3 FEARS THAT MIGHT COME UP WHEN YOU START INTUITIVE EATING
Intuitive eating isn’t hard, but the things that we have to work through is what’s hard.
A lot can come to the surface especially when you’ve been dieting all of your life.
Dieting is all you know and it’s weird transitioning from avoiding food, your emotions and your hunger to exploring it all at once.
Here are some things that came up for me during my journey and some other women I’ve worked with:
What if I gain weight?
Am I doing this right?
What will others think?
Well let me ask you this… what if you gain weight if you don’t pursue intuitive eating?
What if you gain weight when you start that next diet your best friend introduced to you?
There is no certainty in all of this. Just like there is no certainty in a lot of other things in life.
I think the best thing you can do is:
Trust where you are now and where you are headed. We humans, especially as women, like to rush through things that require time and patience. We expect (and demand) immediate results. We day dream about the ‘end result’. This is why dieting is such an easy temptation for us.
Embrace the body you’re in with grace. Resisting your body and hating it isn’t doing you any favors. When I’m feeling like I’ve gained a little bit weight and I’m not feeling good in my skin, I try my very hardest to not be so judgmental toward myself and just ‘let it be’. I continue doing the things that make me feel good and I really take time to slow down and see what’s going on emotionally and spiritually. The process feels so much lighter when you accept the body you’re in ‘right now’ without expectations or anticipations.
Get rid of all your old clothes. You know the ones that you hold up to the mirror and feel sad that they don’t fit anymore? Yeah, chuck them. By keeping them around, you’re doing yourself a disservice. When they’re not in your drawer, you wouldn’t even notice and those shitty comments you tell yourself won’t even pop into your mind. And now, start buying things that fit your body where it’s at currently. It takes time for your body to respond to change, so be patient:)
The beauty in all of this is… there is absolutely no ‘right or wrong’ way of intuitive eating. The tools you’ve learned (or will learn if you haven’t yet) are simply that, tools. They’re not rules. Some work for you and some do not.
Intuitive eating is a practice. You don’t get better the more you practice… you learn more about what works for you and what doesn’t.
I think a great way to start intuitive eating so you don’t feel like you’re not doing it right is by understanding once concept at a time and practicing it.
For instance, if you’re trying to figure out your fullness - work on that. Once you start understanding your body when it’s full and you’re pretty confident and it’s making sense, move on to a new concept or principle.
It can be easy if you let it be. Don’t get so wrapped up in the overwhelm and just focus on one thing at a time.
Who cares? Honestly.
This is your life.
I read in a book once (and of course I forget the name of the book), that people get insecure when they see a change in behavior… usually a change in good behavior.
It might startle them at first that you’ve decided to eat food that isn’t ‘clean’, for once or that you’ve decided to eat a turkey sandwich for lunch rather than keto chips and carrot sticks.
As time goes on, it simmers down and people move on with their lives. At the end of the day, people are more concerned about themselves. When they see you eating like a normal person, they may even start to check-in with themselves and wonder what you’re up to!
I am more at peace with food than I’ve ever been. I eat burgers, cookies, chips and drink alcohol, hot tea and soda. I studied nutrition and I am a dental hygienist - do you realize all the food stigmas around both those professions? People think I eat perfect… and that used to bother me, but now I own it because I am human.
I tell a lot of my patients that they can eat and drink those things, but they just have to be proactive with their teeth… which means taking care of their teeth and coming in for routine cleanings!
If I would have let the ‘opinions’ of others derail me from my intuitive eating journey, I wouldn’t be typing this right now. I’d be struggling. I’d be miserable.
I’d probably figure it out eventually because I feel good when I listen to ME, not others.
Here’s the thing… you are not alone. And although, it may feel like you’re alone - you’re not.
The best thing I ever did was to lean into someone that has been there. I’ve been there! I know what it’s like to a) diet, but b) struggle with intuitive eating concepts. And guess what? It’s all part of the process.
If this post has helped, please comment below + explain how it’s helped you. I’d love to hear from you.
You’re also welcome to join my intuitive eating community email list where I send some gentle reminders, tips and stories that might help you as you begin or continue your intuitive eating journey.
xx
Kel Benner
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