But What If I Lose Control...

Health doesn't require obsession. Wellness doesn't require restriction.

When we first start moving toward a more intuitive approach to eating, everything in our brain is fighting against us. We've got YEARS of messages that confuse us, lie to us and make us think we have zero self-control and can't trust our own bodies. It feels scary...what if we lose control?

Rules around food make us feel safe and in control. But what actually is true is the more rules you have around food, the more forbidden certain foods are, the more likely you'll lose control around it.

Here's the thing: We are going to over eat as we learn what full actually feels like again, and that's ok. As we try to imagine what it will be like to not have food rules, we are going to binge on foods we've restricted in the past and that's ok. Our weight will most likely go up as we start to figure out what is best for body, and that's ok.

We've been practicing disordered eating for so long. We can't just flip a switch to more intuitive eating. And it's normal to be scared. It's a scary thing to let go of the things that felt safe.

This time of learning to eat freely, discovering what foods you like, which ones make you feel good, which ones make you feel bloated, which ones help your digestion, which ones hinder your digestion, when you are full, when you need a little more food, how often you are hungry...this is where we start to gather information, listen to our bodies, and how to make adjustments.

The more we tune in to what our bodies are telling us, the less we will overeat and the less we will eat the foods that don't make us feel good. This is where we start to remember that our bodies are AMAZING instruments and we CAN trust ourselves to make the best decisions for ourselves.

The time it takes for us unlearn all the limiting beliefs we hold about food and our bodies will be different for everyone. It's most definitely a practice. Often our thoughts will return to the old messages we've believed for so long, and that's ok. We'll naturally slip back into those old, safe food rules habits some days, and that's ok too. But knowing that food loses power when we truly allow all foods into our life will help us to keep going against the grain.

I'm excited to continue this conversation all month long. Email subscribe to this blog so you don't miss any of the posts.

If you're ready to start your journey to intuitive eating and need support, check out my Limitless Lifestyle Coaching community membership.