"Whoa, this sounds like a lot of work! You're really saying you watch your thoughts and practice mindfulness, self-compassion with your food choices? That seems like it would take a lot of time! Will it ever get easier?" If I had a nickel for every time I was asked that question...
Look, I get it. Diets have made us believe that we should have instant 'results'. Diets have brainwashed us into thinking that if it isn't easy, we need to move on to the next quick fix empty promise. But I want to encourage you to re-think this cycle many fall victim to.
I intentionally use the metaphor of a relationship when talking about food. That's because it has the power to teach us so much. Think about the relationships you hold most dear: what are your expectations for the amount of time, energy and work those relationships require to flourish?
I'd argue most of us expect and understand that as parents, partners, friends, siblings, etc. that these connections and relationships require nurturing and consistent work. We recognize that in order for us to grow closer to another person we care about, we need to continually cultivate connection.
When we turn this to ourselves, I hope it's easy to see that just like any relationship we value, our relationship with ourselves (including food and our body) will take some nurturing, too.
So, the answer is yes and no. Yes, it does get a little easier. With time, it becomes more second nature to tune in and to connect to your body's needs. It becomes more intuitive to value and give voice for your inner wisdom.
But the answer is also no, it doesn't get 'easier' per se. Our relationship with food, our body, and ourself will continually evolve, thus require regular nurturing, connection, stillness and compassion.
This work is challenging. There's a reason I have a full practice—people often need some help to make such a huge paradigm shift in their lives. This stuff isn't easy and it's okay to reach out for help. Intuitive Eating (IE for short) can and definitely does change lives, but it can also be very difficult to make this paradigm shift alone. Many newbies to IE struggle to get through the book and understand how to implement the principles into everyday life.
This is why I run 12-week groups about Intuitive Eating. I'm so excited to be offering another round of groups beginning Tuesday September 3, 2019. The first two weeks of the group will be diving deep into mindfulness and self-compassion work, and the remaining 10 weeks will cover one IE principle each week. Each group member receive a copy of the IE book and will read one principle prior to our discussion. The group ends just before the Thanksgiving holiday and the next group won't start until early 2020, so now's your chance to join us! For more info, click here and be sure to fill out the interest form to be considered. I look forward to seeing you there!