I think one of the hardest things to admit in your health journey is this:
Sometimes, you are the one getting in your own way.

You want to feel better. You start strong.
You buy the groceries. Plan the workouts. Tell yourself, this time is different.
And then… life hits.
You’re tired. Overwhelmed. Something triggers you.
And suddenly you’re back in the same cycle…frustrated, disappointed, and wondering why you keep doing this to yourself.

If you’ve ever felt that, just know: you’re not alone.
And more importantly, you’re not broken.

Self-sabotage isn’t about weakness.
It’s usually a sign that something deeper is going on under the surface.

1. We Fear Change, Even the Good Kind

Your brain is wired to keep you safe. Even if “safe” is staying stuck in old habits.
When you start showing up for yourself differently-eating more consistently, resting, moving your body, choosing boundaries-it can feel uncomfortable.
Not because it’s wrong… but because it’s unfamiliar.

So your brain sends little messages like,
“This won’t last.” “What’s the point?” “You’ve failed before.”
And if we’re not aware of it, we believe those thoughts and start pulling back.

I remember when I was first coming out of the all-or-nothing mindset.
I had finally stopped obsessively tracking food, but anytime I ate something “imperfect,” I’d feel this deep wave of anxiety.
It was like I didn’t know how to exist in the middle. I was either “on” or “off.”
Learning to stay in that gray area, where I was choosing health without obsession, took time , intention, and accountability from my own coach i invested in.
But it’s where true peace started for me.

2. Perfectionism Is Sneaky

A lot of women I work with aren’t lazy. They’re exhausted.
They’re trying to do everything “right.”
But when you’ve tied your worth to being disciplined and perfect, one missed workout or off day can spiral into, “I blew it. I might as well give up.”

Real health isn’t all-or-nothing.
You don’t need a perfect week. You just need to keep going.

I used to believe I had to be all-in or not in at all.
I’d say yes to every challenge, track every macro, and be so “good”…until I burned out and fell into a cycle of overeating or skipping everything altogether.
What finally broke that cycle wasn’t trying harder, it was realizing that consistency doesn’t mean perfection.
It means showing up even when it’s not pretty.

3. Our Identity Hasn’t Caught Up to Our Habits

This one’s big.
You can change your behavior… but if you’re still thinking like the version of you who’s “inconsistent,” or “never follows through,” it’s only a matter of time before you default back to her.
This is why mindset work matters.
You have to start seeing yourself as someone who does nourish her body. Who is committed. Who can be consistent.
Not perfectly. But consistently.

There was a time I didn’t even realize how often I spoke poorly about myself.
I’d joke about how I “could never stick to anything” or “always mess it up eventually.”
But the more I said those things, the more I believed them.
It wasn’t until I started rewriting those beliefs in my brain, speaking life instead of labels over myself, that things truly shifted.

4. We’re Afraid of Success

This sounds strange, but sometimes we sabotage because part of us is scared of what happens if it actually works.
What if I finally feel confident and people expect more of me?
What if I lose the weight and still feel unhappy?
What if I get healthy and then mess it all up again?

Those fears aren’t bad. But they will keep you stuck if you never name them.

5. We Tie Our Health to Punishment, Not Love

If your health habits are rooted in shame – trying to fix your body, make up for food, or be “good enough” – it’s no wonder your nervous system starts resisting.
Your body doesn’t want to be punished.
It wants to be cared for.
And when you shift from “I have to” to “I get to care for myself like someone I love”… everything changes.

This was a huge shift for me.
For years, I thought “discipline” meant pushing through at all costs.
But it was making me resent the very habits that were supposed to help me.
When I started moving my body out of love, not punishment -when I ate to fuel, not to control-it became sustainable.
That’s when everything changed.

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So What Do We Do?

You don’t need to try harder.
You need to slow down, get honest, and start shifting the patterns at the root.

This journey isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present.
Learning to trust yourself again.
And showing up with consistency, not shame.

You’re allowed to have goals. You’re allowed to want to feel confident in your skin.
But you don’t have to sabotage yourself every time you get close.
Healing that pattern starts with awareness, compassion, and choosing differently—even when it’s hard.

You’re not too far gone.
You’re just getting started.
And you’re doing better than you think

If this hit home for you and you’re tired of doing it all alone, I want you to know: you don’t have to.
Sometimes the missing piece isn’t another perfect plan or more willpower – it’s accountability.
Having someone in your corner who sees the patterns you can’t always see in yourself is often the game changer.

We’ve helped hundreds of women just like you break free from self-sabotage, heal their relationship with food, and feel strong and confident in the body they live in – for good.

If you’re ready for support that actually sticks, you can book a free strategy call to see if coaching might be the right next step for you.
No pressure – just a chance to talk, get clarity, and map out what it could look like to finally feel good in your skin.

click HERE to book!