What if you didn’t need to “do it all” to stay on your intuitive eating or body trust journey? What if doing less—on purpose—was the exact thing that helped you move forward?
That’s what I was reminded of recently on a Friday that felt like everything had gone wrong.
When Everything Feels Like Too Much
It started with stress, bad news, and the cherry on top: I was two weeks into a backorder on my menopause patch. I had zero energy, emotionally and physically. And when Rob came home and saw the state I was in, he gently asked what I needed.
Part of me wanted to collapse under a blanket and binge old Buffy episodes. But somewhere deeper, I knew that wouldn’t actually help me feel better.
Instead, we went for a slow country drive. We found sunshine, ice cream, a surprise lake, and enough fresh air to settle my nervous system. It didn’t fix anything—but it reminded me that I could still care for myself, even in the smallest of ways.
That evening reminded me of something I used to teach in a different context: bare minimums.
What Are Bare Minimums?
Bare minimums are the simplest, most sustainable things you can do to stay connected to your body and values when your capacity is low.
They’re not about pushing through or optimizing. They’re about preservation—gentle acts of self-care you can fall back on during hard days or hard seasons.
Think of bare minimums as the foundation beneath the foundation. They’re the things that remind you:
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Your body is not the enemy
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You still matter, even in survival mode
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Nourishment is a basic need—not something you have to earn
Why Bare Minimums Matter in Your Healing Journey
Healing your relationship with food and body is not a straight path. Some days, tuning into hunger cues and rejecting diet mentality feels possible. Other days, you’re just trying to get through the next hour.
That’s normal. Life brings curveballs: grief, stress, illness, burnout. When those hit, your bandwidth drops—and that’s where bare minimums come in.
They keep you connected to yourself when doing “everything” isn’t possible.
They interrupt the all-or-nothing thinking that diet culture thrives on.
They remind you that your smallest effort still counts.
Real-Life Examples of Bare Minimums
Here are some bare minimums that I (and many of my clients) find helpful:
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Eating something every 3–5 hours, even if it’s a granola bar or cheese and crackers
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Drinking enough water to avoid the headache spiral
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Not stepping on the scale, no matter how tempted you are
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Wearing clothes that don’t pinch or pull—even if they’re not your favorites
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Unfollowing one account that triggers comparison or shame
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Pausing once a day to ask: “What would feel supportive right now?”
None of these are dramatic. None of them will “fix” your day. But they create just enough stability to help you stay grounded.
What Bare Minimums Are Not
Let’s be clear about what bare minimums are not:
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They’re not a punishment for having a hard day
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They’re not a shame-based “better than nothing”
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They’re not a fallback for when you “fail” to do more
Bare minimums are enough. They are valid. And often, they are the most powerful thing you can offer yourself when everything feels like too much.
How to Identify Your Own Bare Minimums
You don’t need a long list—just one or two things you know you can stick to even on the hardest days. You might reflect on questions like:
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What’s one thing that helps me feel just a little more human when I’m overwhelmed?
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What’s the lowest version of self-care I can commit to—and be okay with?
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What would I offer to a friend in my situation?
And if you’re still not sure? Try one of mine. Pick just one, and notice what shifts.
Small Acts, Big Impact
Sometimes, the biggest moments of growth come not during our best weeks—but in the hard, messy seasons where we do one small thing to stay connected. One meal. One deep breath. One “no” to the scale.
That’s not failure. That’s trust.
So ask yourself:
What’s one small thing I can offer myself when I have nothing left to give?
Write it down. Hold it close. Let it be enough.
Because it is.
💬 I’d love to hear from you:
What’s one of your bare minimums? Reach out to me at michelle@wayzahealth.com.
And if this resonated, check out my podcast, Thrive Beyond Size, for more.
