Today, my body said that I wanted two slices of cheese instead of only the one slice that I had planned to eat. I had the reflex to tell my body "no, that's enough dairy for you!" But after tuning in to what my body really needed, I ate another slice. This felt good for two reasons: 1. I took time to listen to what my body wanted, and 2. I was able to overcome a silly mental food rule of "don't eat more than one slice."
A few years ago, I couldn't say that I would have listened to what my body needed. I would have said, "you absolutely cannot have that cheese," sent my body to a time-out, and not let it out of its room for at least an hour or until it apologized.
But the truth is that our bodies are intelligent organisms that are able to self-regulate the nutrients they need. For me, it comes to down to tuning in to what my body needs, to listen to what foods it needs to consume. In short, it comes down to eating intuitively.
I realized I needed to eat intuitively when I found myself counting calories, testing to see how long I could go without eating, and having food on my mind all the time (even when I wasn't eating). I was both obsessed and haunted by food measurements and rules: only eat half of what is on my plate, skip breakfast, eat in private but not in public, feel guilty with every bite, etc. There were these little food police in my head blowing their whistles every time I lifted a spoon or even eyed food.
It was all these destructive habits that convinced me that I needed to make peace with food.
Here's what helped:
-There was a class at BYU that taught intuitive eating. My roommates took the class with me and we were able to talk about our individual eating issues.
-Reading the Intuitive Eating book by Resche & Tribole.
-Practicing intuitive eating principles on a daily basis. My habits didn't make it necessary for me to see a nutrition counselor or go to an eating disorder center (though for some people this is most effective and I support that). But I definitely needed the principles to break the bad habits I had formed.
Motivation:
I thought that limiting my food intake was making me a better person. Subconsciously, I wanted to be the exception: the one who needed very little food to function. But in my efforts to be an exception, I was distracted from living my life. I was internally struggling so much that I wasn't able to focus on my daily tasks and my relationships.
But I found that when I gently nourish my body by eating intuitively, I am a better friend, daughter, and sister. I can listen better and I am less irritable. Things that seemed overwhelming when I wasn't eating (like schoolwork or callings) are more pleasurable when I am feeding myself. And most of all, I don't beat myself up all the time. I don't feel bad, guilty, or broken. Instead, I feel fed, happy, and educated.
So, I've called a truce with food. And my life is 100 times better for that white flag.
Resources:
-"Intuitive Eating" by Resche & Tribole
- http://intuitiveeating.com/
- http://centerforchange.com
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Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you wrote about this! Ever since I have learned about intuitive eating, I feel like I have become more in tune with my body. Now, I don't keep thinking about food and how I am going to balance my calories for the next meal. Now, I really listen to what my body wants. Now, I look at food as an enjoyment and something that my body needs. Now, my weight has stabled, and even if I "mess up" (eat too much or too little one day-- according to popular diets), I know that the next day or week it will all even out. The stress is gone with food. I think that all people should open themselves up to this concept. Thanks Rebecca!!!
Thanks for bringing this topic up. I think it's such an important thing to discuss and I wish more people were open to it. Intuitive eating has had such an impact on my life. I did not have a healthy relationship with food or eating before I learned about it. I think one of the most important things I learned was to be happy with my body the way it is. There are so many things/people telling us how we should look but our health is more important. When I started to defy the diet rules I started to see things improve. It was hard at first but now I can pretty much ignore the food police. Our bodies are amazing things and they need to be nourished and treated with kindness. Listening to your body and eating intuitively can make a huge difference in your overall happiness. I hope bringing up this topic makes a difference for someone!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great post! I am so happy that you have found balance in your life and that you are able to help others through your experiences. I have never personally struggled with these challenges, but my sister has. She actually spent quite a long time in the Center for Change. She now goes there once a year or so to speak to the girls there and offer encouragement. You, like her, are helping others by offering hope through your example of healthiness and happiness. (This is Aimee, by the way...)
ReplyDeleteWhen I struggled with this in high school, I just had a mother who was very persistent at forcing me to eat. Sounds like this is a much better approach. :) Of course, I don't know if intuitive eating is the best option to use while pregnant...When I tune into my body right now it's always in the mood for white bread and butter, or pizza.
ReplyDeletePS-come visit us! :)
thank you so much for sharing this post! you always write so eloquently, even about eating :)the concept of intuitive eating is really interesting and I am excited to learn more about it! Thanks again for sharing your experience!
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