Overweight is a Thing
A case for Intuitive Eating • How we eat is as important as what we eat • Cooking
A case for Intuitive Eating
As an Intuitive Eating facilitator, I took a vow to never talk about intentional weight loss when educating people on the method. Based on the strong reactions the 2023 New York Times article received, many people hear “eat whatever you want” then get indignant at the “lazy/undisciplined/unhealthy” people causing our nation’s crisis of health.
The way I see it, the two co-founders, Evelyn Tribole and Elysch Resch, both MS RDNs and therapists, experienced firsthand the suffering of many, many people who struggled with eating disorders and what I’ll just call “food weirdness” my umbrella term for any behavior or obsessive thought that can cause or be the symptom of great unhappiness and lack of self-esteem. “I just want to stop thinking about food all the time!” was a common lament of mine.
A peaceful relationship with food was the first gift I received from Intuitive Eating. Eating became a sensual, in the moment experience and it had an ending which brought another gift: time! Time where I wasn’t obsessing about what I ate or what I was going to eat or what I would definitely never, ever, touch ever again because it was BAD. Think sugar. (Funny segue, when my daughter was a toddler, I taught her that candy corn was a toy. With its bright colors and plastic-y feel, it wasn’t a hard sell.) Anyway, time. Yes, time, the thing we never have enough of. Well, when you stop obsessing over food and eating, you get more time! Time to do other things like rest, read, write, be creative, be calm and present with those you’re with … it’s the best!
Overweight is a thing
Last time I was at the doctor and had my bloodwork done, my cholesterol was high. I always have high HDL, and my blood pressure is low, so my cardiac risk is low but still…I didn’t like the LDL number. So, I’ve been intentionally trying to eat better (more vegetables, more balanced meals with protein, less treats like cookies, wine, and potato chips,) and move more (walking to pilates instead of driving, going to power yoga and the gym a bit more regularly). Guess what?! The spare tire I’ve been carrying around since menopause is going away!
Another number I didn’t like from that appointment was my weight. I hadn’t weighed myself for 10 years but that day I was ready to know. I promised myself that no matter what I would not sacrifice my mental well-being for a lower weight. So I stepped on the scale. Ten years of intentionally not dieting, 6 years of Intuitive Eating, and 4 solid in menopause. It was high. But I was okay. It’s simply a data point was what I told myself. No panicking. I needed those years to heal my head, to unlearn the damaging messages about food and body that I had internalized over my life. It was worth it.
How we eat is as important as what we eat
And now the next phase of my connection: I will feel better in my body physically. Never will I give up the sensual pleasure of enjoying food and wine, it’s one of the joys of life. So what am I willing to do? Be more attuned to how I feel and how I want to feel when I reach for something to eat. Less stand-up eating in the kitchen and in general, less sport-eating and more movement, more muscle building. I’ve lost 9 pounds since the end of June, about a half-pound a week. That’s some slow weight loss, but you know what? I’ll take it! It feels great.
Intuitive Eating restored my connection to my body and that is where IE meets health: tuning into, trusting, and caring for our body, mind and gut, heart and soul.
That’s all for now. Have a great end of the week. If you’re looking for some cooking ideas, check out my site, Ripe Food & Wine.
Great photo o you & the trout!
You know I love that photo of you at CSC. 😘