Eating Intuitively is a Practice

Many people starting off on this journey of intuitive eating experience a lot of ups and downs. Several weeks can go by and you feel ON FIRE! You're really in tune with your body, you're not overeating, appetite feels steady, you're eating when and what you truly want, you're enjoying your movement practices, maybe you even feel GOOD about yourself when you look in the mirror! You think, I got this! It's not so hard, it's just "a balance" ;)

Then, you begin to feel a bit more sluggish, maybe you don't feel like cooking, you're moving a bit less, maybe you eat out of stress several days in a row....and....BAM you're feeling guilty, you think "Screw this, I have no control and I'm a mess."

This. Is. A. Process. Repeat that a few more times. Eating more intuitively, having full permission to eat any foods and trusting yourself takes TIME. It requires you to constantly be your own observer, and to reassess when things feel out of whack. Reflecting on your triggers, thoughts and behaviors around food.

Just as yoga or meditation is a practice, so is your relationship with food. There's never an "end" point. It's a constant practice. You CAN improve though. You can get to a point where more often than not, you feel comfortable with your eating habits, you're able to choose foods that make you feel good, and you feel "in tune" with your body and your needs. Every day will always be different and that is OK. Just know that every time you're able to observe your own patterns, become aware of them and redirect, you are making progress. Creating real change is hard work and there's no simple one-size-fits-all plan or roadmap. Progress is never linear. It ebbs and flows and we just have to learn to adjust as we go. So if you've ever felt like your "not getting it" or your "failing" with mindfulness and intuitive eating, or in the future you find yourself in that place, just remind yourself of these 3 things:

#1 Everything is a lesson going forward. There is no such thing as failing or messing up when it comes to this process. When you feel completely out of tune and lost ask yourself "what can I learn from this?" #2 Look back at the progress you HAVE made. Remind yourself of where you started and acknowledge those efforts. Find gratitude. #3 Become a neutral observer. Let judgements and labels fall away. Observe and acknowledge your thoughts and think "Ok I see that coming up, interesting, I wonder where that's coming from." Is it a reaction to something? What else might be going on.

Hope this helps. Keep on practicing!

Thanks for reading. Rachel