intuitive eating part 1
Intuitive Eating is something I am really passionate about. (start at the link if you are unfamiliar with the concept)
Some people get to adulthood as natural intuitive eaters, but for most of us it’s not that easy. Diet culture is often a huge barrier to intuitive eating, and it’s definitely the intuitive eating challenge that is easiest to find information about. As a fat person who was a teen in the 90s and early 2000s, weight stigma and fatphobia have historically had an impact on the way that I ate and cared for myself, and if you are in the same boat you are very much not alone.
I found feminism and riot grrrl at a pretty early age and these became really protective factors for my relationship with food and eating. I rejected diet culture and believed in nourishing myself but continued to struggle with eating due to executive dysfunction and chronic illness. These intuitive eating barriers are much harder to find support around but they are very common!
There are many ways executive dysfunction and chronic illness can impact an intuitive eating journey, here are some of the things I’ve struggled with:
Grocery Shopping and Kitchen Stocking Issues - getting organized enough to make and use a list, keeping up with what’s already in the house, not letting things go bad, throwing away old food, shopping aspirationally instead of realistically, making sure I have enough of different food groups
Fatigue & Pain- being too tired to shop, cook, or eat; difficulty standing or using kitchen tools
Chores - cooking and eating=dishes, not having needed dishes/equipment clean, wanting to avoid cooking/eating due to dirty dishes, chore overwhelm leading to overall overwhelm
Managing Symptoms - avoiding foods that may increase symptoms, eating a more limited diet than needed due to fear of symptoms, not eating enough leading to increased symptoms
Dopamine/Sensory Eating - unsuccessfully seeking stimulation + dopamine through food
Figuring out how to conquer these challenges has made a huge difference in my life and I love working with other people to help them find the same level of comfort and success around eating. Keep an eye on this blog for more details on how I’ve addressed these challenges.
If you are experiencing an eating disorder or disordered eating I recommend seeking support from a therapist, dietitian, or intuitive eating coach. If your eating struggles are around executive dysfunction or sensory issues however, I’d love to work with you! You can schedule a free consult with me or send me an email here.
