Am I ready for intuitive eating counseling?
While intuitive eating can lead to profound changes in how you view food and yourself, it's not always easy to embark on this journey alone. Intuitive eating counseling can provide invaluable support and guidance as you navigate this path towards food freedom and body acceptance. But how do you know if you're ready for intuitive eating counseling? In my experience, individuals who find the most success in their intuitive eating work come into my office carrying at least a handful of the following beliefs:
You're tired of dieting: If you've spent years jumping from one diet to another, only to end up feeling frustrated, guilty, and no closer to your goals, you may be ready to break free from the dieting cycle. Intuitive eating counseling can help you shift your focus from restrictive rules to honoring your body's needs.
You want to heal your relationship with food: Constantly obsessing over what you eat, feeling guilty for indulging in "forbidden" foods, or using food as a way to cope with emotions are all signs of a strained relationship with food. Intuitive eating counseling offers a safe space to explore the root causes of these behaviors and develop more self-supportive coping mechanisms.
You're open to change: Intuitive eating requires a willingness to challenge long-held beliefs about food, weight, body image, and health. If you're ready to embrace a new way of thinking and eating, intuitive eating counseling can help you navigate this transition with compassion and support.
You’re ready to let go of the idea of weight loss. Intuitive eating does not promise weight loss, it promises the end of weight cycling. Your body might never be smaller than it is the day you start your intuitive eating journey. In fact, for many, they first experience some weight gain before their weight eventually stabilizes as they reduce the real and perceived restriction in their diets. This concept can be hard to accept. Intuitive eating counseling can help you navigate the grief that comes from letting go of this promise and also help you hold space for the both/and of:“I want to live in a smaller body and I know pursuing a smaller body will not help me live the best life I can.”
You're committed to self-care: Intuitive eating is about more than just what you eat; it's about how you care for your body and mind as a whole. If you're ready to prioritize self-care and nourishment in all aspects of your life, intuitive eating counseling can help you develop personalized strategies for holistic well-being.
You're seeking lasting change: Unlike fad diets that promise quick fixes, intuitive eating is a sustainable approach to health and happiness. If you're looking for lasting change that goes beyond the number on the scale, intuitive eating counseling can empower you to create a fulfilling life centered around self-love and acceptance.
You're willing to practice patience: Intuitive eating is a journey, not a destination. It takes time to unlearn diet culture messages and relearn how to trust your body's wisdom. If you're willing to embrace the process and practice patience with yourself along the way, intuitive eating counseling can be a valuable resource on your path to food freedom. For many of my clients, the change they experience is a slow burn; it doesn’t look like much is happening, but when they compare their progress over the years, they see immense changes from where they began.
You’re feeling stuck doing the work on your own: Perhaps you’ve done the research, understand the concepts, and have been trying to implement intuitive eating practices in your daily life, but something isn’t quite clicking. Intuitive eating counseling can act as a mirror, resource, and safe place for exploring what isn’t working and why. It also offers accountability and encouragement for a practice that is not widely accepted in many circles.
If any of these signs resonate with you, it may be time to consider seeking out intuitive eating counseling. Remember, you don't have to navigate this journey alone. Ready to give it a try? Schedule a free consult call with me to get started.