Intuitive Eating Is Great - But What If I Can't Trust My Body?
Lately i’ve found myself at a bit of a crossroads with the message of this blog, and the direction that I want it to go.
I am constantly learning, evolving, and changing, and it only seems fitting to me that my blog posts reflect that. Being authentic and real is the backbone of Rebelle Nutrition, and when what I am writing about is not in alignment with how i’m truly feeling, it is obvious and…uninspired.
I’m sure over the course of time I will take this blog in many different directions, because that’s me. I will never fit into one specific box, or category, and thats the way I want Rebelle Nutrition to be as well. Keeps things exciting, right? Thanks for sticking with me!
Of course Rebelle Nutrition is ALWAYS going to be pro- body positivity, self love, real food, anti “diet” and so forth. But lately i’ve been thinking more about the concept of intuitive eating (which I still promote!) and where it falls short.
YES, intuitive eating is an amazing tool for those who are able to tap into their bodies signals for hunger and fullness.
But what about people who can’t trust their cravings?
For example,
Someone who has eaten mostly fast food for their whole like is probably not going to crave vegetables, even if that is what their body needs.
Someone who has restricted their calories or dieted most of their life may legitimately only feel hungry for 1200 calories of food per day, even though their body needs more.
Someone who craves candy and sweets all day probably has some blood sugar handling or candida related issues - and eating intuitively may be making their problems worse.
…and to be honest, these scenarios ARE most of us. Intuitive eating is like the magical unicorn that we aspire to; the "after-we-resolve-your-health-concerns" phase of the work we do together - to ensure that the changes we've made are lasting and sustainable.
Unfortunately, eating intuitively is probably not going to help you improve your IBS or adrenal fatigue. The reason you got into a state of digestive problems or adrenal stress in the first place is probably due to some of the seemingly “intuitive" habits you have become accustomed to over the years, like drinking coffee all day long, or continuing to eat cheese despite the fact it hurts your stomach (but tastes delicious).
The bottom line is that the way we fuel ourselves matters.
Food will always have an emotional component, and that is totally fine! It's part of what makes birthdays, holidays, and home-cooked meals enjoyable and memorable. But sometimes an outside perspective is necessary if the way we have been eating and living is not getting us to where we want to be - physically, mentally or otherwise. Sometimes having a “plan” is the jumpstart we need for our bodies to return to place where we can trust her signals again.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to feel amazing in your body - whatever that means for you.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to wake up feeling energized without 3 cups of coffee.
There is nothing wrong with removing certain foods from your diet that make you feel like crap.
If nothing changes, nothing changes.
I feel a rant coming on...
As much as I sometimes get fed up with the health-obsessed culture that we live in, we can’t deny the fact that food has profound impacts on the way we feel both mentally and physically.
To be honest, there have been times when I want to say “fuck it” with nutrition; like when nearly every person I meet wants to sell me their “nutritional shake” that somehow automatically makes them a “health coach”.
In a perfect world, we could all just eat whatever the fuck we wanted, feel great, and start talking about things OTHER than health and food - like love, fun, ideas, inspiration, joy or LITERALLY ANYTHING other than nutrition.
But then I come back down to reality and realize that no one is immune to the increasing number of modern and preventable diseases like diabetes, hormonal problems, chronic fatigue, heart disease, thyroid problems and so many more.
Even I am not immune - despite the knowledge I have about nutrition and the gut, I still sometimes think I can get away with eating gluten, and then pay for it for days afterwards.
Like it or not, the way we fuel ourselves is PARAMOUNT in us leading happy, healthy lives.
There are things that I started doing (and eating) on a daily basis because I knew they were good for me and would make me feel my best, like:
Drinking enough water.
Getting enough healthy fats.
Eating lots of salad/ cooked vegetables.
Avoiding raw, cruciferous veggies.
Taking a probiotic.
Avoiding gluten.
Banana ice cream!!
Sleeping 8+ hours a night.
Green smoothies.
Yoga/Walk/Swim/Surf/Play.
And now, I do each of these things intuitively every day because I literally crave them; not just for how they taste or because they are 'trendy', but because of how they make me feel afterwards.
So, if you aren't at the stage where intuitive eating is an option for you, don't worry. I created a program EXACTLY for you, and the best news is...
IT'S FREE!
Introducing: The Rebelle Reset
The Rebelle Reset is a 21 day program that aims to help you:
- Learn to eat real food
- Identify your food triggers (i.e foods that may be causing inflammation, digestive distress, etc)
- Get in tune with what your body is truly craving
- Eliminate artificial, processed foods
- Manage cravings for sugars, alcohol and refined foods
- Prioritize self care
- Get out of your current food rut!
The first program is going to start September 5th! So make sure to join my email list to stay up to date and receive your guide, which will include:
- Foods to choose
- Foods to avoid
- Exercise recommendations
- Daily self-care challenges
- A grocery guide
- Access to the Rebelle Reset Facebook group
- ...and more!
To make sure you are on my Rebelle Reset email list - go here and enter your name/email address. Also be sure to join the Facebook group to receive a daily FOCUS during each day of the challenge.