Perhaps you’ve made the decision that you are done with dieting. You’re tired of trying to follow the rules, feeling hungry and ending up feeling like a failure. So, Intuitive Eating sounds like the ideal approach that will actually feel good and work in your life. However, you might be having some confusion or feeling a little overwhelmed about knowing how to get started and breaking free from the diet mindset that has become ingrained in you.
Intuitive Eating sounds so freeing, but getting started can also feel a little scary because it’s so different from what you’ve tried in the past. I get it, starting something new can feel hard. That’s why I love supporting other women and guiding them through the process of becoming an Intuitive Eater. It makes the journey so much smoother and less frustrating to have someone there to answer your questions and cheer you on when you might be doubting yourself or the path you’re on.
The Challenges of Going It Alone
Of course you can try to go it alone. There are plenty of books, podcasts and experts on social media that will give you tips and advice. Truly, there is so much out there that just trying to sort through it all might have you giving up before you even get started. You might become so overloaded with information that you feel stuck in moving forward with your own journey.
Plus, those books, videos and “experts” won’t be there for you personally when the dieting mentality sneaks back in, when the self-doubt and second guessing creep up, or when you feel alone in trying to create a better relationship with food and your body.
What an Intuitive Eating Coach Brings to the Table
Having the guidance and support of an Intuitive Eating Coach makes everything feel more simple and it eases the process. They can help you clarify what each of the 10 principles can look like in your life, breaking them down into doable steps. A coach can help you tailor the approach in a way that works for your life and preferences and your specific struggles. General information might be helpful, but not as helpful as personalized guidance.
Hiring a coach will allow you to have individualized support when you are trying to shift away from feelings of guilt, fear and the “all or nothing” thinking. They will be there to encourage you to stay on course and cheer you on when you are tempted to fall back into your old dieting habits and mentality.
Emotional Support & Safe Space
I know that our relationship with food and our bodies can be a sensitive topic and can make you feel vulnerable. You might fear being judged. But, as a Health Coach, I am here to support and guide you, no matter where you are in the moment. It’s not about judgement, it’s about understanding and letting you know that there is nothing wrong with you.
A coach can help you start to untangle all of the emotions that you have tied into your food choices and body image. They help turn self judgement into self compassion and healing. Coaches can introduce you to tools and techniques that remove the guilt and shame you feel in relation to food and your body.
Practical Tools You’ll Learn From a Coach
Often after following diets and plans for so long, we stop recognizing the signals our bodies are giving us in terms of hunger and fullness. When you were just trying to follow the rules, you had to ignore those signals to be able to stick to them. Not eating when you were hungry, but on a schedule or sticking to certain portion sizes. A coach can help guide you as you tune back into your body and what it needs, so you can care for and nourish yourself properly.
An Intuitive Eating Coach can help you, not only bring back pleasure to healthy eating, but also begin to focus on the foods that make your body feel good. You will learn what foods keep you energized, satiated longer and digest well. You are unique, so obviously those cookie cutter meal plans weren’t going to cut it when it comes to fueling yourself properly and they don’t account for your preferences either.
Dieting creates an unhealthy relationship with food that coaches can help you heal from. A common coping mechanism for people that struggle with their relationship with food is to use food as a way to numb or distract themselves from their feelings. When using food this way, it’s almost always followed by guilt and shame, but does nothing to solve what lead to the eating in the first place. Coaches have tools that they can teach you, that allow you to process your emotions and create healthier coping strategies beyond food.
As a coach, I know that my clients can continue to feel confident and at ease when it comes to food and their bodies, no matter what time of year it is. For example, people often struggle through the holidays, trying to decide if they should completely avoid all the festive foods, so they don’t go overboard, or just make it a free for all that they’ll make up for when the holidays are over. My clients know that it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing situation. They can enjoy themselves, enjoy the food and know that it is all part of healthy eating.
The Ripple Effect Beyond You
If you’re a Mom, you know that kids tend to pick up our habits and even adopt our way of thinking about ourselves. Moms that have a healthy relationship with food and their bodies are more likely to pass that mindset on to their kids and therefore raise kids that are kinder to themselves and display healthier habits, both physically and emotionally.
Our kids do not have to inherit the same diet cycle that we were trapped in for so long, if we learn to break free and heal before they make it a part of their lives as well. We deserve better and so do they.
When the whole family has a healthy relationship with food, it creates a calmer and less stressful environment for everyone. No more trying to be in control and making sure everyone eats in a specific way, that diet culture has taught us, but isn’t helpful.
Real Benefits of Coaching Support
You can absolutely learn how to be an intuitive eater on your own, because it isn’t complicated to follow this way of living. However, it might feel a bit foreign after following diet mentality for years. It might even feel a bit scary to start trusting your body instead of rules created by someone else that claims to have all the answers about how to make you healthier. The benefit of having a coach through this process, is knowing that you have a guide and someone to support you when you are questioning whether you are doing what’s best for you. A coach can help you ease into intuitive eating, making the journey quicker and less frustrating in the long run.
Also, coaches are more familiar with the process, so you don’t have to spend a bunch of time researching before you take action and steps in the right direction. You’ll have more time and energy for the things that are worthy of your time, like your family, career and friends. Plus, breaking free from the diet culture mentality sooner, means less time spend on obsessing about food and money thrown away on new plans that won’t actually work.
If you have someone guiding and supporting you as you become an intuitive eater, you’ll be more likely to find success and not just in the short term. This isn’t a quick fix. It’s about life long mindset changes, habits that feel like selfcare, instead of chores, and it’s about freedom around food and your body.
What Sounds Better to You?
Are you done with the diets and the endless disappointments? Are you ready for a better way?
Are you wanting to go it on your own or would you like to explore what it might look like to work with a coach, so you can feel more at ease and speed up the process?
If you’re truly wanting to break free from dieting, beating yourself up all the time and you’re curious to see how it can work for you, let’s chat!
Just click the button below to schedule a time that works for you.
