Perpetual Poppycock

I recently posted about how I fasted to lose 70 pounds last year. I have no regrets about that, firmly love that it works for me. I enjoy fasting and will probably do it going forward but I am enjoying the holiday parties, lunches, splurging and trying not to dwell on the fact that I might put on a few extra pounds this month.

Rather and go whole hog into binge eating, or falling into a shame spiral for failing on my “diet”, I’m going to practice something my therapist introduced me to a long time ago, to get me through this holiday season. Intuitive eating.

Years ago I was in therapy to work through a depression. I was struggling with some inner turmoil about all the usual suspects, love, self esteem, finances, questions about what to do with my life, as people often do, and my therapist asked me to read a book titled, Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works, by Evelyn Tribole.

That book had a profound impact on me and was my first big step towards self acceptance. It removed the stigma around eating and being overweight, and allowed me to love myself rather than hate myself for being obese. I finally understood the reason behind my eating and was able to accept myself fully.

Intuitive eating is actually a very simple concept. It’s basically removing the stigma around food and eating, to allow yourself to fuel your body without the nagging voice of guilt or shame creating inner turmoil that leads to disordered eating and self loathing. That is a lot of words that just mean, eat food if you are hungry, but don’t eat when you aren’t hungry.

I’m paraphrasing but here are the general principles of intuitive eating.

• Eat when you are hungry.
• Only eat until you are no longer hungry. (Read: Don’t stuff yourself silly.)
• Don’t eat when you aren’t hungry. (Read: Don’t eat because you’re bored, sad, etc.)

That’s pretty much it. There aren’t any specific foods to avoid, or time of day you aren’t supposed to eat. This book is meant to remind you how to eat by listening to the chemical processes in your body that tell you how much food you need to function.

I practiced intuitive eating for a couple years before my first baby and lost 40 pounds easily. I loved that I could eat whatever I wanted, just not as much as I would normally eat. This is a similar point of satisfaction I get from my fasting lifestyle. I really do better when I’m not asked to give up foods I enjoy. Intuitive easting and fasting both allow any food you are craving without guilt. That is important to me.

So rather than going completely nuts and binging all this holiday season, I thought I would practice intuitive eating as a way to stay in touch with new lifestyle goals but still indulge a bit when the opportunities are presented. I LOVE eating delicious foods and definitely don’t want to miss out on any because of a diet. For me, it would lead to feelings of deprivation and result in a binge later on.

This year I will eat, drink, and be merry by listening to my body but still indulging in the festivities of the holidays. I might put on a few pounds but that’s ok. I know I will lose it once I go back to fasting. I’m excited to have the two tools of intuitive eating and fasting in my toolbox to get me through these fun times. Happy holidays, let’s eat!