I have a unique perspective when it comes to intuitive eating. I believe that the way I think about food and eating, how I can lose weight without a diet is the goal of intuitive eating.
However, I have a unique perspective as I didn't get here by following the intuitive eating rules, I got here by working with a cognitive behaviour therapist and slowly changed my eating behaviour.
In addition, I belonged to an intuitive eating support group, so I understand the challenges of following the intuitive eating rules.With that perspective, I can offer some useful insight into an intuitive eating journey.
I was interested in intuitive eating because I pictured a normal eating life; eating food like a normal person, in normal amounts without counting points/calories. We are all born to eat intuitively, but in some of us, that intuitive ability is lost as we mature. So when you think about it, intuitive eating is about resetting our eating behaviour- overturning a deeply ingrained learned behaviour for a behaviour that is based on instinct.
It takes time and practice
If you are moving towards changing your eating behaviour - it takes practice and it takes time to change. Expect to make mistakes; even welcome mistakes, because you can learn from your mistakes. In my own journey, mistakes revealed my true eating triggers. If you expect to be perfect from the start, you are setting yourself up to fail by giving up.
How much time? I can only go by my experience: I saw my therapist for a year; while I didn't count the number of sessions, I believe I had twenty sessions. With one-on-one counselling, it took a year to experience significant changes in my behaviour. The interesting thing is that a year after therapy ended, my eating behaviour continues to change - as I am still practicing.
The bottom line - change doesn't happen overnight, but with patience, time and practice, you can permanently change how you think about food and eating, whether you are an intuitive eater or someone who just wants a little peace when it comes to food.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
It's been eight long days
Ok, I want to admit to you something slightly controversial. I want to tell you about this because I'm experiencing withdrawal symptoms this week.
Actually, it is a little bit longer than a week; eight days in fact. Eight long days since McDonald's ended its $1 drink sale.
Yes, I love diet coke. And there is nothing better than a big McDonald's diet coke. My friend Tania told me that Coca-cola technicians see to it that the McDonald's pop fountains have the perfect syrup to carbonated water ratio. I don't know if that is true or not, but no matter where you go, I rarely get a stale diet coke at McDonald's; a little slice of heaven in a cup.
I know that some people say diet coke is bad for you, but I just don't buy it. Personally, I think the caffeine is more worrisome than the aspartame. I don't drink coffee, so I'm not too worried about my caffeine consumption. I'm not saying that I won't change my mind in the future, but for now, I put diet coke in the same bucket as all other food choices: everything in moderation.
For the most part, I have one diet coke per day during the week, and two to three on the weekend. Sometimes more and sometime less. Except of course, when the McDonald's has its annual summer drink sale. So, I loved walking to the McDonald's at Yonge and Richmond during my afternoon break and picking up a large diet coke. MMMMmmmm.
But now it is over.
And I'm a bit on edge.
I even checked out 7eleven to see the price of a big gulp.
But I know it won't be the same.
I know, I'll get over it.
Just like when season 2 of Game of Thrones ended.
Sigh....
Actually, it is a little bit longer than a week; eight days in fact. Eight long days since McDonald's ended its $1 drink sale.
Yes, I love diet coke. And there is nothing better than a big McDonald's diet coke. My friend Tania told me that Coca-cola technicians see to it that the McDonald's pop fountains have the perfect syrup to carbonated water ratio. I don't know if that is true or not, but no matter where you go, I rarely get a stale diet coke at McDonald's; a little slice of heaven in a cup.
I know that some people say diet coke is bad for you, but I just don't buy it. Personally, I think the caffeine is more worrisome than the aspartame. I don't drink coffee, so I'm not too worried about my caffeine consumption. I'm not saying that I won't change my mind in the future, but for now, I put diet coke in the same bucket as all other food choices: everything in moderation.
For the most part, I have one diet coke per day during the week, and two to three on the weekend. Sometimes more and sometime less. Except of course, when the McDonald's has its annual summer drink sale. So, I loved walking to the McDonald's at Yonge and Richmond during my afternoon break and picking up a large diet coke. MMMMmmmm.
But now it is over.
And I'm a bit on edge.
I even checked out 7eleven to see the price of a big gulp.
But I know it won't be the same.
I know, I'll get over it.
Just like when season 2 of Game of Thrones ended.
Sigh....
Monday, September 10, 2012
Too much buoyancy is not a good thing
It's 11:09 PM. Can I write a post and publish it by 11:30?
"I always though that my extra weight added to my buoyancy in the water and you would think that helps with swimming. At least I think so."
Izzy my friend, your comment from the Leisel Jones post made me laugh. Why? Because swimming with too much buoyancy is not a good thing.
I've been swimming for so long that I don't remember what it is like to not have the ability to float. Swimmers need the flexibility to swim at any depth, on the surface, just under the surface or a few feet below. For most swimmers, this is easily achieved by regulating the amount of air in your lungs. Want to go to the bottom of the pool without any effort? Just blow all the air out of your lungs and you'll drop to the bottom. Rapidly.
I joined the local masters swim club in 2011 and I'm loving it. I'm a little self-conscious in a swim suit with my overweight physique - but I hold my head high and work as hard as I can. But there is one challenging issue that has come up since I started swimming again and it has to do with all the extra weight I'm currently carrying.
Holy moly, it is difficult to swim underwater. When our coach tells us to swim 25 m underwater, I find that I unintentionally pop to the surface at the 12-15 m mark. With practice, I've figured out that in order to swim underwater for the full length I must angle my body towards the bottom of the pool.
Another milestone to look forward too - the time when I will have full control over my ability to swim at any depth.
It's 11:30, time to go to bed! With editing, 11:36... Not bad...
"I always though that my extra weight added to my buoyancy in the water and you would think that helps with swimming. At least I think so."
Izzy my friend, your comment from the Leisel Jones post made me laugh. Why? Because swimming with too much buoyancy is not a good thing.
I've been swimming for so long that I don't remember what it is like to not have the ability to float. Swimmers need the flexibility to swim at any depth, on the surface, just under the surface or a few feet below. For most swimmers, this is easily achieved by regulating the amount of air in your lungs. Want to go to the bottom of the pool without any effort? Just blow all the air out of your lungs and you'll drop to the bottom. Rapidly.
I joined the local masters swim club in 2011 and I'm loving it. I'm a little self-conscious in a swim suit with my overweight physique - but I hold my head high and work as hard as I can. But there is one challenging issue that has come up since I started swimming again and it has to do with all the extra weight I'm currently carrying.
Holy moly, it is difficult to swim underwater. When our coach tells us to swim 25 m underwater, I find that I unintentionally pop to the surface at the 12-15 m mark. With practice, I've figured out that in order to swim underwater for the full length I must angle my body towards the bottom of the pool.
Another milestone to look forward too - the time when I will have full control over my ability to swim at any depth.
It's 11:30, time to go to bed! With editing, 11:36... Not bad...
Sunday, September 9, 2012
A quick post about writing
I was hoping to get a few blog posts published before now. I actually have two posts on the go right now, but I just haven't had the time to finish them. Work has been busy. RecentlyI worked late a few nights in a row, plus my oldest bear is starting school (OMG) so I've been busy getting ready for that.
And life is going to get busier as I signed up to swim three nights of week instead of one. Two of the workouts are 1.5 hours and the other workout is an hour, so I'm swimming four hours a week instead of one. The workouts are late as well. Two workouts end at 10:30 and the other workout at 10:00. I'm worried about getting enough sleep to get up in the morning.
However, I'm mostly worried about figuring out when I'm going to write. I'm a slow writer. I write, rewrite and rewrite more. Usually the issue is that I have trouble narrowing down what I want to say. I also write best in the morning, but unfortunately the only time I can write is in the evening after the little bears are in bed. Swimming eliminates writing time on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and I'm going to be tired on Tuesday and Friday, the non-swimming days.
My goal is to post once a week. I have some ideas on how I'm going to meet this goal, but I'd love to hear your ideas. What is your writing process? How long do you spend writing your posts? Do you have any tips on how to post more frequently?
And life is going to get busier as I signed up to swim three nights of week instead of one. Two of the workouts are 1.5 hours and the other workout is an hour, so I'm swimming four hours a week instead of one. The workouts are late as well. Two workouts end at 10:30 and the other workout at 10:00. I'm worried about getting enough sleep to get up in the morning.
However, I'm mostly worried about figuring out when I'm going to write. I'm a slow writer. I write, rewrite and rewrite more. Usually the issue is that I have trouble narrowing down what I want to say. I also write best in the morning, but unfortunately the only time I can write is in the evening after the little bears are in bed. Swimming eliminates writing time on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and I'm going to be tired on Tuesday and Friday, the non-swimming days.
My goal is to post once a week. I have some ideas on how I'm going to meet this goal, but I'd love to hear your ideas. What is your writing process? How long do you spend writing your posts? Do you have any tips on how to post more frequently?
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