MV16 The Rules I Live By (That Actually Work)

The Rules I Live By (That Actually Work)

Hey there! Welcome to today's motivational episode, and I am so excited to share this with you.

After Monday's episode about why "everything in moderation" is terrible advice, I've been getting so many messages asking: "Okay, if I can't follow that rule, what rules SHOULD I follow?"

I love this question because you're ready for something better. You're ready for rules that work with your psychology.

Today, I'm sharing the five personal rules I live by when it comes to food and my body. These aren't diet rules or restriction rules. These are life rules that have kept me free from food obsession for years.

By the end of this episode, you'll have a completely different framework for thinking about food—one that builds trust and consciousness.

Let's dive in!

The strategy

Here are the five rules I live by, and why each one works:

Rule #1: Progress over perfection, always.

I never aim to eat perfectly. I aim to eat more consciously than I did yesterday. Some days that means I pause before eating and ask what I need. Some days that means I eat emotionally but I'm aware I'm doing it. Both count as progress.

Perfection creates pressure. Progress creates momentum. Momentum creates lasting change.

Rule #2: Feelings are information.

When I feel the urge to eat but I'm not hungry, I don't panic. I don't fight the feeling or judge myself for having it. I treat it like information: "Oh, I'm feeling something right now. What is it? What do I actually need?"

Sometimes I still choose to eat emotionally, but it's a conscious choice. That makes all the difference.

Rule #3: My body's wisdom trumps external rules, every time.

I don't eat because it's "meal time" if I'm not hungry. I don't stop eating because I've reached some predetermined portion if I'm still genuinely hungry. I don't avoid foods because they're "bad" or force myself to eat foods because they're "good."

My body has been keeping me alive for decades. It knows what it needs better than any external rule ever will.

Rule #4: Curiosity beats judgment, always.

When I make a choice I'm not proud of—like eating a whole bag of chips when I wasn't hungry—I don't beat myself up. I get curious: "What was happening emotionally? What triggered that? What can I learn from this?"

Judgment keeps you stuck in shame cycles. Curiosity helps you understand your patterns so you can change them.

Rule #5: Food freedom is the goal.

I measure my success by how peaceful I feel around food. Can I go to a party without obsessing about what I'll eat? Can I keep ice cream in my freezer without it calling my name? Can I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm satisfied without thinking about it?

That's freedom. Freedom makes everything else possible.

Real-world application

Here's how to start living by these rules this week:

Pick ONE rule that resonates most with you. Don't try to implement all five at once—that's perfectionist thinking, which goes against Rule #1.

If you choose "progress over perfection," celebrate one small conscious choice you make each day. Did you pause before eating? That's progress. Did you eat emotionally but notice you were doing it? That's progress too.

If you choose "feelings are information," practice getting curious when you want to eat but aren't hungry. "What am I feeling right now? What do I actually need?" Don't judge the answers, just gather information.

If you choose "body wisdom over external rules," try eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're satisfied for just one meal a day. Notice how different this feels from following external portion guidelines.

If you choose "curiosity over judgment," the next time you eat in a way you're not proud of, ask yourself: "What can I learn from this?"

If you choose "food freedom as the goal," start measuring your success differently. Ask "Did I feel more peaceful around food today?"

Listen, these rules have given me more freedom than any diet ever did. They've helped me trust myself around any food, in any situation, without obsessing or restricting.

Here's what you need to understand: these aren't rules you follow perfectly. These are principles you return to when you get off track.

Some days you'll forget to be curious and you'll judge yourself. Some days you'll chase perfection. Some days you'll ignore your body's wisdom and follow external rules.

That's human. That's normal. That's part of the process.

You don't need to never mess up. You need a framework that brings you back to center, that reminds you who you're becoming, that guides you toward food freedom.

You don't need more restrictions. You don't need more control. You need rules that work with your psychology.

These five rules will change everything if you let them. Pick one. Start today. Trust the process.

You've got this, and I believe in you completely.

Now go out there and start living by rules that serve you.

I'll talk to you soon!