Rebel Wilson’s Journaling Method and 6 Tips For More Self-Love
When Rebel Wilson recently showed off her newly slimmed-down figure on a jet headed to Palm Beach, Florida, her fans couldn’t refrain from asking about the diet she had followed to lose more than 60 pounds. Rebel revealed in an IG live last December that her success was due to mastering a healthy mindset and practicing self-love. When she got her mind right, the rest followed, she explained. Among other tips, she started a unique way of journaling and also learned to nourish her body with mostly plant-based meals and high-protein foods and exercise by hiking and walking in nature, which further allowed her to let go of stress.
When the actress opened up about her weight loss journey right before the New Year, she said she used to sabotage her healthy diet intentions by stress eating and soothing her emotions with unhealthy choices. “I used to reward myself with food,” she said. Now, the star celebrates hard work with a nature walk or a hike in Griffin Park when she is in Los Angeles.
She wanted to embark on a “Year of Health” by respecting herself
Wilson revealed in her IG live that some days, she felt down, although it never reached the level of clinical depression. She had played characters that derived some of their comedy from being overweight and the pressure from the industry was to continue to be that brand. Some of the film industry people she worked with did not see her weight loss journey in a positive light, “I guess they didn’t want me to be happy,” she reflected last December. But now, after completing her “Year of Health,” Wilson concluded, “it’s not about anyone else,” meaning if you want to make a change in your life, do it for yourself.
Wilson pointed out that the journey to get where she is today was hard work. Still, she doesn’t want anyone to think that she doesn’t still treat herself to favorite foods. “Sometimes I’ll reach for a chocolate bar, but I used to eat an entire case of muffins,” she explained, but the goal is not to be perfect, she added, but to be healthy. Wilson credits herself for coming a long way and hopes to inspire others to make healthier decisions. She shared her personal tips and tricks that helped her stay on track, feel motivated, and keep a positive outlook. The first thing she recommends everyone to do is to write themselves a love letter, encouraging them to accomplish their goals.
6 Tips to Reset your Emotional and Mental Health and Avoid Stress Eating
1. Write a love note to herself. When Wilson decided to name 2020 the “Year of Health,” the actress wrote a sweet message to herself explaining that she is capable of achieving her goals. You don’t have to wait for the New Year. Start any day that feels right and write yourself a love letter that explains why you deserve to be healthy and what you can achieve when you try.
2. Reward yourself with love instead of food. Wilson noted that she used to eat a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream while watching TV, completely distracted from how she was treating her body. Now, she advises everyone to concentrate on how they feel, limit distractions like texting or watching TV when eating and remove guilty feelings if they do end up overdoing it. Wilson said she had to take a step back to understand what she was doing to herself and realized her eating patterns and unhealthy habits were due to stress and emotional eating. Now, she likes to walk for an hour a day, and drink plenty of water, and prioritizes enjoying her meals in peace.
3. Try Wilson’s journaling concept called “purge emotional writing.” Wilson used this technique when her LA-based doctor, Habib Sadeghi, DO, told her how to do it. The concept is simple: Take out your phone or set a 12-minute timer on your watch and then begin to write your feelings down in a paged journal. Jot down everything you’re feeling and include what you’re grateful for. Then at the end of the 12 minutes, add a positive “self-love note” to end the exercise. Then, take the journal entry and destroy it. You can either burn it or flush it down the toilet to “cleanse your emotions.” That way, you are symbolically letting go and purging your mind of negative emotions. For example, Wilson said: “Let’s say you have a disagreement with someone or a tough day at work. Write it all down, and sometimes you will see it from the other person’s perspective.”
Purge emotional writing is a way of processing your emotions and not holding on to them. “All I was doing was eating to numb the emotions, but now I learned that it’s better to process my emotions.” Purge emotional writing is simple, she points out, and anyone can do it.
4. Read the Book Within: A Spiritual Awakening to Love & Weight Loss. Wilson said one of the best things she did before she started her weight loss journey was reading the book Within, written by her doctor, Habib Sadeghi, DO, the same person who recommended the purge emotional writing. Wilson says that reading his book helped her learn to heal from the power of self-love and she recommends it to her fans.
5. Find a meditation app. Wilson is a big believer in doing things that ease the mind and make you feel grateful. She recommended downloading an app that helps you meditate and find peace. For many people hiking in nature is a form of meditation, since being outside can help calm you and allow you to de-stress, especially if you spend more than 2 hours a week outside in nature.
6. Surround yourself with a supportive group of people. Wilson explained how some people were not supportive of her efforts to lose weight in the beginning, and that certain industry professionals advised her not to do so, since being overweight was part of her character. “One time, when I was coming into America, a security guard stopped me and said I’m sorry you’re getting criticism for losing weight.” The actress advised everyone to surround themselves with friends and colleagues who make you feel uplifted, instead of beaten down.
For more on Rebel’s diet and weight loss journey, check out exactly what she eats in a day.