Dear friends,

You may have noticed I’ve been quiet lately.

The past few months were intense:

a two-month consulting project, 12 two-day workshops, 250 people, and a return to the corporate world after seven years as a solo entrepreneur. It was everything I was craving: connection, challenge, immersion, and the energy of a team.

But my body… my body felt like it was screaming.

Sleepless nights, racing thoughts, back and shoulder pain, constipation.

My nervous system was running overtime.

I tried self-care, boundaries, and stress-release techniques, but nothing seemed enough.

I was confused, frustrated, and constantly at war with myself.

When the project ended abruptly three weeks ago, I found myself in mental, emotional, and physical limbo.

And I realized… this space was a blessing. It was a chance to come home to my body

How I am rebuilding balance from the inside out

Week 1: The Crash

My body demanded what it truly needed: rest.

• I slept without guilt.
• I ate nourishing meals every few hours from my freezer stash.
• I started physiotherapy to ease my back and shoulder.

Mentally, I struggled. Reading felt hard and my mind was foggy

Emotionally, I felt low and stuck.

But I stayed with it. I listened.

Week 2: Finding Flow

As my PMS and period ended, I felt lighter, calmer.

• Cooking became meditative again.
• I enjoyed time with my husband.
• Exercise and physio became rituals of care, not punishment.

Slowly, my body felt more like a home and less like a battlefield.

Week 3: Mental Clarity

Now, I feel grounded, creative, and present.

My back still aches, but my nervous system can tolerate it.

My mind is quiet.

My digestion is back on track.

And I’m finally free from the fear that stress would drive me to overeat.

This is huge.

I faced chaos, physical discomfort, and emotional overwhelm and I didn’t use food to numb myself. I haven’t gained weight, and more importantly, I’ve reinforced that caring for my body comes first.

Takeaway for you

When your body feels chaotic, whether from hormones, stress, or life itself, the question isn’t how do I fix it? It’s how do I come home to it?

• Pause. Listen. Notice what your body truly needs.
• Rest, nourish, move gently, breathe.
• Treat your body as a partner, not an enemy.

The path to balance with food begins in these small acts of care.

With warmth,

Rouba

P.S. You are not alone in feeling “off” in your body sometimes. If you want, hit reply and tell me one way you’ve been showing up for your body this week. Let’s learn from each other.

Hi I am Rouba, I blend food addiction counseling with breathwork to help you heal the root cause of your food and body struggles so that you sustain weight loss. Visit my website here to learn more about me and how we can work together. Follow me on Instagram and Linkedin​