5 Self-Care Rituals to Lose Weight
5 Self-Care Rituals to Lose Weight (without dieting) and keep it off
Self-care is the foundation for weight loss. Why? Because it’s fuel. If you want to sustain your weight loss, it’s one of the most powerful tools you have.
We’ve been conditioned to believe that weight loss is about willpower, restriction and pushing through. But my experience is that change is easier when it is rooted in care.
I want to help you shift your focus from dieting to nourishing, from deprivation to celebration. When you care for your body and mind in small ways, everything else begins to change too — including your weight. These self-care rituals can help you feel better instantly and support lasting, healthy weight loss.
1. Get Honest About What You Really Need
Sometimes the craving isn’t really for food — it’s for rest, reassurance, connection or calm. Having a self-care routine helps you pay attention to your body and your personal needs and prioritise you.
There were times I reached for snacks, not out of hunger, but because I was overwhelmed or emotionally drained. Now, I stop and pause and ask myself, what would actually help me right now?
Sometimes the answer is to say yes to something I’m conditioned to saying no to. For example, if I’m overtired, I can’t fight hormonal cravings so I’ll eat a piece of 85% chocolate. Other times it’s having the courage to say no to something that isn’t right for me, for example going out to dinner with friends or eating the cake they’re offering.
2. Eat with Joy
A moment of self-care might be making time to eat away from your desk without a screen. Or perhaps laying the table or even plating your food rather than eating standing up. These small acts change a mindless eating habit into a mindful ritual and allow you to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues.
Mindless eating is considered to be the most significant cause of overeating and Brian Wansink in his book Mindless Eating suggests that we can easily overeat by 100-200 calories a day without noticing. So small shifts towards making eating a more conscious act could prevent you from gaining those small number of pounds each year that add up.
Most of the time I choose food that nourishes my mind and body. On occasion, I decide to eat food to nourish me emotionally, like a piece of cake. In those special moments, I eat it slowly, savouring each mouthful and focussing on the joy rather than allowing myself to feel guilt.
3. Create a Morning Ritual That Grounds You
How you start your day sets the tone for your day. Whether it’s writing, sipping your drink in silence or repeating your personal mantra, a calm start reminds your nervous system that you’re safe. A calm and focussed start lowers stress levels which improves productivity and supports fat loss too.
I keep my morning simple, embracing a feeling of care. I drink water to rehydrate, stretch, inhale my specially chosen essential oils while setting my intention for the day and trigger my happy anchor. I’ve embedded my routine over several years and it sets me up for success each day so that I stay focussed on my goals.
4. Build a Bedtime Wind-Down
I am very task focussed and that meant I would not go to bed until I’d ticked everything off my to-do list, which led to sleep deprivation. Once I read about the importance of sleep to brain function, I decided to change that habit. Along with reducing my stress levels as it set me up for a good morning routine, improved sleep also helped me lose weight.
Studies show that when people increased their sleep by just 1 hour per night, they ate 270 fewer calories per day*—over a few years that can translate to a couple of stone.
Now, I protect my bedtime. I aim for 8 hours of sleep and have an alarm to remind me to stop working and switch off screens. I used to use essential oils to help me fall asleep along with a meditation app, now I just relax and have some ‘me time’ and I sleep well.
5. Move Purposefully and Often
Movement doesn’t need to be punishing to be powerful. For me, it starts with a short morning routine: a stretch, some light weights, and Pilates to wake up my body and feel strong. Sometimes I add a walk, or a few minutes of skipping to shift my energy and lift my mood as exercise boosts creative thinking.
I don’t move to burn calories, “earn” food or to hit a number on the scales, I do it to feel flexible and strong, to connect with my body and be in tune with its needs.
We all know the cliché of putting your own oxygen mask on first. But it’s true. We can’t show up for others when we’re running on empty. So many women feel guilty prioritising themselves but I want to emphasise that I’ve embraced self-care for several years now, and this year, it’s come into its own. It has held me through grief and stress. It’s reminded me that I’m strong, that I’m worth caring for, and most recently that I’ve got this.
Self-care isn’t something you earn. It’s a fundamental. And it doesn’t have to be big. One small shift can be the first step to feeling more energised, more in control, and more confident. And you’ll lose weight..
I invite you to start now
If you’re ready to take action that feels good, I’d love to support you.
Download my Awesome Day routine here.
Or if you’re ready to commit to even more change, you can get a copy of my book or invest in my Starter Pack with my Summer2025 offer.
