Intuitive Eating & Movement

 Food and exercise. For so many people, one is treated as indulgence and the other as punishment. Want that piece of cake? Better run super long tomorrow. Ordered the chicken alfredo instead of that boring ass salad? Better plan for extra gym time in the morning. Have guilt after over-doing it with x, y or z? Better cut those foods out entirely as to not be tempted - oh, and sign up for a marathon while you're at it. 

It's bullshit, but unfortunately, it's an unhealthy mindset and relationship that so many of us have endured. We make promises to get in shape for the summer or after the holidays. We make excuses as to why we're not where we want to be. We indulge and then we punish. We move our bodies too often and to the extreme. We don't eat all day to justify cheese and crackers at night. We restrict all week so as to "fully enjoy" our weekends. We believe diets work long term (they don't). We believe our bodies can keep up with the extremes of our work outs (it can't). 

The only (and simple) way to break this viscous mindset and poor relationship with food and our bodies is to listen. There have been times that I've really wanted something "less healthy", and in an attempt to "be good", I'd try and fill the craving with "better" things like nuts, fruit, veggies...you get the idea. The thing is: IT NEVER WORKS. I'd end up gorging on all these healthy things 1) because there's less guilt tied to them and 2) because I felt I shouldn't have whatever it was I was craving. What ends up happening is that after being filled to the brim with bird food, the craving hasn't gone anywhere and I end up reaching for the cookie or piece of candy or bowl of ice cream anyway. Now, instead of just eating intuitively and having a portion of the craved food, I found myself in a binge, feeling poorly, telling myself I failed, when this all could have been avoided by allowing myself to eat it in the first place. No "shoulds" or "shouldnts" - just awareness. The more I allowed myself to eat what I craved, the less likely I was to over do it with them. 

If you put food into a "no" category, you are already setting yourself up for failure. You tell yourself you can't or shouldn't eat it, so if you find yourself nibbling at it anyway, you think "well, shit, I already failed, might as well eat the whole damn thing and start over tomorrow". BUT HEY. If you don't group foods as good or bad, and allow yourself to simply have them, you can't fail, and you'll never have to "start over" - you'll just be good. You will have killed the justification of foods. Killed them dead.

The same goes for moving your body. A long run and heavy lifts aren't always what's best for you, and the more you eat intuitively, the less likely you are to plan such strenuous work outs. If you wake up without guilt from the previous day's food choices, and you planned to run but JUST AREN'T FEELIN' IT, then you can walk, do yoga, or take a rest day and not mentally beat yourself up for it. No thinking back to the foods you felt you needed to "work off" or ahead to the ones you think you need to "earn" - just intuitive exercise or simple movements that feel good for your body that day. 

One thing you can do to help get acclimated to this loosened grip on food and exercise is to stop planning. Stop planning your meals. Stop planning your work outs. This freedom allows you to tune in and ask yourself what your body needs. If you were to write out every meal, and then that mealtime comes and it doesn't sound good, you're back in a tricky situation of either forcing yourself to eat something you'd rather not, or changing up your meal plan and feeling like you failed by not sticking to it. Same with work outs; you can have a general idea of what you'd like to accomplish (ie. run, walk, lift, gym-cardio) - but let your body decide in the moment what it wants to do. You may start running and quit a mile in to lift instead. You may start arm day at the gym and realize your legs have all the squat feels. Be flexible with your plans and let your body make the decisions for you. 

We can also all benefit from breaking the "rules". Have salad for breakfast and cereal for dinner. Have wine on Wednesday and tea on Saturday. Deep clean your house for movement instead of heading to the gym. Snack for dinner instead of making a big meal. This will all take some getting used to, especially to those of us who have been on restrictive diets, calorie counting, type-A planners, and control freaks. Let it all go, people. 

I see you joining Weight Watchers for the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th time...say it with me now: diets are not sustainable. Tracking every morsel that graces your lips is problematic. Feeling guilty for eating something that freaking tastes good is torture. Killing your body to work off or earn food is a cycle you need to break. Food and movement are LIFE. They are fuel for the mind and body. Stop planning and start enjoying. Enjoy your body's ability to exercise. Enjoy the taste of sweet treats and savory dishes. Enjoy being in tune with your body, and the ability to eat and move accordingly. 

Once you let the guilt go, break the rules, knock off the strict plans, and do things intuitively, food and exercise won't have a hold on you. You can eat the fried foods and sweets when you feel like it, and believe it or not, your body will crave the salads or the fruits or the nuts too. Your body will want to move in a certain way each day, and you have the power to listen and act. 

Order the alfredo sauce and follow it up with a rest day.

Eat breakfast, lunch, AND (gasp) the cheese and crackers.

Walk when you planned to run.

Have cake for breakfast. 

Call sexy time in the bedroom the day's movement (you're welcome). 

Whatever intuitive balance you find will work, because it'll change day to day, meal to meal, snack to snack and work out to work out. Wake up every morning not knowing what the hell you're gonna do or eat, and let your body's cravings guide you there. It's powerful stuff, and the way to a naturally healthier life style. Now get to rule breaking. 

New Year's Resolution? Try This

 Tis the season of overindulging, which means it's also the season of guilt, self loathing, and extreme, strict promises come January 1st. Guys, knock this shit off. IT. NEVER. WORKS. 

When we set goals for ourselves based on guilt, they are negatively driven and practically gives us the excuse to binge for the next 2 months. If you work out or eat right based on the previous day/week/month's caloric intake, you're doing it all wrong. Instead of setting unrealistic, unsustainable goals for your new year, try tweaking your resolutions to set yourself up for success. 

Instead of joining a gym and telling yourself you'll be there 3-5 times per week, ask yourself what your goals are. Do you want to become stronger? If so, change your mindset from "being in the gym x amount of times" to "being about to lift x amount of weight". This way, you eliminate room for that guilty conscious to creep in and make you feel bad about only making it there twice this week. If you showed up, put weight on the bar, and worked toward your goal, you are winning. There is no strict time frame, no scale to step on, no extreme pressure to get there so many times...just a simple goal to do more at a pace that works for you. And, the great thing about a goal like this is that once it's met, it'll be self motivational to set the next one. Before you know it, your initial lifting goal will become your warm up - or at least feel much easier. 

Instead of signing up for a yoga class package, set a goal of being more flexible. Perhaps pick a pose you've always wanted to conquer and practice until you get there. Again, no time frame, no "have to's" or "shoulds" - just the ability to move your body and watch your own practice improve with each time on the mat. If you need to attend a class for motivation, go for it. But if life gets in the way and you don't make it one week, and still find yourself on the mat - even for a few moments - you're still kicking your resolution's ass.

Instead of "giving up" a food group, alcohol, sweets, carbs (you name it) - try incorporating more healthy foods beforehand. Typically when people go cold turkey on things they over indulge in, it leads to a binge down the road. You can feel better about having these foods if they follow a few fruits and veggies, healthy snack or well rounded meal; and, if you feel better about your previous choices, you will be less likely to over do it with the other stuff. Eat the bread, drink the wine, have the chocolate, just be mindful when you do. This allows you to be put on a road to a healthier you without any major restrictions. (Not to mention, if you know you're not going cold turkey come January 1st, it may prevent you from having that 3rd piece of pie because, in your mind, it's no longer justified). 

The biggest thing we all can do is (say it with me now) STOP. COMPARING. OURSELVES. TO OTHERS. Guys. We are not our friends, our family, the Instagram Gymsharks, or anyone else we try to be "more like". Being successful in your own life with your own goals is to set them solely for yourself. If you want to lose weight but hate the gym, DON'T JOIN A GYM. Walk, jog, have a dance party with your kids, challenge your spouse to a sit-up challenge...whatever works for you will be where you find your success. If you want to eat better but hate salads, DON'T EAT THE FREAKING SALAD. Mix the healthy foods you do enjoy together and discover your own weird concoction of health foods. Need an exercise class to get moving but Marsha over there is self motivated? Get your ass to class. 

Meditation and self love and all that hippy shit is great, but let's be real, most people's New Year's Resolutions are a little more body-based and a little less "let me align my chakras". Here's how you can help with that through your holiday season and into the new year: you must love your body, but you must also be flexible about what it looks like - a quote from female health expert Stefani Ruper. If drinking the eggnog and having seconds on stuffing is what makes your holiday season nostalgic for you, then go for it. However, your homework comes the next morning when you have the choice to feel bad about your holiday treats, or wake up feeling nourished with comfort foods knowing you fully enjoyed them. It's okay to love your body both when it's bloated from salty, tasty foods and also when you're feeling your best after a week of solid work outs and health foods. Both times, they are still you and yours and one doesn't deserve to be loved less than the other. 

I challenge you to take your 2021 resolutions E A S Y. Set goals, not restrictions. It's okay to simply plan to move a little more and eat a little better, and keep on adding to that as you see fit. Please don't eliminate your favorite food or put yourself through a wild work out after having it. 2020 has been a shit show enough without planning to torture ourselves come January, especially if those torture plans are signing you up for failure. We all need to feel better in these crazy times, so be sure you're doing what is best for you. And hey, if you want to align your chakras while you're on this path, well, then that's just dandy.