Has Anyone Noticed?
Have you noticed your experience with food shifting in the context of living through this pandemic?
Anxiety, fear of scarcity, being replaced by discomfort, and trouble trusting yourself, your body? Perhaps eating beyond fullness? Or feeling unable to tune into hunger cues? With a dash of diet culture-derived fatphobia suggesting that if a body changes while surviving a global health crisis, that is 1. Worst case scenario and 2. Entirely within your control and 3. A thing that you need to prevent by not eating/eating certain foods.
Transitioning to seeking comfort food? Familiar food? Seeking satisfaction in a new way? Perhaps being replaced by settling into the comfort of a new normal with fewer perceived extremes?
And maybe not.
I’m chatting with clients about this phenomenon. And am so grateful that for most, compassion has allowed a natural evolution of sorts. A curious return to body trust. A realization that once condemned foods can be part of an experience with food that is helpful and not harmful. A resumed connection to body cues. A frustration with diet culture preying on this moment. A realization that the gym wasn’t actually necessary, perhaps. A curiosity about incorporation of foods consumed for the sake of the season, and the realization that the grocery store heroes are restocking the shelves.
For anyone familiar with intuitive eating, this pandemic has offered, for many, a beautiful evolution. First, perhaps moving away from the principals, and then moving back to them.
1. Reject Diet Culture
2. Honor Your Hunger
3. Make Peace with Food
4. Challenge the Food Police
5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor
6. Feel Your Fullness
7. Cope with Your Emotions With Kindness
8. Respect Your Body
9. Movement-Feel the Difference
10. Honor Your Health - Gentle Nutrition
During virtual connection today, I am going to explain, in greater detail, what I’m speaking about. And the IG live (at 3pm EST) will be saved forever in IGTV.
This is week 10 of virtual connection.
And to my virtual connection partners, @encouragingdietitian, @bodypositive_dietitian, @hgoodrichrd, and @bodyimagewithbri, thank you.
