As we begin to untangle our authentic voice from our inner food police (see March and April‘s posts for more info), fear has a tendency to rear its head. So if you’ve noticed fear creep in when reading these posts about food, acknowledge the fear because it’s valid.

Of course, you’re going to worry that throwing caution to the wind with food is going to lead to an unhealthy spiral that brings you to an early grave. That’s what you’ve been sold for years. But the truth is people who eat healthy all their lives die young too. Not to be a Debbie downer, but sometimes we need a healthy dose of reality…

Health is too complex and varied to be boiled down to advice like “eat healthier by doing [insert latest diet fad].”  Because health is a combination of how we eat, move, and respond to our environment. It’s determined by the quality of our relationships, our sense of purpose, and our connection with something bigger than ourselves. Health is all this and more and yet we obsess over health looking a certain way.

Not anymore. 🙅‍♀️

Remember weight set point theory?

We each have a weight range our body wants to be at, where it feels most comfortable. And no one can just pick a random number from thin air to be the goal. It just doesn’t work like that. Our bodies have an internal thermostat for what feels good, and it’s a *range* not a stagnant number. 

You can be above, below, or right within range of the weight where your body physically and mentally feels best. That means when you go all in on intuitive eating, you can lose, gain, or maintain your weight. 

For example, if you’ve been overriding your hunger cues or forcing your body to be at a lower weight than it wants to be, you might gain weight when you start intuitively eating. 

But if you’re struggling with binge eating, you might experience an overall loss. It all depends.
 

Remember Mindfulness

None of this is “good” or “bad”; it’s just information for us to get curious about. Acknowledge how you feel, knowing there’s no need to judge yourself for feeling any particular way. (How freeing!!)

And when I say, “get curious,” I mean it’s time to reflect:  Why do I believe it’s a good thing when I lose weight but bad when I gain it? Is it always good to experience weight loss? Where do my health and beauty ideals come from? I could keep going, but that’s the beauty of 1:1 coaching: I get to guide you through all kinds of questions, and you have the space and time to think through your answers! But I digress…as per usual. 😆

The bottom line is that you’ll feel better mentally, emotionally, and physically when you’re within your set weight range AND are more mindful about mealtimes and where your food beliefs are coming from.

That’s what mind, body, and soul alignment is all about! 

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to enjoy a guilt-free charcuterie board with my boo. 😉