What is Intuitive Eating?

I have been an emotional eater for many years, and I gained 30 pounds in the last 4 years. I just finished a 6-week group discussion series on Intuitive Eating while we read about the 10 principles in the book by by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. I was a bit triggered in the beginning when they encouraged us to eat anything we wanted, whenever we wanted. But then we went into the value of being kind to ourselves in all the ways that means including eating what you actually are craving. Then we learned to check in with our bodies a lot more, notice hunger in the moment and honor the hunger with food. I realized I was restricting in the mornings and didn't even realize it. So I added breakfast to my day. I began to tune in to my body more and what it needed in general. I began moving more. Slowly I eventually have reduced my emotional eating. It is easier for me to stop after eating 6 candy corn. I live with my mother, and she NEEDS her sweets, so here they are. My aim is to keep checking in with my body, and do no harsh self-talk. If I eat too much and feel physically bad from over eating, I know it's just a moment and doesn't define anything about me.

 
So Intuitive Eating starts with a radical disposing of any diet culture or restrictive eating thoughts for the purpose of losing weight. The research shows that as we restrict calories, porrtions, food classes, food types, we subconsciously send messages that we have scarcity, and we will overeat in someway at some point. So while we are in the first phase of abandoning all weight loss strategies or desires for a different body, we learn to NOTICE hints of hunger and honor them right away. Then we start noticing how our body feels before during and after eating. This is the interoception. Then we start noticing when we want to eat when not hungry. How is the body feeling? What are the emotions? We start speaking to ourselves internally with kindness. We empathize for our needs around food hat might be comfort, company, the security of fullness, etc. Other strategies for healty relationship with food involve making nice-looking food, and eating without distraction. And to do mindful eating. Noticing tastes, visuals, sensations of having eaten in our body. Checking for satisfaction (did we enjoy it?). Checking for fullness. Learn ways to soothe yourself. Have healthy self-talk about your body. Appreciate all it does for you! And move. Move your body to feel good, not to burn calories. Take a beatuful walk in nature. Stretch to feel the relief in the muscles. Dance if that's what feels good! And then the LAST thing to attend to in Intuitive Eating is "gentle nutrition." It is a winding road, not a straight one, but requires kind self-attention.

So far, I feel more self-caring, with less hankering for snacking and feeling full. At night, I snack a bit, and sometimes have too much at a meal. But I am noticing changes toward myself that feel very good!

Maine Magic @ Madeleine Point

One evening when visiting my friend Beth Ashley in Yarmouth, Maine, we went to this place near sunset time... there was a bench looking over this little place that had a tiny beach of flat dark gray rocks, a big rock that a couple was sitting on, a short dock out after a bridge with two 16 year old boys in swimsuits, talking, diving in the water. 

1st Two Boys of Eternal Summer: we sat on the bench and just enjoyed the view... the beach, rock, water, dock, boats, sun reflecting... watching the boys talking and playing in the water... we had planned to go to the dock, but I didn’t want to disturb them just yet... I enjoyed their eternal-kind-of-summer silhouettes, 2 boys bonded in age and experience of the special summer in this special place.  

2nd, Big Rock: we noticed the couple on the big rock... hanging out with some drinks and towels, watching the sunset... this is a place people come to watch the sunset... 

3rd,All Perfect Rocks: we walked down to the beachy area after they left, and checked out the big rock... then I sat on the beach made of little flat dark gray rocks.... all the same! I started skipping rocks. Beth was amazed! I skipped more rocks, and Beth was so impressed! Some were skipping 12 times or more. I said every rock on this beach is a perfect skipping rock! She wondered where the couple went... the towels were left there... A house was nearby, and we thought what a wonderful summer they had signed up for.  

4th, The Monthly Swimmer: a young man about 17 came onto the little beach and took his shorts off to get into the water. Friendly Beth made a comment about the water. The two boys were still hanging out on the dock chatting a lot and swimming once in a while for 20 seconds at a time. The water was cold. We found out this young man had made a commitment last summer to enter the water at least one time a month regardless of the temperature. Beth learned that he had indeed succeeded at his quest. We were impressed. He swam easily, slowly out, got near the dock and the boys recognized him. Nice hellos.... he returned. More chatting. I said don’t wait a month for your next swim! Oh no, I won’t. So cute, people are....  

6th, The European Dog Lady: I headed toward the bridgewalk that would go to the dock. Beth saw a woman approaching that had a little dog, and she was going to talk to her first... I went on to see down into the water from the bridgewalk. Two pre-teen girls were looking down near the rocks, seeing a crab. I searched for a crab.... just gorgeous seaweed in the clear water. Beth was enjoying a chat with the woman who was not American. She could tell because the woman was not so open to chatting right away as most Americans would be around here, haha, but of course she warmed up to Beth, whose heart is so open to connection and finding common joy with others.

 7th, The Jumping Boy: A boy was climbing over the railing to do a jump. His mom was below swimming in the water. She was encouraging him. Beth snapped 2 pictures as he released his hold. She was excited about the great picture she took, and yelled down to the mom that she needed her digits to text her these photos. The mom, swimming along thanked her and yelled her cell phone # back. Beth texted them to her, exclaiming that they were such great pictures. A few minutes later, the woman having gotten out of the water and reached her phone was praising the photos and thanking Beth with smiles. Beth's enthusiasm for a mom to get the moment of her son was returned. 

 8th, The Lobster Catch: We were on the dock, finally, and I heard the chugging sound of a lobster boat... the sound was getting closer. I said, “Beth, I think the lobster boat is coming here!” I was excited to see working lobster boat people and their catch, perhaps. A couple of young men had come to the dock with fishing gear, poles and tackle boxes. The lobster boat did swing up beside the dock. I spotted someone transferring live lobsters from the hold to a crate! A man about 40 years old and two teens were the crew. I asked Beth, “Do you think he would sell us a lobster?!” “I can ask him.” So she went over and asked... He said, “sure” and then hemmed and hawed about the price... “How about $7?” Wow that is cheap, I thought, so offered, “Would you take $15 for 2?” I smiled... I said, “I am bargaining up,” I offered, glancing with a smile towards the 2 fishing boys who were a few feet away enjoying this exchange with their own smiles. The Lobsterman handed Beth 2 lobsters that were 1.5 to 2 pounds each. Beth held them up as the trophies they were, with her life-winning smile with the sun setting behind, and the lobsterfolk continuing their travail... We each carried our lethargic lobsters back to teh car, and tossed them into the hatch. We went back to her house, and heated up a big pot of boiling water to cook one at a time... She was willing to do the dunking. I had a change of heart, sad to be killing them personally! She insisted I eat the first one as soon as it was done, so I ate it with melted butter after she shelled it for me!