Intuitive Eating and Therapy
Reading the book Intuitive Eating, by Elise Resche and Evelyn Tribole, totally blew my mind. This was many years ago, and instantly I felt the pressure just stop. I didn’t have to follow weird Pinterest graphics about eating only greens for three weeks? I didn’t have to choke down sad iceberg salad when I really wanted a burger? I could enjoy the hell out of my burger and not feel guilty? Sign me the hell up!Intuitive Eating (IE) offers ten principles of eating that include fighting diet mentality, taking good care of yourself, eating according to hunger and fullness cues, and actually savoring your food. And, if you’re feeling dubious (and as a fellow skeptic, I’m so glad you are!) there is a long list of studies that suggest it really works for health outcomes measured in all kinds of ways.
While it’s really clear that Intuitive Eating great for physical well-being, as a therapist and not a nutritionist, I’m psyched about how helpful it is for emotional well-being. It fit into something I was discovering as I practiced yoga, meditated, and entered grad school to become a therapist: I can trust my body. I just needed to respect it. And when I listened, really really listened, my body would let me know what I needed. In fact, I already came equipped with a system of hormones and neurotransmitters designed to let me know when I was hungry or thirsty, and point me in the direction of what might help. I didn’t need to think so freaking hard about everything- I could just lean in and trust that my body would guide me.
There are some catches, of course. My body doesn’t really care if I’m a size zero, but as it turns out, I don’t need that either. And saying “cool, I’m never gonna think about dieting” is easier to say than do when dieting is a popular topic and we’ve been thinking about it for decades. And it’s an ongoing process- it’s not like you can just read the book in a week and live in body-positive green-smoothie-and-cupcake bliss for the rest of your life.
But the benefits most definitely outweigh the costs. I’m not here to give nutrition advice. What you eat is not part of the scope of our work together. What I am so excited to share, though, is how this skill of listening to your body transfers so beautifully to therapy and to emotional well-being. That same sense, interoception, that lets you know if you’re hungry is the same sense that lets you know if a panic attack is coming on, or that you feel cozy and warm with your partner. If you let yourself trust your body, you can get a huge, gorgeous wealth of information that helps you grow and thrive. If you’re struggling with trusting yourself or second-guessing your choices (both in food and life), I highly recommend spending a few minutes really exploring how you feel from inside.
Therapy can help you trust your innate capacity to understand your own needs and build a sense of clarity. If you want to get serious about listening to your body and letting it inform your choices, I'm psyched to talk to you! Book a free consultation call or email me at abbycollinsthompson@gmail.com.