QUESTION I’ve been following the basic Intuitive Eating guidelines for a few months already, and am finding the approach to be so effective, healing, and positive. Although the beginning was frightening, knowing that I need to trust myself when I’ve been so used to leaning on others for direction, I’m gradually getting the hang of it. However, there are still parts where I’m still doubting my own intuition, and here’s a big one: How do I know when I can start implementing gentle nutrition or joyful movement. Maybe I’m not there yet and I’m just rushing the process because I’m too afraid to be in “unrestricted” territory?
ANSWER
This is a great question, one that is usually asked by someone who’s further along the Intuitive Eating journey, as you are. For the uninitiated, gentle nutrition and joyous movement are the last two principles of the Intuitive Eating approach, in which followers are encouraged to make nutritious choices and to engage in exercise that feels good and sparks joy. One of the reasons why these are the last two principles is because when we’re so stuck in dieting and diet culture, it’s tempting to skip the entire book and just go straight for these last two chapters. But the developers of the approach are reminding us to wait. Hold on. Remember that you’ve already tried heavily restricting food combined with intense exercise…and where did that lead you? Yes, it led you to right here. Feeling not good about yourself, your weight, your body—yourself. So, to answer your question, it’s critical for us to first unlearn and then relearn. We need to first unlearn all the things we’ve been told for so many
years. That fat equals bad. That thin equals good. That weight is all dependent on how we eat and exercise. That being fat is a sign that we’re lazy and unmotivated. Our first job is to clear away all the noise, build a strong foundation, and learn about ourselves. It’s also about neutralizing food; getting in touch with our here-and-now body; realizing when it is hungry, full, and satisfied; and discover when, why and how we’re using food to cope. After all that unlearning has been done—and knowing we’re there requires true self-awareness and clarity—we can then ask the question: Am I choosing gentle nutrition and joyful movement from a place of self-care, not self-punishment? Answering this may necessitate trial and error. You may not know right away and that is okay. If you feel your answer is yes, give it a go at gentle nutrition and joyful movement and see how they are for you. If the choices feel intuitive for you and you’re enjoying the process, that will be your greatest indicator that the time is right.
Have questions about the Intuitive Eating approach? Send them to info@wellspringmagazine.com and Gila will be glad to answer them in this space. Gila Glassberg is a Master's level registered dietitian and a certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. As a teenager, she was faced with constant diet talk, body shaming, and obsessive guilt around food, but now that she has found food freedom through the process of Intuitive Eating, she's eager to share its wisdom with others. Gila works privately with clients and she also presents workshops. The name of her podcast is Get INTUIT with Gila, and she writes blog entries on her website, www.gilaglassberg.com. She can be reached at 570-878-3642.
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