Ep. 293 Rewriting Your Health Story with Carrie West

If you’ve ever struggled to feel good in your body or wondered why health goals feel so loaded, it might be worth looking back—not to dwell, but to understand.

The way we think about health, food, and weight isn’t random. A lot of it comes from the stories we absorbed growing up: the comments we overheard, the habits we watched, the rules we never agreed to but followed anyway.

And the more automatic those beliefs feel, the more important it is to pause and ask:
Is this actually true for me—or just familiar?

Where These Stories Often Start

Many women in their 30s, 40s, and beyond grew up in homes where dieting was the norm.
They were told things like:

• “You don’t need new clothes until you lose a few pounds.”

• “Are you sure you want seconds?”

• “I can’t have that, I’m being good today.”

Even when nothing was said outright, the message came through loud and clear:
Your body isn’t quite right. Thinner is better. Being good means eating less.

It’s no surprise that decades later, so many of us still feel uncomfortable in our own skin, or like we’ve failed if we haven’t lost “the last 10 pounds.”

What It Looks Like to Rewrite the Story

You don’t have to keep living by those rules. But you do have to notice them first.

Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Pay attention to your “shoulds.”

When you catch yourself thinking, “I shouldn’t eat that” or “I should wait to buy new jeans,” pause and ask:
Who said that? Where did I learn that? Do I actually believe it?

2. Get curious about your goals.

Ask yourself why you want to lose a certain amount of weight or reach a specific milestone.
Sometimes it’s coming from a meaningful place—and sometimes it’s just an old belief that doesn’t serve you anymore.

3. Separate what’s yours from what you inherited.

Just because a belief was passed down doesn’t mean you have to keep it.
You’re allowed to decide what kind of relationship you want with food, movement, and your body—at any age.

The Bottom Line

You didn’t choose all the messages you grew up with. But you can choose what to do with them now.

When you bring awareness to the beliefs running in the background, you’re no longer stuck with them—you’re in a position to rewrite the story in a way that supports the life (and health) you want.