If you feel just over-working causes burnout, it is time to re-think.

During a coaching call last week, we were speaking about 'burnout'.

She had been experiencing intense exhaustion and a persistent feeling of “not fully awake” but without the ability to sleep almost all day, for several weeks.

While things had improved initially, she felt her resilience dropping, especially as external situations weren’t in her favor. To her, it felt like there was no end to her stressors that kept piling up week after week, adding to the existing burnout. I’m sure we’ve all felt this at some point.

Now here’s the thing.

Burnout does not happen with a few stressful weeks or months. It is years of suppression, a dysregulated nervous system and lack of nourishment.

If you think overworking alone causes burnout, it’s time to rethink. Burnout often results from not listening to your body and not holding space to release emotions and memories that no longer serve you.

Even if your mind doesn’t have active memories of stress, your body is keeping all tabs open. This is a safety mechanism, especially if you haven’t fully felt, acknowledged, or expressed your emotions, even to yourself.

Now here’ another thing:

My client had a long history of dieting, body weight pressures, and body image struggles. She had tried multiple diets & methods, but the results never lasted. Over time, this led to:

• Irregular periods and painful cycles

• Constant acidity and bloating

• Poor sleep

• A disturbed relation with food

• Avoidance of outdoor activities and movement she once enjoyed

  
  

Every meal became a battleground, leaving her disconnected from her body signals. Comments from trainers and childhood experiences of body related comments had built a deep emotional imprint.

Her exhaustion was not just physical, it was physical, emotional, mental, and nutritional. Her body was asking her to stop holding on and start releasing years of guilt, shame, fear, and even rage.

During the course of the JNS program at UnDiet, we realised that although she was more open & accepting towards her food now but she was still disconnected from her body.

But now, the body was tired of keeping score. Her resillence was not reducing, it was her physical body now asking her stop soaking & start releasing!

And that’s what resulted in her exhausation! It was not just physical exertion but a complete physical, emotional, mental & nutrirtional withdrawal by her system. Her body wanted to let go of all the unprocessed, unheard, unseen emotions that no longer served who she was becoming.

This was her sign to move past these & create space for new beliefs, new experiences, a healed relationship with her body & food.

Your body is like a sponge, it holds up everything you belief in and experience. Every suppressed emotion takes up a corner to settle & everytime you have a similar experience, that corner nudges you.

Till the time, you don’t sit with it, communicate with it, acknowledge it & allow it leave your body. 

There was a lot of unpacking that we did together for weeks. Here's a summary of what we did step-by-step:

1. Slowed her day fully: Prioritizing mindful routines and giving her nervous system space to reset.

2. Journalling & sun soaking: Daily practices to uncover emotions and reconnect with her senses

3. Targetted supplemenets: Supporting hormonal balance, gut & adrenal health.

4. Out-sourced help wherever possible: Reducing overwhelm and energy drain

5. Limited social interactions: Creating space for self-care and reflection.

6. Food Freedom: Removing the pressure of strict diets to rebuild a positive relationship with food.

And yes, you need courage, compassion & lots of patience while working on yourself, but trust me when that scared, overwhelmed & angry younger You will look at You doing this, it will be worth it.

P.S: I was so proud of her when she moved past her old memories about movement & booked a yoga session for herself!

It is lives like these that need to be celebrated & I invite you to celebrate yourself on a free consult call with me. If you are looking to re-balance your gut & hormones using Mindful Nutrition, this is for you!

Book here: https://calendly.com/namratamanyalagicha/discoverycall

See you 🩵