Intuitive Eating Mini Series - Part Four... Current Thoughts, Struggles, & Motivation Moving For

As far as intuitive eating goes, it’s become evident that’s what my body thrives best on. No numbers. No restriction. No thinking about my next meal. No wondering if “it’ll fit” my macros for that day. Essentially, no pressure. No worries for the most part. Just eating and living and doing what feels right.

As of lately my body has had some seriously INTENSE cravings. I want food ALL the time (which isn’t necessarily super unusual for me), but you know when you just feel different? That’s where I am at right now. I am constantly craving things that I don’t normally, which once again is no biggie, but to be honest, I have a hard time differentiating whether I am actually hungry or not. I am a firm believer of giving into your cravings, listening to your body, and working with it, not against it. As you all know, I practice what I preach. Nothing is off limits and normally I am all for giving my body what it wants.

However, there comes a point in time when you have to take a step back and evaluate all the factors. Giving into these cravings hasn’t left me feeling anymore satisfied than I was before eating the food. Why? I’m not sure. I have been a little bit of an a****** when it comes to food, but once again just trying to figure things out and get to the root cause. This is where the difficulties and frustration that intuitive eating can bring come into play. This is where people become frustrated and want to quit because they’re having trouble getting in tune with their body. Don’t get me wrong, its frustrating as heck to not fully understand what my body wants or what my body needs right now, but I refuse to give up. I will continue to work with my body, continue to learn about what it needs, and not stop because of a bump in the road.

How do I feel right now? Pretty bloated. Unsatisfied. Unlike my normal self. Trying to give myself grace. Trying to continue listening to my body while still allowing my body what it wants. Our bodies are constantly evolving which means we are constantly changing. Changing our eating habits, sparking new interests, finding new sources of excitement, etc. As we learn to listen to our bodies and honor what they may be asking us for, it’s much easier to grow and evolve without worry. I have no doubt in my mind that my body is going through some sort of self-transformation right now. It’s trying to figure itself out. Trying to re-regulate. Trying to figure out what’s next.

As I learn to honor my body’s hunger and overall cues, I’ve come to the realization that I have many new interests/needs, but dislike some things I used to enjoy/love. Being intuitive gives me relief in figuring out where I am at right now.

Maybe you are struggling with narrowing down what your body wants or needs right now too? If so, that’s okay and its completely normal. I will tell you point blank that I am too & that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Learning to be intuitive is something that could take forever (because of that constant development and growth). Focus on the now and worry about the later when the time comes.

If you spent a great deal of time being restrictive in the past with your eating habits, your body is likely an emotional roller coaster when it comes to food. I know mine was. I was extremely restrictive with my “diet” when my IBS and digestive issues were at their very worst so, I GET IT. In fact, I believe that many of my cravings just began kicking in from that time of restriction. My body didn't crave all that much during my bulk because I was eating in excess. I was also eating to fuel my body in the most efficient and effective way for energy and growth. Eating a pint of ice cream wasn't really on my mind after consuming 3,000 plus calories. During my time of tracking macros I was so hyper focused on whether “it fit or didn’t fit” that I never really had the time to listen to cravings or cues even if they were there.

My point being, don’t avoid cravings friends!!! Continue putting them off, continue to ignore them, and they are only going to get WORSE. My body finally has the ability to tolerate foods and things that used to cause me pain. My body loves that freedom. My body spent a lot of time missing out on things it loved. There’s no wonder why it wants anything and everything right now (even if it’s a little late to the game). Putting these cravings or cues off would be denying my body of the things it needs most right now. At the end of the day, I will always put my body first. I will always honor what it’s trying to tell me. You do the best you can. You fight for your health and needs. You don’t let outside factors influence what’s best for you and you trust that things will work out with time.

So yeah, some days I eat a lot of veggies. Other days, as of lately, I treat myself to a lot of meals out, a lot of ice cream, and a couple servings of popcorn every night before bed. I give my body what it wants and honestly it's been responding way better than expected (which is why it's crucial to listen to your body - it is SMART). Do I still deep down think, OMG WTF sometimes?? How can you still be hungry? Do you really need that ice cream - you just ate a huge bowl of popcorn??? Yes, occasionally. My mind gets the better of me some days, but for the most part I fight it. When my mind tells me no, I combat it and do the opposite. You are your biggest barrier, your mind included in that. If you ever struggle with this, you know what I mean. There are times where I will be like okay you don't really need that. It's okay to say no. I am not saying you have to give into every single craving, but I am saying you need to be mindful. Give yourself the option. Be honest with yourself and think about it. If you can't stop thinking about it - your body is likely trying to tell you something. Make sense?

My body has come so far since this time last year and that’s something to celebrate and be proud of. I’m working on the now in order to move over this rough patch. That’s what you have to do. Not just with intuitive eating, but with anything in life. Don’t skip around. Don’t neglect what’s happening now. Don’t reach for a quick fix because quick fixes aren’t sustainable or maintainable. Take the time to narrow it down and solve the problem even if it takes a little extra time and energy. It’ll be worth it, I promise.

If you are struggling with Intuitive Eating or finding what works for you, don't give up. Keep working. You will find your happy. It's been almost two years and I am just starting to find mine. It takes time. We all start somewhere.

At the end of the day #ownyouloveyou no matter what!!!

Be the sunshine my friends. Smile & know that everything will ALWAYS be alright. Nothing is ever permanent. We are not our struggles.

Smile more. Worry less.

-Mik <3