body acceptance, self-care, and positive self-talk. And we’ve touched on how coaching can accelerate this transformative journey.

If you’re ready to start the journey towards a healthier relationship with food in your body, I encourage you to consider coaching. You don’t have to navigate this path alone.

If you’re interested, you can learn more about how coaching can support you in this journey by scheduling a consult call at elizabethsherman.com/consult. I’d love to explore how we can partner up to create lasting positive changes in your life.

Have a great day, everyone. I’ll see you next time. Bye-bye.

Hey, Thanks for listening. If you’re done with dieting and would like to work with me as your coach, I’d like to invite you to reach out to myself and my team to ask about programs and pricing. Go to elizabethsherman.com/contact to get started today. I can’t wait to hear from you. See you next week.