Over the course of the past 2 decades I have done it all… I have dieted, I have restricted, I have debated the value of butter and eggs, I have tried to be “perfect”, I have hated my body and I have listened to everything and everyone else BESIDES my internal wisdom because I was led to believe that trusting myself was not safe.
Mindfulness, intuitive eating and seeing my health through a new lens not only helped me heal my own wounds and support my physical health, but it has shown me how to help other women do the same…
The truth is, mindful and intuitive eating is more than just learning about and honoring your hunger cues… It’s about connecting to your body on a deeper level and learning how to trust not only hunger cues, but also other “feeling” cues within the body that help us discern between fear and intuition.
So, I offer this as a present reflection of my experience with this work…
5 truths about mindfulness, intuitive eating and health…
1.) Feeling “good enough” has nothing to do with the number on the scale. It’s true that weight loss might help us feel less achy in our joints or more playful when we are with our families but weight loss in itself, never leads to the self-worth, confidence and freedom we yearn for. Feeling self-worth starts within and can never be solved by losing those 20#. Additionally, we will never keep that 20# off if we don’t heal our self-worth issues first.
2.) No one agrees about WHAT diet is best for humanity — even health professionals argue about it. Scour the internet for one minute and you’ll find debates about meat being good or bad, plants causing digestive woes, and apple cider vinegar curing cancer! I mean, everyone has an opinion… EVERYONE… and even the brightest in the nutrition field will tell you there are numerous limitations within nutrition research and no one diet is perfect for everyone on this planet. Don’t assume keto will work for you because it worked for your neighbor. Your body is unique and the only way to know what’s best for it long-term is to practice mindfulness and learning to trust your inner wisdom.
3.) The power of the mind is unquestionably a factor in your success with health — in otherwords — mindset matters. Those who practice seeing themselves reaching their goals BEFORE they see the physical evidence in their body, hit their goals faster and with more ease each and every time. Talk to an olympic athlete who’s won the Gold metal and they will tell you… mindset and visualization matter.
4.) Gratitude is an essential nutrient for health and well-being. You attract what you think about and if you are consistently arguing for your limitations when it comes to health and body instead of taking a moment to see the good, expect life to send more of that your way! Writing down 3 things you’re grateful for every day can make all the difference in your health and overall wellbeing. Argue for what’s working!
5.) Questioning everything is your key to liberation with food and body. Curiosity and gentle questioning of your current beliefs and your thoughts will open doors into the root cause of your relationship with food and body. It will also liberate you from what no longer feels “right” and help you find your unique truth when it comes to food and relating to your body.
What other truths have you learned along your journey?