Quit Dieting for Good: Recent Episodes

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This episode is not what I had planned for today. Rather than go ahead with my regular recording schedule, I'm here to let you know that I'm going to be pressing pause on the show. This does not mean I'm closing my business! Intuitive eating is still the heart and soul of my practice, and I'll continue to see clients (and get ready to enroll more amazing women into my new membership program!).

However, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed in my life at the moment (more on that below), and the podcast was on the list of things I don't "have" to be investing time into right now. If you've been feeling a little frazzled yourself, let this be your invitation to take a deep breath and see what you might be able to press pause on in your own life.

Listen in to hear about:

• Life Update: The Boys
• Life Update: Lack of Freedom
• Pressing Pause
• Focusing On Growth
• Throw-Back Episodes
• Top 10 Teaching Podcasts & Top 5 Interviews

Get the full show notes here:

caitlinball.com/2021/04/pressing-pause

Get my free training here:

www.caitlinball.com/training

Connect with my on Instagram here:

www.instagram.com/caitlinballhealth/

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Holly Toronto is a body image coach and spiritual mentor who works with intuitive eating and spirituality. If you're curious, questioning, and or growing your own spirituality, this is a great episode for you! We discuss:

• The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back
• Giving Herself Time to Heal
• Intuitive Eating & Spirituality
• The Power of Knowing That Bodies Are Not Objects
• Starting The Spiritual Journey
• Trusting Your Body As Your Guide

You can find the full show notes here:
www.caitlinball.com/2021/04/intuitive-eating-spirituality

I'm on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/caitlinballhealth/

Connect with Holly here:

Free Body Gratitude Meditation: https://hollytorontocoaching.lpages.co/body-gratitude-meditation/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holly.toronto/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/143221746427796

Website: www.hollytoronto.com

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This past year had plenty of emotions, and navigating uncharted territory while dealing with lots of emotions can result in using food as coping mechanism. From boredom (hello quarantine!) to frustration to loneliness to feeling celebratory; if you use food to deal with an emotion, that's emotional eating. We all do it, and only we can decide if it's working for us or not.

On this episode, we'll dive in to:

• Why Emotional Eating Isn't "Good" or "Bad"
• When It's NOT Emotional Eating
• 3 Tips For When It IS Emotional Eating
• Choosing the BEST Solution For Yourself
• And more!

Plus, here are the links I reference in the show:

TRAINING: www.caitlinball.com/training

SHOW NOTES: www.caitlinball.com/2021/03/stop-emotional-eating/

DESERT EVERYDAY: www.caitlinball.com/2021/03/dessert-everyday/

FEEL YOUR FEELINGS: www.caitlinball.com/2019/03/episode-22-feel-your-feelings-instead-of-eating-them/

RELEASE RESTRICTIONS: www.caitlinball.com/2019/09/intuitive-eating-101-letting-go-restrictions/

IG: www.instagram.com/caitlinballhealth/

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Wondering if you can eat dessert everyday? Experiment! Try some different kinds of desserts (I recently tried Oreos again, and realized I don't love them that much). Have them in different settings (your coffee shop patio, in the tub, at the table). Indulge with different people (your kids, while on the phone with your best friend, with your husband).

What felt good? What did you enjoy most?

At the end of the day, only you know what is right for you. You don't need to work off of some sense of "good" or "bad", and you don't need to get outside approval. This is a fun chance to get to know more about yourself and your body!

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Show Notes: www.caitlinball.com/2021/03/dessert-everyday/

Free, on-demand training to help you ditch food guilt and shame and feel free: www.caitlinball.com/training

For those who might be wondering if they have a sugar addiction: www.caitlinball.com/2018/12/episode-11-are-you-addicted-to-sugar/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/caitlinballhealth/

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So....my body isn't exactly "bouncing back" to what it was pre-baby. And you know what? That's okay! Part of my intuitive eating practice right now is really learning how to love and appreciate my body as it is. That's an ever-evolving journey, and I wanted to give you a sneak peak into how it's going. I also want to be honest about the reality that this is an adjustment, and there are struggles. I'm so glad this is a safe place to dive into those!

We'll talk about:

• Not Weighing or Measuring Myself
• Bringing Whole Food Into Our Home
• Sleeping When Tanner Sleeps
• Decreasing Caffeine
• Increasing Movement
• Practicing Body Gratitude
• And more!

SHOW NOTES: www.caitlinball.com/2021/03/bouncing-back-after-baby/

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/caitlinballhealth/

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Today, I’m sharing an interview with lactation consultant, registered dietician, and author Jaren Soloff. Her book, The Postnatal Cookbook, offers simple and nutritious recipes that really encompass a post-partum, gentle nutrition approach. This interview has so much valuable information for expecting moms, new moms, and honestly….pretty much any mom or caretaker out there!

Listen in to hear about:

• Eating Disorders & Women’s Health
• Vulnerable Times
• Post-Partum Gentle Nutrition
• How to Take Dieting Off the Table
• Post-Partum Cravings
• The Postnatal Cookbook
• Children as a Mirror
• And more!

Full show notes: https://caitlinball.com/2021/03/post-partum-gentle-nutrition/

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Alissa Rumsey is a registered dietician. She’s been in the intuitive eating space for years, and I’ve been following her for a quite a while myself. It’s a huge honor to have her on the podcast today. Alissa has a weight-inclusive nutrition practice, and recently published a new book, Unapologetic Eating. In this interview we talked about the unlearning you have to do as part of leaving dieting behind. Alissa has an awesome process for helping people become unapologetic eaters, and we get into that as well!

When you grab my latest offer, you can get started unlearning your old beliefs and kicking dieting to the curb! I’m offering two lost-cost, drop-in coaching calls. These are for women who are ready to start loving their bodies (Body Image Call) and stop emotional eating (Emotional Eating Call). If you’d like to see what coaching could be like, this offer is for you! Feel free to take advantage of whichever call topic resonated most with you (or grab them both if you’re ready to really dive deep)!

Becoming a Nutrition Therapist Although she’s officially a registered dietitian, Alissa prefers to use the term nutrition therapist because she feels it better encapsulates what she does with her clients. She’s also a certified intuitive eating counselor. Her weight-inclusive nutrition practice is located virtually, and she offers 1:1 guidance for those looking to liberate themselves from dieting!

As a young kid, Alissa didn’t have many external inputs around her eating and body size. She didn’t experience shifts (and increased stressors) around eating and body size until mid-way through high school. She stopped playing basketball as she was going through puberty, and gained weight.

Looking back she can see that the transition of puberty and the decrease in movement would have clearly and naturally led to weight gain. Living through it, however, she was concerned and started dieting. She also got a job at a gym, and became fascinated in health and nutrition.

Ultimately, her career as a dietitian started from a very disordered place of eating and exercising. Her thoughts were often consumed about guilt connected to eating and movement. She found her identity getting wrapped up in being the “healthy” person, and she felt pressured to maintain a certain image.

Shifting Perspectives on Diet Culture When Alissa started working in the ICU of a local hospital, she found it an interesting change of speed. She was used to focusing on ways people could decrease calories or size, but in the ICU the focus was often on ways to get people to consume enough nutrients. Their more urgent physical needs shifted the dietary focus in a positive way.

During this time Alissa was also lucky to be surrounded by roommates and co-workers who had healthy relationships with food. Slowly her own perspective changed, and she found herself migrating towards intuitive eating naturally.

A few years later, she discovered the official intuitive eating framework. After a bit more learning, she was sold. Intuitive eating made so much natural sense, and she knew she needed to incorporate it into her work. Weight stigma, size bias, and misleading information about the connection between health and weight captured her interest, and she knew she couldn’t simply look away.

Thankfully, Alissa notes that many programs now have more information about intuitive eating and the Health At Every Size (HAES) movement. No one was talking about those things when Alissa was going through school. Now, they’re becoming more recognized!

Unapologetic Eating Alissa’s new book, Unapologetic Eating, is available now!

When you’re ready to let go of dieting, there is a lot of unlearning that needs to happen. Ultimately, unlearning diet culture is a huge part of being able to become an unapologetic eater.

Alissa notes that everything we think we know about food, nutrition, health, wellness, and body size is something we’re taught at one point or another. That means we have a LOT of deeply held beliefs about these things! Because our culture is very anti-fat, that means we’ve been programmed to elevate certain bodies and devalue others.

These are considered implicit biases because we don’t really think about them. They’ve just been instilled within us, and it’s key that we take the time to unlearn them if we want to become free.

Alissa also reminds us that growth is often uncomfortable! She recognizes that she holds a lot of body privilege as someone who is white, cis-gendered, heterosexual, and straight sized. Readers may find themselves learning new information that challenges their perceptions of how worthy, valuable, or superior some of these culturally privileged indicators really are – and that can be unsettling.

Read with an open mind, and be willing to explore new ideas and ask the hard questions!

Unlearning Diet Culture Alissa had built a whole identify around being “a healthy dieting”. As she started unlearning diet culture, she had to realize that those identity markers weren’t as important as she had once made them.

Releasing them, however, meant that she had find new ways of thinking about and understanding herself. She also had to confront a lot of old beliefs in order to begin to reconnect with her own body, needs, and feelings.

That might require questioning old beliefs. You need to be willing to consider where your current beliefs have come from, and the impact they may be having on the way you’re living. Eventually, you’ll find yourself wanting to know: What can I do about this?

Alissa thinks of that as the opportunity to go even deeper! There is so much to delve into when it comes to raising awareness, and it’s an ongoing process. Unpacking your own history with dieting, nutrition, body-love, and more yields all sorts of amazing information about who you are, what beliefs you hold, and how dieting may have contributed to your life as coping mechanism.

It’s Not Linear None of this is linear! Start where you are, and lean into what you’re learning. As you deepen your awareness, you’ll find continual areas that you want to continue shifting and changing.

Once you recognize a thought pattern or belief that you want to change, Alissa recommends trying the opposite and seeing what happens! Self-compassion is key here, as well as paying attention to your body and listening to the signals that are being sent.

You have to get comfortable with sitting in things as well! The answers you find in the process of unlearning diet culture are rarely black & white or binary. Instead, there are many shades of grey, many ways of being, and many paths to understanding. The more you learn about yourself, your body, and your mind, the more ability you’ll have to build new patterns and create change!

Alissa’s Intuitive Eating Framework Unapologetic Eating is set up in four sections: Fixing, Allowing, Feeling, Growing. Those sections mirror her intuitive eating framework as well.

In Fixing, the focus is on understanding the history of dieting, nutrition, and body-acceptance. Unlearning these parts of diet culture are really foundational. Clients (and readers) are asked to consider how that information plays into their own experiences and lived reality when it comes to food, body-confidence, and so on.

Once that is understand, they can move into Allowing themselves to begin creating changes. What will it look like to do something different? To reconnect to the self?

The changes that occur during Allowing lead naturally into Feeling. As you start feeling into your body, you’ll often start to feel other emotions. Often, this is really uncomfortable. Self-compassion, honoring and respecting your body, and sitting with hard things are all key parts of feeling.

Finally, there is a chance to really start Growing. Once you’re done trying to fix yourself, begin to allow yourself to be, feel your feelings and reconnect to your body….

You get to grow into the fullest version of yourself. How do you want to eat? Who are you? What do you want to do? There is so much to dig into here – embodiment, self-expression, passion, desire – and it’s really powerful to explore it all!

Food can be an amazing entry point to learning more about the Self! The journey is so powerful. You don’t need to fix yourself, and once you stop trying — so much in your life opens up!

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Let’s talk about ways to stop food guilt! I recently talked to a client who was ready to dive even deeper into releasing her own food guilt, and it got me thinking about ways we could all do this. Before we start, I just want to say...

Continuing with your intuitive eating practice, in general, is going to be the most helpful way to stop food guilt. Going back to the basics is a big key! So if your overall practice has been lagging, or if you’ve gotten a little off track with intuitive eating, I’d encourage you to do a refresh there! In this episode, I do have some valuable tips for before, during, and after experiencing potential food guilt. I’m super excited to share them — just want to be sure you remember that ongoing practice is the key!

Footnote: I have a new opportunity for new clients! I’m going to be doing two “drop-in” coaching calls, and you have the opportunity to drop in. Just like gyms and yoga classes let you sample a class or two before you commit, I’m going to let you sample my Quit Dieting for Good coaching program! The calls are just $37, and you can sample either one, or both. They’ll be Feb 28th at 11am PST and March 14th at 11am PST. I’d love to see you there!

5 Tips to Stop the Food Guilt Tip #1 — Before You Eat: Before you eat, consider what food will actually satisfy your wants and needs in that moment. When you make a conscious choice to eat a food you have a desire to eat, it’s easier to own that decision! You’re also more likely to choose a food that can satisfy both wants and needs. That includes how it tastes, as well as how it makes your body feels.

You might also be able to recognize more clearly when you’re choosing “want” foods, and be more likely to balance them with “need” foods as well.

I find that conscious choices decrease my guilt levels a lot! For instance, I’ve been having some guilt about my son’s screen time lately. I notice that if I consciously decide I’m going to let him watch during a certain time span, I can let him do so without feeling guilty. But if I let him start watching and I just let time pass while I’m doing other things, working on my business, or scrolling my phone, I tend to feel more guilty.

I feel more empowered and less guilty when I know I’ve made a choice, versus feeling that it “just happened”.

Tip #2 — Before & While You Eat Try a mantra either before you eat, or while you eat! Something like:

+ Food is food.

+ There is no good food, and no bad food.

+ I get to decide what I want to eat.

We have so many food stories that we’ve internalized — it can be hard to NOT feel guilty when we go against them! Using a mantra that reminds you about your new food beliefs and stories can help you have more confidence and less guilt.

Tip #3 — While You’re Eating Take the time to enjoy what you’ve decided to eat. Often we feel guilty when we just consume food with no real enjoyment or appreciation.

When we consciously decide what we want to eat, and then allow ourself to really savor and enjoy that food, it’s easier to feel good while we eat. Taking that time to enjoy is a reminder that food can be really fun. And if guilty feelings pop up, knowing that you truly enjoyed it can give you the affirmation that eating it was a good choice that are empowered to make.

Nothing to feel guilty about at all!

Tip #4 — After You Eat If you feel guilt creeping in after you’ve eaten, ask yourself why.

Is it because you don’t physically feel good after eating that food? Do you think you aren’t “supposed” to eat it? Are you afraid you’ll gain weight?

All of those (and more) can be reasons that our minds trigger us to feel guilty about what we’ve eaten. Many women especially feel guilty about food because of the connection to gaining weight. If that’s you, I’d love to have you check out these two episodes:

Body Acceptance and the Desire to Lose Weight and

Three Tangible Ways to Love Your Body.

Praciting body love can help you release the stress about losing weight, which is another big piece of the puzzle when it comes to releasing guilt!

Tip #5: Before Next Time You can’t fail at intuitive eating. No matter how you feel before, during, or after eating, you can use that as feedback to help you next time you’re eating.

And as for food guilt? When you feel it coming on, use it as a trigger to start the process of figuring out information can actually help you. Questions like:

• What did you eat?

• Why did you eat it?

• How did it make your body feel?

• What would you do differently next time?

Can help you think through the kind of conscious choices you want to make when you’re eating. And remembering to really consider how your body feels is a chance to stay present and practice body-love, which is a super important component of intuitive eating!

Asking these questions can also help you feel productive and channel your energy into something positive that feels good! Instead of wallowing in guilt or letting stress ruin your day, take positive action and reframe it as something you can use to know yourself even better! (Also, just a reminder that you can access this free training on-demand whenever you’d like: How to Ditch Food Guilt and Body Shame to Gain Confidence and Feel Free!)

Intuitive Eating Questions? Have an intuitive eating question? You can connect with me on Facebook or Instagram, or send me an email at caitlin@caitlinball.com and I’d be happy to connect you with a resource or previous podcast that might be of help. (Or maybe I’ll even end up making a new episode!)

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Today’s interview is with one of my clients – Katy! I know everyone enjoys a good success story, and I also want you to hear what’s possible when you have the success and accountability you need to make your goals happen! Katy first started dieting as a young girl, and today you’ll hear about her whole journey. The results? Well…the title says it all! This is a celebration of how Katy quit dieting for good.

This is an amazing interview for anyone who might be currently dieting, testing the intuitive eating waters, or considering working with a health coach. (And if you’d like to join the Quit Dieting for Good program yourself, you can find that info HERE. I 100% believe in your ability to quit dieting for good — just like Katy!)

Let’s Meet Katy! Katy lives in Philadelphia, and is a singer and voice teacher. She found me on Instagram (shout out to my amazing IG community!) right at the start of Covid, and joined the program not too long after.

Before intuitive eating, Katy shares that dieting had been part of her life for about as long as she could remember. She was eating Smart Ones and dieting food since elementary school. At the time, she remembers being a little embarrassed about it….but also that her house was filled with dieting-related food because that’s what her mom was eating. And Katy wanted to eat that special dieting food too.

She also remembers that she was bigger than all her friends. When a neighbor that was 6 years older passed on some clothes that were already too small for her, it was the last straw! Katy begged her mom to let her start dieting so she could lose weight.

Finally, her mom agreed. She started with Weight Watchers, and throughout the rest of her school career her weight fluctuated a lot. She lost a lot of weight…and she’d gain it back and start again.

Intense Pressure As a dancer and performer, Katy put a lot of pressure on herself. Her teachers did as well. She was told that she was incredibly talented, and her freshmen year of college was even told she had the talent to perform on Broadway. She was also told that if she wanted to make that happen, she had to lose weight.

Katy already knew that. After forcing herself into through more dieting cycles, she left the dance/performance part of the program to focus on singing alone.

Eventually she took up running, and added in calorie counting as well. With the advent of fitness apps she started tracking every single calorie she put into her mouth, until she realized it was becoming an obsession.

How to Stop Binge Eating Katy found intuitive eating after another bad night of binge eating. In fact, she ordered her first intuitive eating books after googling “how to stop binge eating”.

Although the principles were amazing….Katy’s first approach to intuitive eating was still pretty diet-based. She still wanted to lose weight, and she approached it from a place of wanting to change her body.

Gradually she cycled through other things: weight lifting, keto, macro counting. The desire to lose weight, and the idea that controlling food was going to make her life better, were constant companions.

Katy even tried to tell herself that she could do intuitive eating AND count macros. She tried to listen to her body’s needs while also following diet-based plans. And honestly…it just wasn’t working.

How Katy Quit Dieting for Good Then, she found me!

Katy wanted to feel better. She wanted to be done binge eating, and she wanted to have a good relationship with food. Deep down, she also knew that her first go around with intuitive eating hadn’t been a true experience. (She had still been treating it like a diet, and she knew that.)

Watching her mom still counting calories while in her 70’s also felt profoundly sad to Katy. She was starting to see that a dieting-mindset didn’t ever seem to just go away, and that she was going to have to change something in her life if she didn’t want to continue obsessing over food into old age.

She had also starting following more body positive folks on Instagram, and through that she came across my account. After one final check-in, she knew she was ready to quit dieting for good!

How Quit Dieting for Good Was Different The community connections and guidance were a huge part of Katy’s success! Having others to lean on, talk to, and turn to were helpful parts of the program that enabled her to really succeed. The first time she tried intuitive eating she had done it alone, and that solitude had let her dip a toe in without really going all the way. She had never really released her dieting mindset, and she hadn’t had accountability or support to guide her into doing so.

When she joined the Quit Dieting for Good program, however, she had both of those things! She had also decided to fully trust the process, even when it uncomfortable. That was a pivotal part of how Katy quit dieting for good. She was ready to believe in herself, and to build a relationship with her own intution and body.

One of Katy’s biggest lifestyle transformations during the program has been allowing herself to bring any and every food into her house. Intuitive eating has taught her that she can enjoy any food….and that some of those things she used to binge on aren’t even that enjoyable. She had only eaten them the way she had because she had them up on a pedestal in her mind…and once they were just food that she was free to eat if she wanted it…she didn’t need to binge.

How Quit Dieting for Good Was Hard Katy gained weight on the program, and that was HARD. At one point she had a total meltdown, and worried that she was going to have to count calories for her entire life. After her “fit”, I had her make a list of why she was doing this in the first place.

Katy made the list….and it reminded her of why she had wanted to quit dieting in the first place. As she relfected, she was able to take herself to that next level of acceptance.

She knew she was more than just a “size”…and that she could learn to accept her body as it was, instead of for what she had been trying to make it be. Katy shares that she started doing a lot of meditation. She also did an Instagram “clean”, where she unfollowed a lot of people she had been following that often made her feel she needed to change things about herself. She sought out accounts of women that were her size, and women that inspired her for no reason related to looks, and women she just found authentically beautiful.

She’s Come So Far Looking back at how she quit dieting for good, Katy loves how far she’s come! She’s started taking guitar lessons, and also sewing. (Now, she makes her own clothes, and they don’t have a size on the label since they are custom made for her!) Journaling and mediation are also parts of her ongoing journey.

Katy’s also learned that food doesn’t scare her anymore. She eats a wide variety of things, including little fun treats like cookie butter that she loves to keep in her pantry! Another change is being able to keep easy meals on hand, and she also knows the foods that give her constant energy throughout the day.

She has a favorite ice cream that she keeps in the house — something she couldn’t imagine ever doing in the past!

With a laugh, Katy said: “I never thought I’d be where I am right now.”

When it comes to movement, she’s been looking for fun ways to feel strong and powerful. (Her gym is closed so weight lifting isn’t an option, even though she loves that.) She’s also been hiking, doing yoga, and listening to whatever her body wants and needs. Sometimes that even means doing nothing at all.

Katy’s Final Advice If you’re going to try intuitive eating, find a community! Intuitive eating is amazing…but it’s also not easy. It takes time, but it’s definitely worth doing. Being free from diets and being able to enjoy her life (and body and food) is amazing!

As far as self-care goes, Katy advises you to do your best to get enough sleep. She finds it’s hard to get strong signals from her body when she’s lacking sleep, which makes intuitive eating practices more difficult.

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Today is the third and final episode about my intuitive eating journey! This one features my last three years of intuitive eating, and I’ll pick up from where I left off last week: right after I hired my own life coach!

Parenting Comparison-itis & My Intuitive Eating Journey My coach helped me realize how much mom guilt I had been feeling as I entered into my journey as mom. The same sort of shame and guilt I had used to feel about eating….I was now feeling about parenting. From sleep schedules to nursing struggles, to what kind of stroller we had and whether I was finding a rhythm: there were so many things to compare. I found myself often noticing what everyone else was doing, and experiencing guilt and shame over what I felt I wasn’t doing “right” myself.

I realized that, rather than comparing my body to other women’s bodies, I was comparing the way I was as a mom. As glad as I was that I had worked through a lot of food and body things as an intuitive eater, it quickly became apparent that there were other areas I was still struggling.

The principles and tools I learned from intuitive eating helped me worked through a lot of the challenges I faced as a new mom. That’s what I love about intuitive eating! It’s a journey that starts with food….but it carries over into all parts of your life. Self-knowledge is so powerful, and responding to yourself from a place of love and compassion is such a good feeling.

Between working with my coach and practicing my intuitive eating principles, I was able to increase my confidence and decrease the shame and guilt that parenting seemed to be stirring up. I’m so glad I had those tools at the ready. That experience really proved to me that intuitive eating principles weren’t just a luxury better enjoyed by my child-free (less sleep-deprived) self! They truly worked in every area of my life, even as I was evolving and changing.

Intuitive Eating Principles & Business Building Speaking of evolving…

I was also still starting my business during this time!

There were so many insecurities and fears I found myself having to work through as an entrepreneur in the online world. For instance, going live on video was so awkward for me. (One of my clients even mentioned I had looked really uncomfortable during my first ever live. Aghh….the struggle was real!) But I also knew that the only way to get better and build my business was to stick with it and keep trying.

Being willing to practice (even when I knew it was less than perfect) improved my confidence and ability. Now, so many things that used to be major stressors are easy and natural. Did I have to push myself? Yes! But I also know that getting comfortable with the uncomfortable is an important part of life (and growth).

The confidence I gained through intuitive eating enabled me to have a strong foundation for getting out of my comfort zone! I already had so many tools for building my confidence, overcoming shame and guilt, and offering myself self-care and compassion (while also growing through uncomfortable changes). All I had to was apply them to my business.

New Vision For My Family We were able to visit the US shortly after Cooper was born, and it was HARD! There is a 12 hour flight and a 9 hour time change from Zurich….and the effort it took to get an infant back into some semblance of regular sleep was extremely challenging. Our time back home with friends and family, however, was more than just a long flight and sleepless nights. It also ignited a new desire in my heart: to raise our kids close to family.

Seeing Cooper held by his grandparents and enjoyed by his cousins, and having a chance to be surrounded by family in a place we had both grown up in….it made me realize that I wanted this for our future. If I could have gotten my whole family to move to Europe with me, I would have brought them all to Zurich! But that wasn’t an option.

Choosing to come back to the US permanently was a huge (and really hard) decision. However, my intuitive eating journey had instilled so much confidence in myself, and in my ability to know my own desires and tap into my own intuition, that I was able to have peace in our decision.

(You can listen in to how living in Switzerland changed my eating habits HERE, and read a short Instagram post on some ways in which food is thought about differently in Europe HERE.)

Tapping Into My Passion Around this time, the yoga studio I taught for went through some changes. As a result, I had to make some decisions about what my priorities were. Ultimately, I chose not to continue teaching. I knew that my true passion was intuitive eating and coaching. Parenting was also bringing about new time constraints….and it ended up making sense to transition away from the studio.

A few months later, I could feel the difference in my body. When I was teaching I was spending an hour or two doing yoga every day. And as much as I had loved that….it was no longer necessary to invest that amount of time doing yoga when I wasn’t teaching (and preparing for teaching).

As I noticed the changes in my body, I evaluated how they made me feel. I could have chosen to go back to practicing more regularly, but at the time, I realized that working on my business and having more family time was what I desired. That came with changes to my physical body, but I was okay with that. Once again, intuitive eating gave me the tools to process who I was, what I desired, and what I wanted to have happening in my life.

Being empowered to prioritize what I most wanted and needed was important to me, and I’m so glad I had those tools at the ready! I’m also glad I didn’t have to feel guilty about my body changing.

Intuitive Eating Tools & Major International Moves Moving internationally is stressful! Jon’s job was in flux, and we had a lot of uncertainty. In addition, we were trying to get in lots of last minute travel and nights out with friends we would be leaving behind.

During this time, I relied heavily on the ability to ask myself:
What do I need today?

Rather than getting into a binge/restrict cycle where I ate heavily for 6 weeks of chaos and then went on some kind of wild cleanse, I was able to tend to my body and her needs throughout the entire transition. Sometimes that meant eating out, and other times that meant enjoying something light at home. It never meant having to restrict myself, though, and I credit my intuitive eating tools with that!

Even so, I still had to go through the process of having compassion for myself as I got into new rhythms after the move.

From finding new workout and meditation classes to looking for a co-working space and finding new friends and connections — moving definitely takes a lot out of you! I truly needed to practice self-care, be gentle with myself, and stay in tune with what I needed on a day-to-day basis.

(I also had to learn all about letting go of restrictions again as we transitioned to US culture!)

Pregnancy #2 & Intuitive Eating I found out we were expecting on the first day of our Covid quarantine. I’ve already done a few episodes on the pregnancy, so we won’t go too deep on that here! (Pregnancy and intuitive eating actually have lots of similarities, which I talked about HERE.)

Some of my biggest takeaways, as an intuitive eater:

• Don’t stress about changing dietary needs. If you can only eat bread and pasta (that happened to me for a bit), then enjoy them! Eventually your taste for other foods will return. Listen to your body, and give her what she needs. (Read about my first trimester eating experience HERE.)

• Get clothes that fit your body for whatever stage she is in. If you’re not feeling ready for maternity clothes quite yet, you can still size up in your favorite jeans. Wearing clothes that feel really good on your body is important, and there’s no need to force yourself into items that are too small, too tight, or too constricting!

• The best thing you can do for yourself is to honor your needs and your body. If she tells you she needs something, do your best to provide it. You might have new hunger and thirst needs, new sleep-related needs, or all manner of other new changes. Check in with yourself often, and do what you can to take care of yourself!

• You might still have difficult body image days. Intuitive eating doesn’t mean everything is easy and perfect all the time. It does, however, give you the tools to process what’s happening.

My Intuitive Eating Journey Wrap-Up Intuitive eating about so much more than just food. It’s a progression of confidence, in both your body and your life. It’s a way of getting to know yourself, your desires, and your patterns. There is so much to learn about who you are, and intuitive eating is a way of honoring that process.

You CAN feel good, find food freedom, and gain total confidence. I promise you that you can take care of yourself in a way that feels right for you; no shame or guilt attached! Intuitive eating is a process and a practice. It can push you out of your comfort zone, but in my experience….it never takes you anywhere that doesn’t ultimately serve your highest good. No diet could ever give you that!

If you want to learn more, quit dieting, or get some support for your own journey — reach out! I’ve been there, and now I’m here for you.

My clients get amazing results, and they report truly finding food freedom by the end our time together. They’re able to enjoy food, be more confident in themselves and their bodies, and consistency use tools that honor their ongoing needs. Intuitive eating works (whatever is happening in your life), and I’d love to see you grow your practice!

Ready? Let’s go!

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Welcome to Part 2 of my intuitive eating journey! We started with my dieting story, and last week I gave you Part 1 of my intuitive eating journey! I’m 7 years in, and I want you to know that intuitive eating can truly work with you in any and every stage of life. (I’ve lived internationally, had major moves, given birth to two children, and started a business….all while eating intuitively!) I’m all about taking care of myself from a place of love, and that’s what I teach my clients to do as well!

If you want to get started, or could use a little refresher, go check out my free, on-demand training. You can ditch the food guilt and body shame and finally feel free around food! Ready? Grab your free training and get started today!

Real Food First With my first program, I wanted women to know they can eat what they want and feel good. At the time, I was focused on whole foods that make you feel good. (Now, I no longer hold to the idea of “real” food. I’ve realized that sort of reframing isn’t really that helpful for women that have been dieters.)

I was cooking a lot, eating a variety of foods, and sharing with others that they can enjoy food! I didn’t sell very many….which was probably a good thing. It was a great learning experience, and also helped me further shape my own vision for what my business would be.

An opportunity to speak to a women’s group (where I shared my dieting story!) boosted my confidence in who I was and what I wanted to really do. That was a huge first step that really helped me grow as a person and leader. One of these days, I hope to be able to speak to in-person groups again…in the meantime, I love that the podcast gives me that opportunity every week!

Intuitive Eating Learning Experiences 6 months into my educational program I was able to start taking on my own clients. My 1:1 practice grew fairly quickly, mostly by word of mouth and via Zurich connections.

During this time, I continued taking good care of myself. (I used to think that dieting was a form of self-care!) Part of that was acupuncture treatments to help me alleviate stress and feel really good. My acupuncturist asked me to create meal plans for clients of hers that were dealing with hormonal imbalances. Something interesting that happened with those clients was that NONE of them finished the 3-week meal plan I crated for them. Why? It was too strict!

Even though it was meant to be healing, the rigidity made it impossible for them to really follow through. Since then, I’ve learned a lot more about using intuitive eating principles, even when dealing with specific dietary needs. (For example, check out Julie Duffy-Dillon’s episode on PCOS, and Susie Garden’s interview on dealing with food intolerances!)

My Intuitive Eating Journey & Pregnancy While we were traveling in Greece, I took a pregnancy test pre-scuba diving….and it was positive! (Needless to say, I didn’t go diving.)

Intuitive eating was really helpful during pregnancy. I was really nauseous, so I was eating more bread than usual. I also had lots of other cravings, and even schedule changes (I HAD to eat within 5 minutes of getting up if I wanted to have a hope of avoiding throwing up).

Rather than feeling guilty about what and how I was eating, I had the freedom to adapt as needed and honor my body’s needs. I also got to practice being curious about my body! I had major heartburn, so I got to consider how I could help myself feel the absolute best. Dairy (which often makes me feel not-so-great) worked better for me when I was pregnant, and my doctor helped me realize that my iron supplement was connected to my severe bloating.

Our bodies are truly amazing, and pregnancy was a chance to really learn more about mine! Intuitive eating allowed me to let go of preconceived notions and pressure, and experience listening to my ever-changing needs.

Quit Dieting for Good My Quit Dieting for Good program came into being in 2016. I worked with a business coach to build out the business side of things, and working with clients helped me see that THIS work is what I truly desired to do.

I gave Real Food First one more go around….but I knew quickly that it was time to retire it for good. My intuitive eating journey has been a pivotal part of both my personal life and by business, which has been such a fun journey!

Now, Quit Dieting for Good is almost at its 5 year anniversary! I’ve continued to grow and develop my programs and coaching, but the heart has stayed the same: a passion for body confidence and food freedom that is accessible to all women!

Intuitive Eating & Post-Partum Bodies Being post-partum made me realize that I had more body image work to do!

I had gained weight during pregnancy, and when I didn’t lose it all quickly after giving birth I was upset. After all, I had taught yoga the whole time, AND I had given birth early (Cooper was pre-mature). It seemed like things should have “snapped back”…and my intuitive eating journey involved diving deeply into everything that came along with those assumptions.

I had to dive deep into body image, especially postpartum body image. I learned so much, and really appreciate that experience. It truly helped me grow as both a person and coach. (Jenn Green and I talk all about post-partum mindset on her amazing interview, and Brittany Woodard shares all about post-partum body confidence in her episode!)

During this time, I purchased new pants that actually, really fit my post-partum body. (Good quality pants!) I also had an incident where I broke down crying pre-event because I went to get dressed and my clothes didn’t fit right! There are so many ups and downs (and hormones!) post-partum, and the self-care portion of my intuitive eating journey played a large role in my experience.

Also, my second time around with the post-partum experience, I got a therapist in advance. I knew I was going to want the extra support, and I opted to arrange for that in advance (rather than waiting for things to get bad). My first time around was hard, and I wanted to give myself some extra love and support by taking care of my needs in advance.

Getting Support in Every Area After realizing that motherhood had been a bit of a rough transition, I decided to invest in a life coach for new moms. She worked with women to help them shift their mindset around mothering, and it sounded like exactly what I needed. I missed my freedom, my hour and a half morning routine that was clearly not going to work with an infant, and the ability to sleep all night.

Working with her, I learned more about setting boundaries, self-care, and building feel-good routines (even with children in the house). Reaching out for and then investing in support for a need I had was a big step in my personal journey! At the same time, I brought on a business coach to help with my business growth.

Since my own program depends on women being willing to get professional help for needs in their lives, I think it’s important for me to do the same! Even though I could have tried to figure out motherhood while also growing my business on my own….getting support made the process so much better for me, my family, and my business!

Investing in support is also a means of taking care of my whole self, which I love helping my own clients do as well! Next week I’ll talk more about ways I’ve continued to do that throughout my intuitive eating journey.

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Last week I shared my own dieting story! This week, I want to share more about my intuitive eating journey. I especially want to share about the beginning phases; I’m spilling all the details! My intuitive eating journey spans two babies, an international move, starting a business and more. It has changed, grown, and come right along with me through it all. That’s one of the reasons I often remind people that intuitive eating is extremely sustainable! (Not always easy….but definitely sustainable.) Like any other self-discovery journey, there are good days and bad. Intuitive eating, however, remains the best way I’ve found to live my fullest life!

Real quick: The Quit Dieting for Good program is open! I’ve been running it over 4 years now, and it’s changed the lives of so many participants. You’re invited to join us at any time. You can learn more HERE. This is for anyone — women who have already been on the journey solo, and women who are getting started!

2014: The Start of My Intuitive Eating Journey In May of that year, I was sick of dieting. My husband and I had a ton of upcoming travel plans, and I wanted to be able to do it all and enjoy it! That meant I had to be able to eat sustainably (not binge on vacation and come home and do yet another juice fast).

After a bit of looking, I came across an intuitive eating course and gave it a shot. As a result, I started to see it was possible to enjoy food and love my body without restrictions.

An early experience I remember was having dinner and dessert with a friend, and then meeting up with other friends for drinks. There was a dessert at the table, and I was offered some. If you know me at all, you know I LOVE dessert. Normally I would have been all about it….but because of intuitive eating I realized I legitimately didn’t want more dessert in that moment. I was satisfied with what I had already had, and I just wanted to enjoy champagne with my friends. So I passed….something I would have never done before my intuitive eating journey.

I also noticed that when I went out with my husband to an Italian place, I ordered pasta and enjoyed half of it. Not because I felt like I “had” to restrict anything, but because I felt full and was done.

The Daily Bread During this time, I also started to enjoy a local bakery that I had avoided my entire first year in Switzerland! They were literally called The Daily Bread (in French), and obviously their main trade was bread. During my dieting years I had thought of bread as “bad” and was used to not allowing myself to enjoy it.

My intuitive eating journey helped me come to realize that I can absolutely enjoy bread in a way that feels good for me and my body. No rules necessary! Little changes like this opened my eyes to just how restricted and guilt ridden I had been for SO long!

My intuitive eating journey also gave me newfound confidence in myself and my intuition. Once I started trusting myself around food, I realized I could trust myself in other areas as well. It felt so good! In fact, I started literally standing taller. (A man in my yoga teacher training commented on it because he noticed the change in me.) Even though nothing major had changed about me and my body, my confidence and energy did change….and it changed how I stood and moved through the world.

Sensitivity & Eating Rules Part of intuitive eating is about eating foods that feel right for your body. I was eating to fuel myself, and losing the guilt and shame that had long been wrapped up in food choices.

Around this time, a number of people I knew were taking food sensitivity tests. Since I wanted to give my body the best and nourish her well, it seemed like a good choice, so I took one too. Although I took it from the right place….it also messed with my mind a little bit!

The test said I was highly sensitive to eggs, pineapple, oats, gluten, and dairy. Because of that, I started almost cutting them out completely. I was pretty hard core (something I had done before with Whole 30). It was hard! Shortly after, I went back to the US for a wedding, and got a lot of comments about my weight loss. I told them about intuitive eating and yoga teacher training….and also my food insensitivity testing.

In retrospect, I was still pretty steeped in diet culture. I was really excited my weight loss, and I was also still weighing myself pretty often. My worth was still too tied to the number on the scale, and I was more impacted by “rules” and restrictions than I realized.

Eventually, I started to experiment more with “sensitivities”. What I learned from my body was that many of those foods were just fine in my body. (I have a friend who is a dietitian who has also shed a lot of light for how inaccurate they are!) Following my intuition and listening to my body was more accurate than the tests.

2015: The Artist’s Way My early intuitive eating journey had a lot of connections to feeling good in my body. I was able to move, enjoy foods that tasted good, travel, and otherwise practice self-care. (Because of our international move I still wasn’t cleared for working, so I had lots of time for all that!)

I also discovered The Artist’s Way (by Julia Cameron). It’s a 12 week program in the form of workbook and daily exercises, like Morning Pages. Every morning, first thing, you’re encouraged to write in order to bring out things you might not have been fully aware of. If you do it consistently, you really learn a lot about yourself!

You’re also encouraged to do a weekly Artist’s Date. This could be anything enjoyable you wanted to do with yourself. It might be a walk in the park, a trip to a museum, or anything that might strike your fancy. (I did a whole episode on how to date yourself!) Learning to enjoy your company increases your self-confidence, which is amazing! I believe some of these practices gave me the self-awareness to know I wanted to be a health coach, and the confidence to pursue it.

Getting Pleasure From Food With a few free days that fall, I was able to go to small hotel for a personal getaway. During that time, in addition to practicing tons of self-care, I was also reading French Women Don’t Get Fat. NOTE: Some of this is still a part of diet culture. However, it also focuses on learning how to get pleasure from food. One of the practices she suggested was sitting with your food with no other distractions. I LOVE that practice, and recommend my clients try it as well. (However, I do NOT recommend the “leek cleanse”!)

I found myself getting more satisfaction from my food, and also being more aware of what it felt like when my body was full.

My Morning Pages, self-care, and experiences of food as pleasure all led me towards the next part of my intuitive eating journey: becoming a health coach! I found the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), made some calls, asked my questions, and enrolled!

While I loved the program, I would note that they also teach you about all the diets on the market. Although it was a holistic approach that focused on how unique each person is, it was still sometimes tempting to try to the various diets we learned about it. And of course, many of those diets focused on weight loss, which is almost always a topic of interest when discussing food plans and diets.

In spite of some of the diet-focus, I did enjoy the program and all that I learned. (I’m also glad I continued my own intuitive eating education beyond that, however!)

Real Food First My first coaching offer was a 4-week meal plan called Real Food First. However….in retrospect I realized that Real Food First was based on the end of my intuitive eating journey, not the beginning!

I didn’t quite have the confidence to teach and share about the process, and meal plans felt a lot safer. Now, however, I love working with women on the process part of their own intuitive eating journeys. Although I’m glad that I took the chance to start something new, I’m also really glad that I pivoted into my true passion: intuitive eating!

Stay tuned to learn more about that part of my intuitive eating journey has unfolded next week!

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I’m re-airing my first ever Quit Dieting for Good episode today! This one is all about my dieting story. It’s a reminder I’ve been where you are; I dieted for 15 years! It is completely possible to begin intuitive eating at any time in your life, no matter how long you’ve been a dieter.

I would love to help you apply intuitive eating principles to your life! Although I haven’t accepted one-on-one clients for awhile, I have a few openings now since I’m coming back from maternity leave. If you’ve been thinking about trying intuitive eating out, I’d love to connect with you and see if coaching might be the perfect next step. You can apply HERE.

7 Years of Intuitive Eating I started my own intuitive eating journey in May 2014! I love intuitive eating, and have no plans to do anything else. Since this episode about my dieting story aired (115 episodes ago!), I’ve continued to grow my practice. Here’s a quick update on that before we rewind all the way back to my dieting days.

Something I especially appreciate about this way of living is that it can transition with you through any age and stage. I’ve lived in two countries, gone through two pregnancies and births, and started a business — and intuitive eating has been part of my life through it all! The way I eat has changed over the years, because my body and life have changed. Intuitive eating has been a source of freedom and joy as I’ve navigated other parts of my life (through the ups and the downs).

I’ve also found I’m passionate about teaching others about intuitive eating because it WORKS. It’s sustainable, it feels good, and it allows you to practice daily self-care. It’s the honest truth: there’s no reason you have to stay stuck in the dieting trap (even though it’s January!). You get to build the life you want, and you don’t have to diet to do it. Instead, you can learn about body confidence, self-care, loving yourself, and being free.

Intuitive eating has served me well these last seven years, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!

A Few Updates Since Ep. #1! If this is our first time meeting, I’m Caitlin Ball! I’m married to an awesome guy, and we now have two adorable kids together. (If you’re a sucker for baby pics, you can see the newest little guy here.) At the time I first recorded this Cooper was just 19 months old, so our family has been growing! Also, since this episode Jon and I have moved back to the San Francisco area. As much I treasured our time in Switzerland, it’s wonderful to back near our friends and families.

I have continued to work as a Health & Lifestyle Coach. In a nutshell, I help women learn to quit dieting and gain confidence in their bodies and selves. That includes 1-1 coaching, as well as a group coaching program called Quit Dieting for Good.

My hobbies include yoga, baking, paint-by-numbers, and learning more about eco-friendly living. My favorite snack is chocolate – I don’t let a day go by without indulging! (Side note: the grocery store chocolate in Switzerland is better than any chocolate I’ve ever had in the US. It’s insane!)

My Dieting Story I’ve always loved food! My grandpa used to tell this story that as a baby I would cry between bites of food because no one could feed me fast enough. Today, I still dream about food and love getting excited about my next meal.

However….I also experienced a lot of discomfort in my body. I grew a lot faster than most other girls my age, which created an obvious size gap. In fact, in grade school pictures I was always placed next to the biggest guy in our class (who went on to become an NFL linebacker). On top of that, I was a little socially awkward. I was good at school, less so with the social stuff!

By middle school, I started to think I was too chubby. Reading the magazines and seeing what others did inspired me to think I should start losing weight. My mom (who used to be a WW consultant) taught me how to count points. That summer, I lost 8 pounds. I was thrilled to show up for picture day with a new, slimmer face. The rush of confidence I felt about my weight loss felt so good.

Starting the Yo-Yo Cycle Back at school, I gave up my dieting. I had slumber parties to go to, and pizza to enjoy! As you can probably guess…I gained back all the weight I had been so proud to lose.

Even when I wasn’t officially dieting, calorie counting became a constant weight on my mind as well. Even when I was eating something I wanted to eat, I would feel tremendous guilt about eating things I knew I “shouldn’t” be eating. Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches became my passion…even though I had to eat 2-3 to be satisfied.

Now, I realize that I was actually craving confidence. I had been uncomfortable in my body, and I wanted to be more social and confident like the girls I admired. In my mind, starting a new diet and losing weight was going to position me to look better and feel good about myself.

Through high school my friends and I frequently dieted together. We’d restrict ourselves to look great for the next dance or school event….then binge on all our favorite foods as soon as it was over. We also started getting interested in boys…which led to my first boyfriend!

Weight Loss & Approval Once I started hanging out with my boyfriend all the time, I was no longer using food to comfort and distract me. (I was having so much FUN!) Initially, that resulted in a lot of natural weight loss. My boyfriend’s mom owned a high fashion clothing store, and on a trip to LA once she had me try on some of the clothes. I was the smallest I had ever been….but I couldn’t fit into a lot of them. When we left, she said “Now you know what you need to work towards.”

As I got more comfortable and settled into my new normal, however, I gradually put that weight back on. Unfortunately, his mom noticed, and she was not thrilled about it. She walked in on us eating ice cream once, squeezed my leg, and said “Caitlin! You’re going to get fat!” Once, in front of his whole family, his mom told his aunt not to pressure me to try a donut because I needed to lose weight. Agh!

If you’ve had someone in your life offering you that sort of “advice” or feedback, I feel your pain! That sort of thing really gets into your head, and it doesn’t feel good.

As I progressed through college, I went through cycles of partying, having tons of fun, and gaining weight….then going home for summer, dieting hard, and trying to return thinner than ever. In fact, I once got a terrible stomach bug over the summer and ended up thinking of it as “the jump start” my body needed because it resulted in me losing 7 pounds.

Loss and Comfort Food Losing my mom to breast cancer was tremendously hard, and I turned quickly to food to deal with the pain. Between the eating and the partying, I gained any weight I might have lost, sending me back into the restricting/binging cycle typical of all diets. Looking back now, I can see that I was seeking comfort. At the time, however, it seemed like just eating.

My first “break” from the dieting mentally came when I went abroad after college. I decided I wasn’t going to calorie count or restrict myself, and that I could eat whatever I wanted. This was kind of like the first step of intuitive eating, except I wasn’t doing any internal work alongside it!

Pair that with the stressors of being in a new country, observing the anniversary of my mom’s death far away from my family, and general struggles feeling comfortable with who I was….and you have a recipe for eating as a form of comfort and relief. When my family visited me for Christmas, my brother was immediately concerned for me.

Up-Leveling My Dieting Game I realized I hadn’t been taking care of myself very well, and I wanted to change. So…back to dieting! I started using My Fitness Pal and attending spin classes. Eating “healthy” became an obsession, and I was constantly pushing myself to eat “right”. (Although Sundays were all about enjoying and overindulging since I knew I would be back to restricting on Mondays. You’re probably familiar with that cycle!)

I didn’t yet know how to stop counting calories and enjoy eating!

I tried running (and ran my probably-only-ever half marathon), and got into the smoothie cleanse trend. My friends and I were all doing a lot of the same things; eating “good” food, working out, counting calories and following trends.

And then…

I started a baking blog! Even though I was giving away as much of it as I could, it was a struggle because the comfort of baking made me think of my mom.

New Ways of Thinking About Food When I was dating my (now) husband, I remember thinking it was crazy he would quit eating with food on his plate. He’d have a few bites left and just…stop eating.

When I questioned him he shrugged and said he just wasn’t hungry anymore. Having grown up in a family that insisted you don’t waste food and always cleaned your plate, that was crazy to me! (Plus, it just didn’t make sense with the dieting story I had believed for so long.) Now I realize that Jon was just already practicing intuitive eating principles; when he was full, he stopped eating.

As I prepped for my wedding, I was working hard to lose weight. I tried a yoga retreat and working out 2 hours a day and all sorts of other things. Ultimately, I settled on doing Whole 30, which ended up being my last major diet! It also taught me that my body doesn’t really love dairy, which I discovered when I reintroduced it.

Enjoying My Food & Eating for My Body Post-wedding, we headed back to Switzerland and I started yoga teacher training. I realized pretty quickly that I had to eat appropriately to have enough energy to get through the long days. I also realized that yoga training and dairy weren’t going to be a great fit for me, for reasons you can guess!

It was the first time in my life I started eating for my body, which was crazy! Around that time, I also came across an intuitive eating class. It was perfect timing, and I dove in headfirst.

I started eating food that felt good for my body.

Vegetables and lighter foods became something that I chose because I wanted them.

Sweets were something I could indulge in with joy and pleasure – no more guilt.

Eating more food when I already felt full didn’t work for me anymore.

Dieting no longer seemed like the key to feeling good in my body.

My emotions were something I could talk about and journal through, rather than eat.

Body acceptance became real and possible; not something other people were able to do that I could never attain.

Practicing yoga became about doing yoga and feeling strong, rather than losing weight or changing my body. (Yay for intuitive movement!)

My {Real} Dieting Story Dieting does NOT work.

Intuitive eating is powerful because you get to incorporate everything: your body, mind, emotions, and full self. You get to practice self-care, love yourself without guilt or shame, and grow in confidence and acceptance of who you are.

Now that I’ve experience this, I can say with confidence that my dieting story has come to an end. I’m free from that, and I’m here to say that you can gain that same freedom yourself!

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Happy New Year! This is often the season for New Year’s resolutions…and all too often people start looking for fad diets as a result. I’m here to tell you you don’t have to do that! There are so many amazing things you can do for your body, your life, and your health that do NOT require dieting. Today, we’ll talk about five of them!

Just a reminder, you can access my on-demand training, How to Ditch Food Guild and Body Shame to Gain Confidence and Feel Free, for FREE! This framework sets you up for New Year’s resolutions that will help you start enjoying food and feeling good in your body. It’s actionable and fun, and you can start now! (Also, if you’re looking for more support, I’ve re-opened my 1-1 coaching container and Quit Dieting for Good group program! You can check that out HERE, or apply now!)

5 Healthy New Year’s Resolutions Better Than Dieting Tip #1: Get The Support You Need This isn’t isolated to health coaching! I’m talking about kind of specialized support that might make your life easier, more enjoyable, more balanced, or less stressful. For myself, that includes a weekly session with my therapist. I specifically reached out to someone because I knew having a new baby + all that transitioning was going to be tough! Being proactive in seeking support was a really good decision for me.

In the past I’ve had business and life coaches. Right now, I’m getting a lot of help from my mother-in-law with childcare. I also have friends and other family members I know I can call to vent, chat, or get support.

Are there areas of your life you could use some support? That could mean a therapist, a trainer for support and accountability, asking family or friends for help with childcare and transportation, or anything else.

Something else to think about: If you’re really struggling with the temptation to diet right now, you probably have something else (beyond just food!) that you could use some support with. Past trauma, body confidence, self-image, anxiety/stress – all of these (and more!) can equate to reasons you might be struggling with eating. Rather than start another diet to try and control your food intake….what if you worked with someone who could help you address the real problems instead? That sounds like a healthy resolution!

Tip #2: Move How You WANT to Move In addition to diet talk, New Year’s resolutions lead to lots of conversations about working out and moving your body. That can be exciting…or sound really terrible, depending on what movement has been like for you in the past.

Do I feel better when I move my body? YES! But I don’t do it to burn calories, lose weight, or “punish” myself for not looking a certain way. Instead, I find a form of movement I actually enjoy. Then, I choose to engage in that from a place of joy and celebration. I do movement that I like to do, and it makes such a difference in how it feels!

Also, don’t forget to consider how movement makes you feel afterwards. There are some forms of movement that I don’t always love “starting”…but I feel amazing when I’m done. I’ll still do those, because it’s worth it (even if I have to push myself a little to get started). On the other side of that: there used to be a class I dreaded going to…and afterwards I was always sore, tried, and frustrated. That is NOT worth it to me!

Now, more than ever, you can access all sorts of classes with people you might not have ever been able to learn from. Online fitness classes, including live opportunities with celebrities and pros, are super common as a result of Covid. You might find a new favorite exercise you would have never considered in the past, especially if you’re willing to reframe fitness. Let 2021 be the year you enjoy movement.

Tip #3: Let Go of Old Food Stories & Restrictions I used to make food-based rules, like: “Monday I won’t eat any chocolate.” These little food stories (like not eating carbs, not eating after 7pm, avoiding sugar, or only being vegetarian) can really weigh us down.

We constantly hear that some foods are “bad”, or that others are “good”, and we can get really wrapped up in those stories! (Then we use them to make rules and start restricting.) What if you just let those go, and you tried eating things that taste good and make you feel good?

You might really really like a tasty treat that you have a “rule” about…and you’ll end up binging/overeating on something else instead of just enjoying what you actually desire. Trust yourself, and your body, to let go of restrictions and enjoy a variety of foods!

Food is food. Young kids eat a variety of foods, with no stress, because they don’t have any rules or food stories yet. You can get back to that place too, and you certainly won’t get there with another diet!

Tip #4: Do Different Enjoyable Things Daily This is a form of self-care! I firmly believe that one of the best forms of self-care is to do things that you love daily.

For example, one of the best parts of my year in 2020 was working on my paint-by-number every day. It brought me SO much joy! I’d listen to music or podcasts (or just my own thoughts), and it was a personal “me time” hobby I loved. Doing something for yourself that you can enjoy is powerful — and it’s a really easy way to honor your self.

Daily joys can include food, like treating yourself to a latte or your favorite baked good. It could also mean watching a show you love, calling your mom, taking a starlit walk around the block, visiting the pet store, painting your nails, or anything else that lights you up.

Being happy helps you be healthy. Mental and emotional health are just as important as your physical body and its health — adding daily joys helps you tap into that! If all your current New Year’s resolutions are serious, I’d encourage you to mix it up with FUN!

Tip #5: Work On Your Relationships & Connections A lack of relationships, or too much stress and conflict within your relationships, can really take a toll on your health. Even if it feels overwhelming, I’d encourage you to look for ways to build stronger relationships in 2021.

This last year I’ve made it a priority to have a weekly phone date with a friend. I found that Zoom calls with big groups just didn’t work for me (I miss the side conversations too much!) Instead of just missing out, I made it my mission to connect 1-1 or in smaller groups online or via the phone. You might set up a phone date with your sister/mom/cousin/bestie, or set up a virtual coffee chat with a new connection from a local FB group.

If you have a partner, you could also take inventory of how that relationship is going for you. Could you spend more time together? Are you encouraging and supporting one another? Are there conversations you need to have? Do what you can to make this important relationship a source of pleasure and health!

No Food Restrictions Required in 2021 There is so much more to health than the way you’re eating!

Rather than creating yet another new year’s resolutions based on the diet industry, what is one thing you can focus on that will improve your health and take the emphasis away from food? Choose one thing and start practicing! Once it’s going well, feel free to add in something else. (Don’t be tempted to do all the things….that’s a recipe for overwhelm!)

If you’re done feeling guilty about food, shaming your body, and struggling with food….I’m here for you! Head HERE to apply to work with me; we’ll hop on a call and talk about what’s going on in your life, and how I can help.

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The big question I’ll be discussing today is this: How do I practice body acceptance if I still really want to lose weight?

It’s a great question because when you learn about intuitive eating, you read you are supposed to accept your body as it is right now. But what if you don’t feel good in your body right now? How can you accept that? And isn’t it easier to make change if you don’t just accept what is? These questions, and more, are common. So if you’ve been wondering about any of them, you’re not alone. Let’s talk about it!

Also, just a reminder that you can access my free training on demand: How to Ditch the Guilt and Body Shame to Gain Confidence and Feel Free! If you’re already dreading a new round of dieting, body shame, and weight loss guilt…this is perfect for you!

What Body Acceptance Really Means What can you do about your desire to lose weight while you’re also learning to eat intuitively? Does body acceptance mean you can never want to change anything about your body ever again?

First off, I want you to know that accepting your body as it is right now does not mean that you are giving up on health. It’s also not about giving up on feeling better in your body! What body acceptance really means is that you are giving up the fixation or obsession you have with trying to change your weight.

You accept your current weight as it is. You accept that this is where you are at right now. And from that acceptance, you start on a journey to learn how to feel the best you possibly can in your body and mind. Body acceptance lets you embark on that journey from a place and self care, rather than from a place of shame and guilt that pushes you to “punish” yourself for not being the way you think you should be.

An Example of Acceptance Let’s use accounting as an example. Maybe you never learned it in school, but now you’re a business owner (or just an adult trying to get your budget together!), and you’re frustrated because you feel like you don’t “get it”.

You want to be able to use accounting and understand your financials, but you’re clearly not fully equipped to do so. The best way to get started is to accept the fact that you don’t know what you need to do. Boom. No need to shame yourself for not knowing it all and being a pro. Instead, you just accept and understand that you don’t know it yet. You know you can find a way to learn, and being honest about your current lack is a good thing – it means you’re ready to get started!

Once you’ve identified the problem, you might decide that you’d like to learn how to do accounting for your business and personal needs. You could sign up for an accounting course to learn the skills you need. It will take practice, but eventually, accounting will become second nature to you. Once that happens, you can do your own accounting! You never had to feel ashamed or guilty. There was no need to put yourself down or shame yourself for not knowing something. You could accept where you were, and still start the journey towards growth.

The Acceptance of Your Body Weight Now let’s go back to your body weight, and the idea of accepting it as it is right now. First, you have to gain some knowledge and understanding of what your body does for you (it’s amazing!). You’ll also want to consider what might not be working the best, since every body is unique. Then, you get to take action.

This action is a combination of accepting your weight for what it is and treating your body with love and kindness. This enables you to feel better in your body, as well as about your body. It also translates to positive outcomes physically, mentally, and emotionally. Nice!

Key Points of Body Acceptance ONE: Your body has a set point in weight. Just like you have a shoe size, just like you have an eye color, you were born with a weight that works well for your body. If you are constantly trying to be under that weight, you will forever be eating less than your body wants and needs. Your set point has a range that it likes to stay within. Think about the oven.

When you set the oven to 350 F, the temperature will fluctuate from 320-380 throughout the time that you are cooking. (Surprise! It doesn’t stay exactly at 350 the whole time, even though it’s filled with sensors and other tech.) When it hits 320, the heat turns back up again. When it hits 380, it stops adding heat to the oven so it can cool a bit. This is similar to your weight.

If you are regularly eating an amount of food that your body needs and you’re moving your body, scientists predict that your weight will most likely fluctuate 10-20 pounds. (Why isn’t this ever talked about?!)

This is a key point to understand so you can accept weight fluctuations as being a normal part of your body. Those weight fluctuations can be due to what you’ve eaten, water retention, menstruation, medications you may be on, and a whole slew of other reasons. What can you do? Throw out the scale and buy different size pants for different days, and just keep eating normally!

TWO: Fat is not “bad” and thin is not “good” (or vice versa). Also, it’s important to understand that thin does not equal “happy”.

Is every thin person happy? No! Unfortunately our society has put being thin on a pedestal. But even this has fluctuated over time! A while back, being fat proved your wealth, which was a good thing.

Our expectations around weight have actually fluctuated and changed with every trend. Look around: thick eyebrows are in now, but thin eyebrows used to be popular. Permed hair was huge in the 80’s, and we’ve seen trends for straight hair, wavy hair, crimped hair, and everything else. Big butts are taking the place of big boobs, with a whole movement around removing breast implants.

How the heck are you supposed to keep up with it all? The point is, you can’t (and you shouldn’t feel like you have to)! Our body shape and size is the same way. Whether you fit whatever trend happens to be “in” right now or not….you shouldn’t be forcing your body to attain an ideal it wasn’t meant for. Especially when that ideal is based on nothing more than a passing fad!

You have to realize that your body wants to weigh what it wants to weigh – it has a natural set point. If you’re always trying to make it be something its not, you are going to forever be at war with your body. Learning to accept that your body has a certain size, just like you accept that you have a shoe size (and you buy shoes in that size) is key!

THREE: Fat does not automatically equate to being “unhealthy”. A naturally thin person with unhealthy habits is definitely not as healthy as a naturally larger bodied person that has healthy habits. You literally cannot look at someone and know anything about the true state of their health just because you are observing their physical size.

Our culture is so focused on this lie that fat = unhealthy. In reality, the shame that fat people feel for being fat is worse for their health than the fat itself. The healthiest decision you can make about fat is to stop shaming yourself, and stop shaming other people.

FOUR: Body size does not define worth. The last thing I want to remind you, because I know you know this is true, is that your body size does not define your worth. When you move this knowledge past the surface level and really feel it, it can change so much about how you perceive yourself!

You are worthy. No matter what you look like, how much you weigh, how much money you have, or how well you fit societies mold (or don’t) – you are worthy. So many of have a hard time with this one, because a part of ourselves is clinging to the idea that if we lost weight, or made more money, that we’d be more loved, seen, accepted, wanted, or worthy. It’s just not true. You are absolutely worthy just the way you are.

Take a moment to think about all the wonderful inner traits you possess that are so uniquely you. The way your mind works, the things you love to do, the way you treat others, the passion you hold, the abilities you have. There is SOOO much more to you than your weight or body shape!

Get to know yourself! Spend time with yourself. Ask yourself what you want to do on a regular basis. Ask yourself how you’d like to be treated. The more you can get to know, honor, and appreciate your true self, the easier it will be to treat yourself kindly and accept your body exactly as it is.

Body Acceptance Actions to Take Today 1. Stop weighing yourself. You know now that this number means nothing, so why potentially trigger yourself with old thinking patterns by stepping on the scale? Just so you also know, you can usually refuse to be weighed at the doctors office (ask them why they need it), or turn around and not look at the scale if it’s a must.

2. Move your body in a way that feels joyful. You’ve probably worked out as a form of punishment to make your body look a certain way. Most of us have at some point! Once you stop punishing your body, you can start moving her just because she is a body that likes some sort of movement! Turn on your favorite podcast and go for a walk. Turn on your favorite songs and dance. Go exploring your neighborhood on foot. Walk to the lake and get an ice cream cone on the way!

1. Start feeding your body what it wants and needs. Allow yourself to have food that you desire. Feed your body food that provides nutrients and energy that will allow your body to function. Eat regularly and eat an amount that your body needs, depending on the day. I know this part is easier said than done, but it feels so good once it becomes a practice.

2. Stop making comments about your body or other people’s bodies. You may not even notice the little comments you are making. Things like: “Ugh, I’ve gained so much weight.” Or, “Wow did you see how big she is now?”, and even “Sorry, don’t mind me and my pimply face/” On and on it goes! You don’t have to apologize for your body; if someone else is offended by something, it’s their own problem.

You also don’t need to compliment other people’s weight loss. Pointing it out might bedetrimental to them in a way you don’t realize, and you’re just adding more weight stigma to the world. Any comments about weight are just unnecessary.

1. Start living exactly as you would if you were in your dream body. If you’ve ever held back from dating, swimming, wearing a red dress, traveling the world, riding a roller coaster — if you held back from doing anything simply because you were waiting to be in the perfect body – go do it now! Find out if you are holding back, and if you are, go out and do the thing you’ve been withholding from yourself!

But What About the Desire to Lose Weight? So what do you do with the desire to lose weight?

You can’t just drop a desire that has been engrained in you for years! So yes, the desire to lose weight can still be in your mind, even as you begin to practice body acceptance. Let it be in your mind, but, as one of my clients said, “Put it on a shelf”.

You have to power to take the desire and “shelve it”, rather than letting it sit front and center for you to think about every single day. When you put the desire to lose weight on a shelf, you allow yourself to focus on taking care of your whole self in a loving way, instead of punishing yourself to change.

In place of that obsession about losing weight, find something else to add in. Maybe more fun! Add in more self-care! Add in more vegetables! Try some formerly restricted foods! Add in more movement!

You CAN accept your body while still having the desire to lose weight. The only stipulation is that the desire to lose weight can no longer be top priority. It can’t be the “thing” that fuels you. After months or years of practicing body acceptance, the desire to lose weight will go away on its own. You won’t even have to force it out.

Think of it like a friendship that would be very difficult to cut off completely (for example, someone you may still have to see in a group setting). Instead of a big dramatic break up, you could just slowly turn down offers to hang out, and slowly stop answering their calls and texts. Eventually, they’ll just stop trying to remain in contact at all (except for maybe a few times a year, at which point you are free to politely decline).

The desire to lose weight might try to come back into your life, but once you know better, you can simply decline the invitation. Instead, you can rest in the knowledge that your body has found its happy weight. Once your inner self has finally found peace, you’ll realize weight loss never meant what you thought it meant (acceptance, belonging, peace, contentment, happiness, self-love)

Are you ready to accept your body and stop prioritizing weight loss? I hope so! If you’re ready to take action now, you might head over to Episode #16 – 3 Tangible Ways to Love Your Body.

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Jenn Green is a body acceptance movement and mindset coach for Mamas. That includes post-partum mindset! She helps us get strong while unlearning everything we’ve been taught about our bodies not being “good enough”. In our awesome interview, we discuss what you need to be doing post-birth (instead of trying to get your pre-baby body back). Hint: It’s all about self-love and personhood! Jenn also shares tips on how to build strength without focusing on losing weight.

New to intuitive eating, or just want to work on increasing your own self-love? You can check out my FREE training here! It’s called: How to Ditch the Food Guilt + Body Shame to Gain Confidence and Feel Free. In it, I’ll walk you through four steps that will move you towards feeling like your best self again! No need for any crazy detoxes or restrictive diets….just plenty of self-love and self-care.

Helping Mamas in a Body Positive Way Jenn shares that she works with mamas on both movement and mindset! She got her start with strength work, and for quite a while she fully focused on that.

Over time, however, she found that mindset stuff was getting in the way. Her clients would express a desire to get back to feeling good physically…but they kept circling back to the number on the scale. No matter how much Jenn tried to de-prioritize weight, it was a clear and constant issue. A few years in, she realized mindset work had to be part of what she was doing in order to help women overcome the weight preoccupation and focus on self-love and movement.

Having grown up as a dancer and worked as an actress, Jenn knows all about body pressure. She’d auditioned for roles that came with stipulations like “lose 15 pounds”, and she’d seen her body through the lens of dance expectations for as long as she could remember. Getting pregnant, however, changed everything.

Amazing (But Not Always Fun) Body Changes What your body does during pregnancy is amazing. Also, if we’re being honest, it’s not that fun sometimes! (Even though lots of people love to talk about the miracle of life and how amazing women’s bodies are….it’s still okay to not love or enjoy everything that’s happening!)

Pregnant women often get a lot of praise while they are pregnant…and immediate expectation to lose weight and “snap back” very quickly afterwards. It’s stressful and unfair! One minute you’re getting compliments on your glowing skin and luxurious hair, the next you’re getting major side eye because you’re not wearing pre-pregnancy jeans yet.

Mamas get caught in the middle, and it just adds one more thing to the post-partum mindset mix. Agghhh!

Jenn feels like the whole pregnancy experience gave her more insight into her body. It also left her feeling like some things about her body were foreign to her. She found that, post-pregnancy, she had to get to know her body once again. Most mamas are in the same boat!

She notes that for many women, getting our “bodies back” can feel like tangible growth. This can feel really good when we are seeking some form of post-partum normalcy. After all, there are so many new challenges and experiences once you bring a baby home! It’s natural to want our bodies to quickly revert back to how we remember them being – it feels comfortable and safe in a world that is often stressful and chaotic.

It’s often not the most helpful place to focus though.

What if You Got Your Identity Back Instead? Jenn encourages women to focus on identity rather than body.

During the act of caring for a child, we sometimes forget that we love to curl up with a book and tea. Or that we deeply enjoy yoga class. Or that we need a night out with the girls (or with our partners) to stay joyful!

Moving our bodies still has a place in all this. But instead of doing it as punishment, or to force ourselves to quickly bounce back, we can do it from a place of love.

Rather than obsessing over food and exercise in an attempt to make our bodies “look right”, what if we put some energy into being our fullest selves? There may be things we need to mourn and let go of, but there are also things that we may be able to add. What parts of yourself can you celebrate and encourage? What would it look like if you took your focus off your body, and placed it on your life?

Hormonal Changes are Normal As women who are dealing with post-partum mindset, we’ve all gone through another major hormonal change: puberty. Jenn points out that we don’t sit around wishing for our 10-year-old body back. Why? Because we get that puberty means big changes, and there is no going back! It’s part of the experience of living.

As we age and grow, we constantly shift and change. For some reason, something about pregnancy makes us think we need to rewind time and get “that” body back. But just like a 20 year old would seem strange in a 14 year old body that doesn’t reflect her individual growth and journey….you would seem strange in some fantasy, pre-pregnancy body that doesn’t reflect your journey to motherhood.

Of course your body is different now. It’s supposed to be!

You can still be strong in your body, achieve our goals, and live your fullest, best life! You can do that now, in your body.

Jenn also notes that, post-partum, many women are using weight loss as a way to gain acceptance and love. We want to be seen as full people, and we often think if we “improve” our physical appearance we can achieve that more quickly! But honestly, the increased pressure we put on ourselves to look a certain way doesn’t serve us at all.

I remember that after my first child, little things like going out to breakfast alone helped me feel like a full person again. I needed that! Losing weight or wearing my old jeans again wasn’t what my soul actually desired (even though it sometimes seemed like an easy fix) — and over-focusing on those things wouldn’t have done anything for me.

Boundaries Are Gifts In a toxic relationship, you know you have to build boundaries to keep yourself sane. And NOT that your kids are toxic…but you CAN teach them, by example, what it looks like to set boundaries.

If you need space, you can create that for yourself. If you can’t play with them because you need to take a walk or take a break or take a breath, you can do that!

Jenn noted that she’ll tell her son, “I just need a break right now.” when she needs space. Now her son uses that line too! He’ll let her know that he needs a break from a conversation or situation, which is wonderful! He’s empowered by her empowerment — and they are both better off for it.

A huge part of building a positive post-partum mindset is building your own identity! That doesn’t have to have anything to do with your body or weight. Instead, it can be all about engaging in the things you love, and maintaining a strong sense of self-hood. How awesome!

Working On Strength (Without Focusing on Weight Loss) Regular post-partum mindset can be SO weight focused….and it can make it hard to engage in movement without getting wrapped up in weight loss. Jenn wants to make working out and strength building FUN! She aims to make mamas laugh as much as they sweat, and she engages in lots of dialogue and positive talk.

She also does her best to minimize micro-aggression comments. Things like “burn off that cheesecake” or “get rid of those cottage cheese thighs” are not welcome. Working out can be about pleasure and self-enjoyment, and it’s much more enjoyable when you focus on the outcomes that matter to you! There’s no need to demonize food or punish yourself for not looking the way you want to. That doesn’t feel good!

Jenn also offers a weekly group coaching call where women can process their post-partum mindset and ongoing thoughts. It’s a place to share what’s on their minds, and to connect with others who can support them with positive messages. Those conversations are so key!

Working out can be a way of building your identity and self-concept. It can be FUN! (It should be fun!) Just like we tell our kids to go outside and play because it’s fun to run and move and express and be free….we can let ourselves move that way as well.

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Lauren Redwine is an anti-diet coach who helps health conscious entrepreneurs heal their relationship with food. (Our interview is for anyone who wants to heal their food relationship; not just entrepreneurs!) Lauren shares how to look out for the “wellness diet” that can sneak up on us so fast. Even when we have good intentions, we can inadvertently turn “being healthy” into another form of dieting. If you’re ready to relax around food this holiday season and create more joyful new year resolutions, this is a great episode for you!

I have a special Food Freedom Holiday Workshop that’s available on demand now! If you need some help having fun and enjoying the holidays, I’d encourage you to check it out. Learn how to take care of yourself, stop stressing about what other people might be thinking, and create an amazing holiday. No wellness diet needed!

An Industry Fueling Perfectionism Ultimately, Lauren works with wellness entrepreneurs who want to heal their relationship with food and their bodies. She finds this particular industry holds a lot of perfectionism, and there are constantly messages being sent about what’s “good”, what’s “bad”, and what you can and can’t do. The pressure to look perfect, play a role, and run a business can really feed into distorted body image and food relationships. This is something Lauren knows from first hand experience, as it’s where she got her own start in business.

As an adult, Lauren realized she’s dealt with emotional eating since she was a child. During her higher education, however, she realized just how disordered her body image and eating were. For so long, the wellness rhetoric had made her believe that something was wrong with her….instead of being wrong with the industry.

When she stepped away from wellness as a field, she realized she didn’t deal with binging and restricting nearly as much. But when she came back into the industry after a few years away…..she started having problems again. The big question on her mind?

How come every time she got involved in the “health and wellness” space….she started to have so many more body image and eating problems? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Always Obsessed Lauren realized that her own wellbeing decreased when she was knee deep in the wellness industry. Her final straw was an elimination diet she wen through, after which she hit her breaking point with business-as-usual. She knew there had to be something different out there.

As soon as she found intuitive eating and the health at every size movement (HAES), it clicked with her. All the focus on her appearance and body hadn’t served her at all; in fact, it had been making things worse. And all those wellness diets hadn’t been working either!

Now, Lauren is able to listen to her body. She eats foods that she loves, and trusts herself to know what will be best.

I noted that many women will say that they DON’T diet….they just like to “eat healthy”. They make all of their choices based on wellness diets and “rules” about what it means to be a healthy person. Lauren shares this is often connected to a lot of fear mongering that goes on in the industry.

There is so much pressure to be in a certain school of thought: vegan, Paleo, Keto, Whole 30. This list goes on and on, and most people in the wellness space are very aware of what “camp” they are in, and what rules apply. Even though wellness is supposed to be holistic (mental, emotional, physical, spiritual health), what we tend to see most of the time is very focused on body image and weight loss. It promotes the message that weight is everything: that weight = health.

The Trap of the Wellness Diet Even if no one would actually say that weight is the paramount factor in health, it very much is the message being sent. “Clean” diets and wellness diets are also still very focused on weight loss and body image as well.

Within the industry, Lauren notes there is often a lot of pressure to get aligned with some sort of wellness diet. There is an attitude that if have to be low carb, or vegan, or {today’s trend} in order to be doing it right. And if you aren’t doing it right, you’re doing it wrong.

In addition, there is very much an “image” that goes with the wellness field. Thin women with the income for daily pilates, personal chefs, constant supplies of fresh green juice: there are so many ways in which the picture being painted isn’t accessible or realistic for the average person!

People find themselves not knowing what to eat, or how to eat. They also feel guilty about everything they are doing wrong. There is so much pressure to get it right, and it’s stressful and confusing to know what to do.

Lauren reminds us that are so many ways we can move for free; we don’t need special outfits and expensive memberships to enjoy moving our bodies! We can also make an effort to follow more diverse voices and bodies within the wellness space. There are so many different ways to do wellness, and we have the ability to choose what we want to prioritize and focus on. Wellness diets and body image don’t have to be centered in our narrative!

Give Yourself a Break This is collective hard time. This is the time to focus on mental and emotional health first. There’s no need to pressure yourself into losing weight during quarantine, or coming out of this slimmer or fitter.

Wellness is holistic. It encompasses your entire life, and it is not about what you weigh.

At my last prenatal appointment I asked my doctor about postnatal mental health practitioners in my areas. Why? Because we may not have child care, we’re working from home, family may not be able to visit….and I’m not worried about getting back to yoga and fitting into my pre-pregnancy pants! For me, I know the most important form of wellness I’m going to need to protect is my mental health. For that reason, I’m being proactive about that! (And when yoga feels good again, and I’ll fit that in too.)

It’s all about listening to your own body and needs.

Be Present and Enjoy It Lauren notes that the holiday season can bring up a lot of stress and anxiety around eating and food. She also shares she’s been in that place where she was so worried about what would be served that she brought ingredients and made her own food, rather than eating the holiday meal that was prepared.

That involved so much extra stress and worry. In retrospect, it would have been so much better to just eat was there and enjoy being present. Worrying about every bite you’re going to eat, or ways in which to avoid eating “bad” food, robs so much joy from your life. It also makes you feel deprived and even ostracized. Your attention span and willpower are so engaged with what you “can” eat (and what you “can’t” eat) that you don’t get to be fully there with the people you love.

It’s okay to just go. Have fun. Engage with who is present, and eat what your body will enjoy.

Ringing In the New Year (No Wellness Diet Needed!) If you’re moving away from diets and the dieting mentally, January doesn’t have to mean you’re focusing on some new wellness diet or way of eating. What a beautiful time to focus on a goal that will be more nourishing and exciting for your overall wellness!

Lauren suggests choosing a resolution that is nourishing and additive, rather than restrictive and based on deprivation. (What you WILL do, instead of what you WON’T do!) This is also great because it’s easier to add something new to your life than to remove something. It’s also more fun!

There are so many things in our days (and lives) that we already don’t want to do. (Here’s looking at you, dishes!) Why not let your goals be a source of joy and inspiration this year? Pursuing your dreams, engaging with your favorite hobbies, or trying new things are such worthwhile endeavors. Give it a try! (And if you do, I’d love to hear about it! Tag me in a social post or send me a DM and tell me all about it.)

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Ingrid Helander, LFMT, helps chronic worriers resolve their self-criticism & doubts so they can live a life without chronic anxiety, worry & stress. As an author, speaker, therapist, and coach, she helps people embrace all of their being in order to live their fullest life possible. I see so many clients who experience worry about what others think about their bodies, their weight, their food choices, and more. It’s so common! If you’ve been feeling a need to let go of worry — join Ingrid and I for today’s powerful episode!

Are you worried about the holidays? From what you’ll eat, to what others might say about your body or your choices, there can be a lot of things that create stress this time of year! My Food Freedom Holiday Workshop is designed to help you DECREASE stress and anxiety and fully enjoy the holidays! And since it’s a recording, you’ll get the workshop as soon as you sign up — no need to wait!

Counseling & Coaching As a trained marriage and family therapist, Ingrid has worked with people of all ages. Recently, she’s been expanding her online coaching business, like so many others! That’s also involved moving away from the therapeutic model and more fully into the coaching field. She’s working at creating a culture and group around unlocking your own way of being with yourself. This includes the ability to release worry as well, which is so important for our wellbeing.

Ingrid notes that eating and food is very central to who we are, and she finds that it comes up in her work quite often as well. We receive so many messages that tell us we shouldn’t be who we really are, and those apply to what and how we eat as well.

Growing up, Ingrid was highly attuned to the idea that you certainly didn’t want to be fat. She watched her own mother diet, including with a program that insisted you must eat liver weekly. Her own thoughts about food and body image were all tangled up in social messaging about what was “right” and “healthy”. She did a lot of restricting as a result, and also connects her food experiences with anxiety and worry.

Baking to Cope There was a period in time where Ingrid found baking was a way of coping with stress and anxiety. She would find new recipes, and at her peak may have been baking a cake a day….but she would never allow herself to eat any of them. She loved food, and yet was terrified of it at the same time.

When she went off to college, Ingrid started her undergrad work in nutrition (listen in to hear what she changed her major to her senior year)! Rather than gain the Freshman 15, she ended up losing 15 pounds. Primarily, she was living off the salad bar and cottage cheese. The obsession gradually shifted; although she can’t exactly put her on finger on it, she thinks her mental health training, yoga teacher training, and menopause experience all played a roll.

As she’s gotten older, Ingrid has come to see it as a shame that we don’t communicate more to our young people about how good and right their bodies are. Our bodies know. They know how to breathe and sleep and nourish us, and they are capable of so much. We ought to be embracing them and celebrating them – there is so much to love!

Trusting Our Bodies One bit idea that made a difference in Ingrid’s life was this:
I want to trust this body.

She realized that she was living her life in a way that caused her to fight against and distrust her own body, and she no longer wanted that to be the norm. Part of that was recognizing thought patterns like: “If I let go of that control for even a moment….I’ll lose control!” and “I can’t trust my body, and I can’t trust myself around food.”

In her work, she’s found that the body heals itself so much better when we trust it. When we love our bodies, feed our bodies, and listen to what our bodies are telling us, we’re in a real relationship with them.

As a teenager, she realized that her body probably felt it couldn’t trust her at all. She didn’t listen to it; she didn’t feed it when it asked for food, and she disregarded it’s needs. Why should her body have trusted her?

Now, she leans in to trust and let’s go of worry, restriction, and guilt that tempt her to disregard her own needs and desires.

Chronic Worriers What will people think if our bodies aren’t perfect?

If we gain weight?

If we quit dieting?

These types of questions create constant worry in so many women’s lives. Ingrid notes that we all have personalities, and different parts of our personalities tend to run the show, carry burdens, or get the highlights.

If you’re seeking out a lot of other people’s opinions (about your body, eating, etc), it’s likely self-protective. Receiving approval and validation may be a way of “proving” you are loved, worthy, or accepted. And not receiving that approval can be a painful message that leads us to believe we are NOT those things.

The chronic worry we carry, then, isn’t necessarily about someone approving what we’re eating; it might hold a much deeper meaning about whether we can be loved or wanted. Part of Ingrid’s work is to help women move to that deeper level. How? Well, she does that partly by helping people more fully enter their bodies.

This allows them to begin peeling off the protective layers and learning more about their true selves. Although protection can be a good thing, if we’re primarily carrying around heavy protective layers all the time they can become a burden.

So much of our eating and dieting journeys are connected to these deeper desires to feel accepted, worthy, and loved. Rather than forcing yourself to diet the rest of your life, you can take a different approach to healing and trusting your body.

Taking On Wounds Ingrid shared a terrible story about another girl’s comments in the shower after gym. Although it happened years ago, she remembers it vividly. And at the time, she also remembers that a part of her thought the other girl was ridiculous…and a part of her thought she was right.

There is so much pressure to look “right”, and to be perceived as having a “good” body. It overwhelms us! It also creates the message that “I have to buy in to the story I’m being told, or I’m in trouble.” When we see others being shamed, ridiculed, judged, or rejected for not fitting a certain mold, the message is reinforced even more deeply. Even when we want to push back and choose to love and accept ourselves, it can be hard! After all, we want to be loved.

Ingrid notes that the pressure is great to look like some external version of “beautiful”. All too often, the people who are the most cruel about reinforcing those standards are the people who are most wounded and locked up in those areas. As people learn more about themselves and begin to heal, they are often able to begin releasing these painful mindsets and judgments, which have impacted not only themselves, but others as well.

(Ingrid shares some amazing thoughts on how the sympathetic nervous system and our flight/fright/freeze instincts can kick in when we receive cues about our bodies!) With, Not In Ingrid recommends finding ways to be with strong sensations. This is not the same as being “in” the sensation!

By finding ways to return to and observe our body and sensations, we can engage with them safely. You might try visualizing, journaling, and even drawing as part of being with sensation.

How did it feel? What did you body do? Where did you feel tension or pain? What internal voices were speaking up? What were they saying?

Allow yourself to be with sensations, and see what you learn about yourself! There is really so much happening, and going into the deeper sensations is such a powerful way of beginning to gain clarity in your own life.

Most of us weren’t raised to pay attention to what is going on inside of us, and as a result we can be very lost by the time we’re adults. We don’t know how to trust ourselves, and we’re completely detached from our full selves. We don’t have to stay that way! There is an invitation for each of us to choose to engage our bodies and our selves today. We can learn to trust ourselves, no matter where we are now.

This episode was so powerful. I hope you listen in, as Ingrid had some wonderful things to share! Also, here are the two books we mentioned on the show:
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron

The Body is Not an Apology, by Sonya Renee Taylor

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First off, Happy Thanksgiving! I am personally so excited to watch the Macy’s Day Parade, especially since it wasn’t aired in Switzerland when we lived there. You can imagine me all cuddled up on the couch, along with my boys. (It’s a pre-recorded event this year due to Covid, but I’m still excited to watch!) And since it’s the holiday season again, I thought it might be the perfect time to talk about how to reduce bloating with intuitive eating!

If you’ve had a tendency to spend previous Thanksgivings feeling super stuffed, gross, or overfilled, this is a great episode for you!

Intuitive Eating Over the Holidays You’ve seen jokes about Thanksgiving-based overeating on all the American sitcoms. (You’ve possibly even experienced the discomfort yourself!) And maybe you’ve strategically worn your best stretchy pants to the meal, or fallen asleep shortly after dinner…

Holidays can be tricky, especially if you’re new to intuitive eating!

If you’ve been practicing intuitive eating for a while now, you probably struggle less with holiday overeating than before. (I know I do!) I love leftovers, and enjoying a delicious slice of pumpkin pie for breakfast the next day is way better (to me!) then eating an uncomfortable amount of dinner and pie all in one sitting. But – breakfast wasn’t always something I allowed myself, which meant I “had” to eat as much as possible the day of any holiday.

And that’s can be a real temptation when you have a strong dieting mentality you’re still working through! Since overeating can be a major contributor to bloat, you could potentially be pretty bloated tomorrow if you give in to the holiday binge today!

Honestly, no matter what stage you’re in, you could potentially be bloated any day of the week. Over the holidays you may be consuming more unusual foods and drinks, and at different times. In addition, most women experience bloat at various times of the month naturally. So let’s talk about bloat!

Reduce Bloating with Intuitive Eating A restrictive diet would give you a list of foods you “should” eat, and those to “avoid”. These rules will tell you that if you do this magical thing, it will make it all better. Basically, do everything right, don’t mess up, and you won’t get bloated. But our bodies are complex, and there is so much more to consider on this topic! (And of course all the “health” companies are going to start pushing commercials that will tell you to do a juice cleanse to detox from the holidays – you don’t need that!)

Your body can naturally detox on its own – that’s what the liver and kidneys are for! (Claire Chewning and I talk more about on last year’s holiday themed intuitive eating interview!)

So let’s get this straight: there is more to bloating (and reducing bloating) than controlling the food we eat/don’t eat. Here are a few practical things to consider!

Reframe Your “Bloat” Mindset The first part thing we’re going to address is the mindset you need to have when you are bloated.

Often, bloating sets off our inner critic – she’s immediately telling you you’ve done everything wrong, asking why you let yourself eat so much, blaming you for not having the willpower to just say no to the dessert…

And on and on and on. (It’s your inner mean girl!)

When this starts to happen, just remind yourself that bloating is a natural part of life. It literally happens to EVERYONE. Just because you are bloated today does not mean that you are a bad person, or that you did anything wrong. This is a chance to listen to your body’s signals, rather than shaming or blaming her.

Now that we’re listening (without judging!), we can get practical. What can we do about being bloated in a loving, non-restrictive way? How can we reduce discomfort from bloating with intuitive eating principles?

Tip #1 The first practical thing I want you to do when you’re bloated is to wear clothes that are comfortable.

Nothing is worse than being bloated while wearing pants that are too tight. Plus, a tight waistband puts even more pressure on your digestive system, which is already working hard!

I suggest you either have a pair of pants in a size up, especially for bloated days (every woman should have these already for that time of the month)!, or have some stretchy pants on hand. Another fun option? A flowing dress!

Note: These can be CUTE clothes! They should be things you love to wear, and will be excited to wear! Having clothes that comfortably accommodate your body is not a “punishment” for getting bloated. (Judith Gaton and I take this concept even further in our episode about fashion for every body.)

One of my clients bought a pair of pants that she absolutely loves in a size up. When’s she’s bloated, now she has something to look forward to wearing that she can’t wear otherwise! How cool is that?

Tip #2 Next, ask yourself” “What food and drink sounds good right now and would allow me to feel the way I want to feel?”

The WANT in this question is key. If you aren’t feeling great in your body, it’s easy to turn to foods that will keep you feeling that way. But reminding yourself that you have a choice to feel better can help you make a different decision.

Maybe that means a smoothie instead of a pastry, or eating breakfast a little later because you are still feeling full. (But not skipping it! You still need to eat!). Maybe that means oatmeal instead of cereal because the extra fiber might help your digestion. Maybe it means eating some protein, like eggs, will feel the best right now. Or maybe it’s increasing your water intake to flush out some of the salt you ate, or to rehydrate you after drinking too much alcohol.

It might mean drinking a little extra coffee because that helps your digestive system! Or adding more veggies and protein into the day if you ate more carb-heavy yesterday.

I don’t know what helps you feel better. Only you can know that, and it comes from listening to your body! I’m not going to tell you what to eat, but I would encourage you to take the time to ask your body what would make you feel good.

Tip #3 Next, think about movement. Is there a type of movement you could do at some point today that would help you feel better in your body? (Again, this is not about “punishment”! This is about loving your body and reducing bloat with intuitive eating principles.)

If you’re feeling really sluggish, maybe a walk or some light stretching would be best. If you feel like a good sweat would help, maybe try a higher intensity workout (that you would enjoy). And if you feel like you are bloated due to slowed digestion, maybe some twisting yoga postures might be helpful to you. The movement you do should NOT be punishment for feeling bloated! Remind yourself that your body loves to move, and you should respect that wish.

Tip #4 Next I want you to think about your stress level.

Bloating is so often caused by stress…but everyone wants to blame it on the food! Is there anything causing you extra stress or anxiety at the moment? If so, what can you do to help ease that?

Bring out those self-care tools – journaling, meditation, breathing exercises, talking to someone. All these things can help ease your body and mind, which can help release whatever it is you are holding onto. (You can find TONS of self-care tips from my first 100 episodes in the self-care celebration episode!)

Tip #5 Think about your sleep habits in the last week or two. Have you had enough shut eye lately? Could it be that you simply need to go to bed super early tonight? Is there a way to fit in a long nap and restore your body? Allow yourself to do that if your body and mind need it!

(And don’t be afraid to ask for help if you have kids. As this airs, I’m home with a toddler and an infant. I’m guessing I’ll know all about lack of sleep! Even though I’m not in the ideal time of life for naps and restful nights….I’m going to do my best to get sleep when I can. No guilt here!)

When you sleep, your body releases hormones that help it repair and restore. And when you don’t sleep enough, your body and mood (and digestive system) really start to feel the impact!

Tip #6 Finally, do you have some favorite supplements that might help you through the bloat? Maybe a probiotic or a fiber supplement? Possibly some ginger or peppermint tea? I love to try tea first; I enjoy drinking it anyways, AND it’s extra hydrating. Two wins, and no downside!

Reflect on Your Body’s Signals Throughout the day, keep checking in with yourself. See how you’re feeling, and try to take note of which things seemed to really help. That way you can start there next time as you work to reduce bloating with intuitive eating.

If I wake up bloated, the things that help me are to first throw on comfy and cute clothes. Then I’m intentional about adding more water to my day, plus more protein and veggies. (Because those things make me feel good!)

I also go out of my to schedule in time for whatever kind of movement I’m in the mood for, as well as some extra self-care, like journaling or meditation.

At the end the day, I like to wind down with herbal tea. Usually a day like that will reduce my bloating immediately (and gently). No juice cleansing or fasting required!!!

And a note for my intuitive eating newbies: You might experience more bloating than you usually do when you first start intuitive eating. Usually this happens while your body is getting used to you eating a wider variety of foods. Don’t get discouraged, it will get better! (Or if it doesn’t, really try to take notice of which foods might be causing the bloat so you can reduce them out of love for your body).

For anyone with extreme or continued bloating, please reach out to your doctor or a registered dietician. There might be something bigger going on, and they will be the best people to help you!

And for those of you that just get bloated every once in a while and want to feel better quicker, try these tips out and see how it goes! I hope you can reduce bloating with intuitive eating!

Have a happy Thanksgiving, and I’ll be back next week with a special guest!

PS – Thanksgiving is a holiday about gratitude! Last year I went in-depth on some of my favorite gratitude practices. You can check that episode out here!

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I’m so exited to share this week’s interview with Steph Gadreau! Steph is a mindful eating mentor who helps purpose-driven women develop body trust. (You can check out her podcast, Listen to Your Body, which I recently did an interview for as well!) She’s on a mission to help women stop obsession over macros and thigh gaps; there are so many other amazing things to invest our energy and time into! In this episode, Steph shares about how moving from Paleo to intuitive eating impacted her personal life AND her business.

(And remember to hit subscribe if you haven’t yet! We have some amazing interviews coming up after this one!)

How Steph Got Started Steph’s been working for herself for about 7 years. Before that, she was a high-school science teacher! She transitioned into the entrepreneurial world with her blog (which had been a hobby), and has since grown her own business, which includes coaching, a podcast, and more.

In the beginning of her coaching career, Steph got started by teaching Paleo. In her own life, this was actually a helpful stepping stone away from calorie counting. Eventually, however, she realized that she was still in the dieting mindset, and found herself learning more about intuitive eating! If you’ve done Whole 30 or Keto, you might have had (or currently are having) a similar experience! Now, Steph is fully invested in intuitive eating and personal food freedom, and those are core components of her coaching work!

Looking back, Steph remembers being teased at school for being a chubby kid. She always had a bigger body than her classmates, and she also entered puberty really early. (At age 10, she got her period.) After experiencing a ton of sickness that was keeping her out of school and making her miserable, her mom took her to the doctor. The report? She was “fine” and would grow out of it.

Being told that what she was experiencing “wasn’t that bad” was really hard, and set the stage for Steph to distrust her body and its signals. After all, when she had thought that something was really wrong and been really sick, an authority figure was telling her that there wasn’t actually a problem. Those sorts of

The Dieting Trap Steph spiraled into a dieting trap, doing all the plans and calorie counting. She had a pervasive sense that something was wrong with her body, and constantly felt she needed to be thinner or smaller.

Eventually she got into endurance sports. They served as the perfect way to hide the level of intense exercise she was undertaking, in addition to the reality that she wasn’t eating enough to fuel her body.

In her mind, Steph had a number that was going to change everything. She believed that when she weighed “that number”, things were going to be different. One day she stepped on the scale and saw her magic number…and nothing changed. All that pressure and work, and in the end decreasing her body size didn’t change her life or her problems.

With her marriage on the rocks and her body exhausted, she knew she needed to do something different. Enter, Paleo.

At first, Paleo was amazing. (And at the time, it was a stepping stone that helped her ease back from the intense calorie counting and low fat fixations she was used to.) Years later, however, Steph started to realize that a lot of her disordered eating, built on years of dieting, came into Paleo with her. Although she was feeling better and experiencing more energy, as well as focusing on enjoying physical activity rather than weighing a certain number, there was still a dieting mindset that impacted her life and way of being.

From Paleo to Intuitive Eating When her passion took her into the field of nutrition, Steph discovered bio-diversity. This opened the gates to becoming an intuitive eater, and resulted in becoming a trained intuitive eating coach.

She was finally able to release her restrictions and hang ups around food like bread, which she hand’t allowed herself for so long.

Moving into intuitive eating also helped her start to deal with other aspects of her life that weren’t serving her. Judging herself all of the time for not being “perfect” or “enough” was a thread that ran through Steph’s whole life. She found she had to do a lot of inner work and exploration to really start to sort through all of those ways of thinking.

Intuitive eating encouraged her to be kinder to her body, and also to her whole self. Learning that she could listen to herself, and trust herself, was life changing. She also realized that her own internal judgmental narrative was something that was fueled by a dieting mentality, and that the way we eat can exacerbate other things about ourselves.

Now, she sees that food is only one small slice of the equation when we are considering someone’s allover health and wellbeing.

Outside the Paleo Guidelines We all have a personal framework we’ve developed for understanding food and our relationship to it. The food we eat might be about our budget, our regional location, our lifestyle, our family, and our religions.

Want to move from Paleo to intuitive eating? (Or from any other diet or plan.) You don’t have to throw everything out the window to become an intuitive eater! Instead, Steph encourages you to think about: what happens when you break your own rules?

For instance, if you currently follow the Paleo way of eating, what happens if you “slip up”? If you were to eat differently for a meal, or a day, or a week, would you go into a negative emotional space? Do you go into a spiral of blame and shame if you slip up, or “fall off the wagon”?

Leaning into the way you would react if you were to NOT follow a way of eating can help you understand what sort of emotion connection (and baggage) might be attached to that way of eating. So if you happen to enjoy eating Paleo or Keto-styled meals, great! But be honest with yourself if guilt and shame are playing a part in that choice.

When we berate ourselves for “failing”, or try to restrict even more to “fix” a mistake, that’s a sign that you’re in an unhealthy dieting mindset.

Our Bodies Can Be Trusted If you’ve used a calorie counting app, you know you put in your details, and the app tells you many calories you get to eat. That might mean you eat more than feels comfortable, or it might mean you’re so hungry at the end of the day that you would eat a shoe! (I remember using dieting apps and eating extra calories just because they were “available”….even when I wasn’t even hungry!)

If you’re used to following plans or using dieting to tell you what you get to eat (or not eat), your basically learning to tune out your body so you can follow a plan. That’s often signals a problem in your mindset!

When we rely too heavily on external rules, we can lose the ability to listen to ourselves and our bodies. Intuitive eating is a reminder that our bodies can be trusted. They do tell us what we need, and we can listen to what they’re telling us.

Steph shares that learning to listen to her body was a process, and she had to make peace with some of her old ways of thinking. For her, that included moving from Paleo to intuitive eating one step at a time. She opened up to learning more about her body and its needs, and she learned to balance that with the physical activities that mattered to her.

To hear more about how Steph stepped away from overanalyzing eating choices, stopped making food “moral”, and began to enjoy food with her family again, listen in to the full episode!

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Kaitlyn Lyons is the owner of Delightful Movement Coaching, and she helps work-accomplished women attend to the non-work areas of their lives. If you’ve needed some extra joy in your life, this is for you! Kaitlyn helps women create more fun, enjoyment, and wellbeing…things that we sometimes lose in our daily lives. Prioritizing play is a powerful way to get back in touch with the things that truly matter.

Powered By Play As an executive wellbeing coach, Kaitlyn helps work-focused women figure out what lights them up. This leads to greater enjoyment of life! Kaitlyn’s 6 week group coaching program, Powered By Play, is a chance to get re-energized and bring FUN back into your life!

3 years ago, she was sitting in a cubicle as a project manager. Her job was highly visible, and she was working crazy hours to keep up with all of the challenges. Eventually, she burned out. She was waking up filled with dread, and going through the motions.

Instead of being the zesty, joyful person she remembered herself being….she just felt tired. At rock bottom, play seemed like an enemy. Kaitlyn had built a successful career of working hard and depriving herself of play and fun. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?! By chance, she happened to stumble across a TED Talk on play that opened her eyes to the reality that there was real science out there supporting the idea that we NEED fun in our lives.

This resulted in a 180 pivot. Kaitlyn started looking for how to create engagement and joy in her life. Despite holding the intention for fun….she couldn’t make it happen. Fun turned out to be…..a failure!

Prioritizing Play for 30 Days After more research and more studying, she settled on a 30 day play plan she created herself. For 30 straight days, she committed to PLAYING, and she did! Ultimately, it changed her life.

I shared that, as adults, I think it’s so easy to get sucked into following the rules and doing what we think we have to do to be successful. If you’re not having fun or enjoying yourself, however, I have to wonder what the point is! Kaitlyn noted that one of her early “AHA” moments was that she saw play as a vacation thing. What she found instead is that play and joy and fun are possible every single day. We don’t have to wait until retirement!

Many high achieving people think of play as diversion. Instead, however, it’s a pathway. The people who take a pause for fun are the people who have long term energy for their passion. The more we take care of ourselves and enjoy our lives, the more likely we are to be successful!

Prioritizing play is a way of prioritizing self-care. And self-care is always good for us!

When Kaitlyn mentioned saving play for special occasions, like vacation, I thought of my clients! So often, we save the “good” food, like chocolate cake, for special occasions. We think we have to wait for holidays and birthdays and vacations to enjoy eating things we love….when in reality, we can eat fun foods we enjoy every single day! We don’t need to wait till some later fantasy time.

Before We Get to the Fun Stuff… First, we have to check in with ourselves and find out what might be getting in the way of living with joy!

Culturally, we’re used to running ourselves into the ground and NOT taking care of ourselves, especially when the form of care is playing. There isn’t much messaging out there that supports our desire (and need) for play, so we might run into some internal blocks when we give it a go.

It’s important that we recognize the need to pause and identify what sort of internal beliefs we might have about play so we can really let ourselves enjoy it.

Another problem: Cinderalla Syndrome. We say we “can’t” play till all of our work is done. Kaitlyn says no! We have permission to pause, to take a play break, and to come back to our to do lists after we’ve taken a break. Because in reality….if you can’t stop till all the work is done and there is nothing left to do….you’re never going to stop. It will never all be done!

(Listen in to the full episode to hear a story about how this played out for my brother and I as kids!)

Don’t Deprive Yourself Of Play If you’ve been a dieter, you know how easy it can be to get into deprivation mode. That attitude can translate beyond our food journeys and into our lives! Fun and play have to get prioritized if you want to live a full, abundant life!

Kaitlyn notes that giving ourselves NEW beliefs about play can help with this deprivation mindset.

• Play fuels my best work.

• The more fun I have, the better work I do.

• Play doesn’t have to be long. (Take 10 minutes! Some of the most enjoyable things in our lives take 10-15 minutes.)

Sometimes we hold back because we think we need to be productive, and we don’t want to “waste” our time. Play, however, is a brilliant paradox. When we engage in play, we create so many positive things in our lives that fuel our ability to live the lives we desire.

When we play, we lose our sense of ego and self-consciousness. We often get into flow states, and there aren’t specific outcomes attached to it. And when we get into this state….our productivity in the rest of our lives can sky rocket! Why? Well, play allows our active brains to rest, and it also lights up the part of our brains that are creative and resilient.

In childhood, we pretty much rest and play, rest and play. There is no deprivation! Kaitlyn encourages you to think back to your early life; what did that young version of you LOVE? Where did she spend her time? What did she enjoy doing? Those are great ways to reactivate playfulness and fun!

And remember: If you want to stop depriving yourself, you have to get devoted to your own delight.

Fun & Enjoyment As An Adult Kaitlyn remembers roaming free outside a lot as a kid, and she knows that sort of play really impacted her adult play styles. She loves to get outside and move freely!

Another childhood delight, writing, is something that she connects to playfulness and joy as well. As an adult, Kaitlyn uses these early memories of things that brought her joy and delight to tap back into a sense of wonder and delight when she plays now.

Practically speaking, it can be hard for adults to add play to their day when they’re first getting started. Kaitlin recommends looking at is a sort of ongoing project. The goal isn’t to figure it out in an hour; give yourself time to experiment and try things out.

Make a list of things that sound fun, and keep a “fun journal”. Record the things you do for fun and rate them on a scale of 1-10. Be a scientist of your own play. What’s working? What’s not? There’s no failures, just self-learning.

If you have just 10 minutes, be creative and see how you can fill that time. Kaitlyn shares that she knows how to juggle, and she keeps a set of juggling balls at her desk. She can juggle for 3 minutes, have lots of fun, and tap into a different part of her brain.

Coloring, doodling, dancing, taking creative photos, watching a hilarious video and laughing out loud, walking barefoot in the grass, climbing a tree, rolling down a hill, doing a magic trick, setting a puzzle….

There is no limit to what constitutes PLAY and what you might find delightful. Kaitlyn calls these play snacks, and encourages you to work them into your life in small increments throughout your day!

We’re Seeking Engagement So often we find ourselves in the kitchen when we’re really seeking the feeling of being present and alive. What if sometimes you aren’t physically hungry, but instead you’re soul is hungry for FUN and play?

What are some ways you can feed your soul when that’s what you need?

Kaitlyn shared she’s been inviting people into “fun” dates recently. They might talk, but the goal is to play and have fun! That might mean playing a virtual game, coloring, or painting together. Inject newness and novelty into your lives and relationships as PLAY.

Breaking molds and shaking things up a bit can bring so much light and positive energy into your day. This is especially key now, as we continue to whether Covid (and smoke issues, here on the west coast)! Finding ways to have fun throughout the pandemic can help you maintain your mental health and stay positive.

Kaitlyn also notes that this is the perfect time to go inward and really connect with yourself and your own desires. Ask yourself what’s fun for you, and be open to creative options that you can do alone, especially if that’s not your norm. Learning how to have fun alone and play by yourself can be really life-giving. Give it a try and see what you can learn about yourself!

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Today’s guest, Marcella Friel, brings us the wonderful world of tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT). Marcella is a food and forgiveness mentor for health conscious women, and one of her specialities is using tapping to heal. In this episode, Marcella does a round of tapping with me that you can follow along with if you’d like to give it a try!

Tapping can be so helpful! Personally, I’ve been using an app called The Tapping Solution recently, and it’s been a really excellent way to wind down and connect with myself.

In the upcoming months you’ll be hearing from LOTS of guests, as I’ll be taking a bit of a maternity leave. There will still be a new episode every Thursday, just fewer solo-casts until after the baby is born.

Food & Forgiveness Mentor Marcella considers herself a food and forgiveness mentor for health conscious women. Her main tool? Tapping! This is also sometimes referred to as EFT or the Emotional Freedom Techniques. She has a book, two bestselling courses on The Daily Om, and an online mentorship academy all centered around healing our relationships with our bodies, food, and emotions.

Marcella shares that she grew up with an immigrant background, and never remember dieting as a young woman. The older women in her family didn’t read fashion magazines or take part in “diet culture”, so she didn’t have much awareness or interest in that area.

Later, Marcella attended culinary school and continued to grow her interest in the healing properties of food. As she continued learning, she decided to combine tapping with her therapeutic food work. As she started hearing her client’s stories, she recognized the power of using food to cope with emotional pain and trauma.

Even though she hadn’t experienced dieting, Marcella had dealt with her own trauma and pain. Now, she’s that food and dieting are not the answer to emotional pain and healing.

Tapping to Heal I shared with Marcella that I found tapping after I had already healed my relationships with food. Even though it wasn’t part of my early intuitive eating journey, I definitely see how it could play a powerful, helpful role!

She shares that the idea of emotional freedom found in tapping isn’t about freeing ourselves from all negative feeling. Instead, it’s about keeping emotions from becoming trapped inside. Too often, we hold onto heavy negative emotions, rather than allowing them to leave our bodies. This impacts the limbic system within our brains. Practicing EFT allows us to use tapping to release them.

As we call forward a difficult or stressful experience or feeling, we use our fingertips to tap against our skin, often on the head and face area. The tapping is used to down regulate our limbic system, and allows us to release.

Marcella shares that she used tapping to release shame and negativity around comments her sister had made about her body as a child. Even though they may have seemed like silly, childish things, some of those comments had stuck! EFT helped her release them, as well as the body shame she had held as a result.

Who Do You Think You Are? When she started her career, Marcella kept feeling doubt around her ability. The words, “Who do you think you are?” kept ringing through her head.

Marcella worked with a tapping practitioner to revisit early memories that had created the belief that she had to be alone to ever succeed. With tapping, she was able to choose a new belief that was empowering and positive. By engaging in the emotional healing process herself, she was better equipped to work with others who desired the same freedom.

Another way to use tapping? To deal with the present! Recently, Marcella realized that the fires and environmental tragedy on the west coast had really been impacting her. Recognizing the amount of grief and pain she held, she used tapping to access and release it.

Tapping is part of soul healing. It’s a chance to really transform at the deepest levels, and it is a powerful way to work through body shame, emotional eating (allowing yourself to feel instead of consume!), and disconnection with self.

If you’re thinking your problem is “sugar addiction“….think again! As you resolve the emotional issues, you’ll find your own, organic relationship with any food or substance that has felt problematic in your life

Archetypes of Feminine Power Marcella shares that, with her clients, she uses the seasons to work with various female archetypes. This includes the Maiden, Mother, Queen, and Crone, and can encompass many ways of feeling and being. Throughout this rich cycle, client work includes tapping, reflection, wholistic nutrition, Ayurveda work, and more.

I love holistic approaches, because they show how many elements are included in our relationship with food! From relationships with power, to how we were mothered….food begins to connect to so many things in our lives. Tapping to heal is powerful because it allows you to enter into this relationship in a new way, and finally release things that have been pain points.

Marcella notes that this is one more reason why dieting just doesn’t work. When you don’t deal with the emotional elements of food, restriction and binging won’t serve you in the long run. Instead, you hold things together as long as you can, and then everything falls apart. This is painful, and creates more shame and guilt, which usually kicks off another dieting cycle.

A Tapping Demonstration Let’s try it out! We’re going to be using the phrase “I don’t like the way my body looks.” as a starting point. You can be even more specific if you have a body part you’re specifically struggling with.

For tapping to heal, here is a basic framework to get set up:

1. Identify the issue you want to tap on.
2. Ask yourself what emotions come up around that issue: shame, disgust, overwhelm, panic, etc.
3. Gauge how distressed you feel about the thought/issue, using a 1-10 scale.
4. Create your set up statement by tapping the fleshy, outer part of one hand with the fingers of your other hand.
5. Move through the rest of the tapping points with a variety of statements and questions.

In our session, the statement we used to start with was:

Even though I feel __________ when I __________ I deeply love and accept myself anyways.

If you listen in, you’ll hear how we move through different tapping locations and statements in our session. Tapping can feel really strange, because you use a lot of seemingly negative statements. However, speaking true things out loud (even if they are hard) while engaging in tapping can be a powerful form of release and freedom!

Honor & Acknowledge Once you’ve honored and acknowledged a possible hard truth….you can start to question it. What if that “terrible” idea really isn’t true at all? And what if you can actually choose a new belief?

Starting with a hard truth that feels really, really REAL and true is powerful, especially if you’ve gotten used to the overly positive self-help world that seems to always be pushing us towards positivity. The relief of feeling hard things, and even saying hard things out loud, is incredible.

If you haven’t tried tapping before, you might find it a useful healing modality! (And if you don’t connect with it, that’s okay too!)

And if you do give it a try….I’d LOVE to hear about it. Send me an email or a DM and let me know how it goes!

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Christina Montalvo is the founder of The Confidence Project. She’s a personal trainer and intuitive eating coach, with a course called Diet Culture Drop Out. Today, we focused on counting macros. Christina has a really interesting story about getting started in the wellness space, and how dramatically her approach has changed since those early days! To learn why you shouldn’t be counting macros, listen in today! (Plus, a few notes on why using your phone to tell you when to cook, workout, or go to sleep isn’t the greatest idea.)

Reminder: You have two days left to leave a review of the podcast and get FREE access to my holiday workshop! This is a fun giveaway in honor of my 100th episode, and I’d be honored if you took part! Just leave your review and send me your screenshot. In November, I’ll send you your access to the workshop and feel amazing throughout the holidays!

Anti-Diet Strength and Conditioning Christina started as fat loss coach! Since then, she’s realized her entire education was steeped on intentional weight loss. Being a personal trainer meant helping people lose fat….it just came with the territory. However, since then she’s pivoted. Now, she owns an all-women’s strength and conditioning gym outside of Chicago, where she’s an anti-diet strength and conditioning coach.

Her first memory of her body being a “problem” was when she was 10 years old. That’s when she started dieting, which launched her disordered relationship to eating and food. It was never considered disordered by others however; instead, it was applauded as what she “should” do to maintain her lifestyle and weight. During these time, she tried pretty much every diet under the sun. When she found counting macros, she thought she had found “food freedom”, because she could eat anything she wanted.

Christina noted there was nothing and no one to point out how disordered and unhealthy all of this was. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she was able to identify the fear-based, confirmation biased-based information that the diet (and nutrition) industry so often spread.

Freedom in Counting Macros? During her honeymoon phase with counting macros, Christina thought she was living the dream of food freedom. However, that all came to a head as she realized it didn’t provide the freedom from diet culture that she had hoped for.

The macro nutrient component to a food can be found in everything we eat. These are carbs, proteins, and fat. When you do macro-counting, you create a caloric deficit and then create a plan when you’re “allowed” a certain number of macros for each of the big three categories. Some people add fiber counting as well.

If you’re into macro counting, you’re usually attached to a tracking app AND measuring and weighing everything. Serving sizes, number of ounces, and ratios of macros become all consuming!

In Christina’s personal and professional experience, macro counting is limiting and based on control and restriction. You may be “allowed” to eat pizza….but as a result, you can’t eat almost anything else for the day (or are restricted to very few items).

Macro Counting Wasn’t Worth It Christina would work hard in the gym, often doing two-a-days, and religiously track her macros. Eventually, she realized that for the amount of time and energy she was expending….the results weren’t that phenomenal.

The celebration of losing .5 pounds, or of making incremental changes to her body, started to no longer make sense. As a result, she started thinking more deeply about her relationship with food and exercise. She started making changes in her own life and habit first. (At the time, she was teaching macro counting to clients as well!)

She would find that when her clients would participate in healthy activities, nothing mattered to them if the scale didn’t change. Even when they were doing things that should feel really good in and of themselves….they weren’t enough when the focus was on losing weight.

Christina also noted that professionals in the field, as well as clients, weren’t prioritizing or celebrating behaviors that felt good AND that were good (like getting sleep, enjoying moving your body, and living a life you can enjoy), unless they could directly attach them to losing weight.

Tempted By Counting Macros? Christina notes that there is something to be said about relying on technology, like macro counting apps, to tell you what to feed your body. A previous client of Christina’s, who was macro counting at the time, broke her phone. She immediately spiraled, because she couldn’t make eating decisions without seeing the “green bar” or knowing how she was “supposed” to eat, based on her app.

The idea that we need outside intervention and technology to tell us what food to eat is ridiculous. Humans are born knowing how to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom. We know how to read our bodies and understand what we need.

Rather than relying on external voices (diet industry! apps!) to tell us about our own bodies….what if we tried listening to our bodies instead? I loved that Christina talked about this, because it is so important! A few weeks ago I talked about my own relationship with my phone. I think we can all learn a lot about how technology interacts with our bodies, and how we sometimes use it to override our own biological cues.

Another issue? When you’re counting macros, sometimes you’re really hungry…and sometimes you’re “force feeding” yourself plain chicken breast in order to meet the requirements of your macro plan. Rather than listening to your actual body and the needs she is communicating….you end up relying on “rules”, restrictions, and often an app to tell you what you MUST consume.

So many of us are SO attached to our screens: TV, smart phones, tablets, and more! If that’s you….be sure to listen in to this full episode!

Tracking It All! Christina and I also discussed the current fad with tracking everything on smart watches. For instance, so many people track their daily step counts, and often 10,000 steps is the “goal”. As Christina notes, that step number is arbitrary. It doesn’t mean anything, and it isn’t special or accurate.

However, many of us like to have yes/no, or right/wrong rules to follow. We like to think that when we hit a step number, burn a certain number of calories, or complete a certain sequence of events, we’ve done everything right! And we love being right, and feeling we’ve been doing the right thing…even if it isn’t ultimately serving us.

Too often, people attach morality to fitness trackers. (Christina has a whole podcast episode on this HERE!) We think of ourselves as being “better” people when we do everything our trackers say we should be doing. However, the also means being unattached to our own volition. We end up stripped of our own power, following rules instead of listening to our bodies and following our own intuition.

When you have a chance, remember to leave a 5 Star Review over on Apple so you can get FREE access to the holiday workshop!

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Today’s guest, Judith Gaton, is a style coach for curvy women. She’s also huge proponent of fashion for every body! Judith helps women love and dress the body they are actually in, instead of the body they think they want. We talk about our culture's obsession with “smoothness”, and how to be confident in the whatever size we happen to be! This is a GREAT episode, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

There’s ONE week left to rate & review the podcast on Apple and get access to the Food Freedom & Holiday Workshop (a $47 value!). If you want to enjoy the holidays this year while also feeling really good in your body, this is a super easy way to make it happen! Just send a screenshot of your 5 star review to caitlin@caitlinball.com.

Does Your Mindset Fit Your Outfit? As a style coach, Judith coaches women to both love and DRESS the body they are in right now. No dieting or Spanx required! (Fashion is for every body, right?) According to Judith, you can feel good in your clothes right now. No change needed. Part of that comes from finding the clothes that fit right, and part of it comes from adjusting your mindset! Janky thoughts and a cute outfit just don’t go together, so Judith helps you address BOTH sides of the equation!

After losing 60 pounds, Judith realized the shitty thoughts she had about herself hadn’t gone away. Instead of a magical year with ALL the wins (which she thought was going to happen when she lost weight), she found that she was still struggling with the same problems. She still had the same mindset, and weight change hadn’t fixed that!

Getting her own mind and body on the same page was the journey that led Judith to realize she could love herself at any size and in any moment. As she gained her weight back (and realized it was completely possible to love herself and dress well), she also found that a lot of women who had lost and regained weight were not coming to the same conclusion she was. Rather than feeling more free and accepting, they felt shame and frustration.

That difference in her journey (as compared against many other women’s experiences) led Judith into her current career!

Fashion Industry Shapes The fashion industry loves it fruits! Pear shape…apple shape…we’ve all heard the shapes.

Judith got sick of the way we are constantly being asked to categorize our bodies. (Or having them categorized for us!) According to Judith, it’s BS!! When we’re constantly taking in information about the shape we supposedly are, we also get a bunch of rules about what those shapes are allowed to wear.

We use the body shape tools against ourselves to impose regulations. We also end our categorizing ourselves in unkind ways….which is never great! Judith notes that information that we just use as information can be great. Once we stop using information as a tool and start using it as rules, however….things start going wrong.

These rules start to take all the fun out of getting dressed….and that’s something that should always be fun!

Another way to consider this information is to ask if it’s useful. If it’s helping you have more fun and live your best life, great! If it’s creating shame and making you feel bad about yourself, then it can go! There’s no need to hang on to rules that don’t serve you.

How Does This Make You Feel? Judith had a client whose previous stylist had told her that her body and coloring was perfect for a classic style. Her secret? She HATED that style.

But she didn’t tell the stylist, because it seemed like such an important “rule” based on factors about her body, shape, and coloring.

Judith helped her see that any style choice that made her feel unhappy about her clothes or body wasn’t for her!

Does it fit your body? Your personal style? (Which is ever evolving as you grow and change!) Your lifestyle? Does it make you happy? Do you feel good in it?

There are so many questions that are more important than whatever “rules” may exist in the fashion world!

Judith also notes that there are so many ways to be fashionable. Fit on your body, as well as your lifestyle and your need for comfort, are all possible considerations.

Fashion For Every Body You can buy clothes for the body you have…even if it’s not the body you expected or wanted. This means wearing clothes that actually fit, instead of giving in to the temptation to force into the clothes that you “want” to fit! Judith encourages her clients to clean out their closets of all the things that don’t fit properly. In her opinion, these old clothes that are too small are like little piles of shame!

Judith recommends that you get rid of them (or at least move them out of your sight!).

It is 100% worth loving your body right now, as it is. That includes comfortable clothing. You deserve to have bras and underwear that feel good, and are made for your size! When you insist on wearing things that are too small and tight, you’re holding your body hostage to an old ideal that doesn’t feel good. (You also might be interested in this episode on grieving your dream body.)

Your Body Is How it Should Be Whether you’re dealing with weight gain and or weight loss, Judith encourages clients to think of their bodies as being exactly the way they are supposed to be. Weight changes are not “right” or “wrong”.

It’s so freeing to look at your body and believe that it is exactly the way it should be! It releases you from all the shoulds, and allows you to appreciate it just as it is. No change needed. (That means you can dress it just the way it is also!)

One way to keep up to date on the fit of your clothing is to set a timeframe (like every 2 weeks, or each month) and try on all your clothes. Get rid of what doesn’t fit, or is worn down and needs to go! (Looking at you, ratty underwear!)

If you use this timeframe-based plan you can slowly replace clothing a few pieces as a time, rather than waiting until a majority of things are uncomfortable or worn through and needing to replace all of them at once. Slowly but surely, you’ll be able to build a wardrobe that fits your life.

Dressing a Postpartum Body Judith recommends new underwear for sure! Things are shifting and moving, and it’s an act of self-care to make sure you’re adjusting too.

Another option is to consider buying or renting maternity clothing in smaller size. These clothes tend to be comfortable and work well as you’re adjusting to a changing body that’s still going through lots of shifts!

Give yourself time to find your “new” center. Your body has done so much, and you can honor it by being open to dressing it in new ways that suit it. Above all, have fun with it! Dressing should be fun, and fashion can be enjoyable for every body!

(And remember: elastic has a shelf life! If you’re maternity pants aren’t working any more….it might be time for them to go!)

To Spanx, or Not to Spanx?? Around minute 23 Judith and I go deep on….

SPANX!!!

If you’ve tried using Spanx to fix your body image problems…or if you’ve ever worn them and wondered if it’s “bad” to do so….or if you LOVE your Spanx and feel like a queen when you put it on…you need to listen in to this episode! Remember that fashion is for every body, and you don’t “need” Spanx for that to be true for you!

(Biggest take away? TALK to yourself! Be real. Be open. See what you learn.)

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Elaine Williams (Coach Elaine) is the creator and emissary of the V.I.B.E Method. She helps women align their health and fitness goals with their soul purpose. Today, we talked a lot about the weight of our thoughts. Once you start you’re intuitive eating journey….you start to feel lighter. Elaine helps us understand the WHY behind that powerful thought transformation!

Reminder: you can get FREE access to my holiday workshop when you leave a review of the podcast! Just create your review and email me a screenshot, and I’ll get you access. (You can DM me the screenshot if you’d prefer too!)

A Journey Towards Wholeness Elaine started out early in life as an athlete. She quickly related food to being able to keep up with sports. That included carb loading and “free” patterns of eating whatever she wanted. Eventually she suffered an injury….and found that she kept eating as if she was really active, even when she wasn’t.

Basically, Elaine’s eating patterns didn’t catch up to her injury. This started her on the journey of embracing harmony, as she was determined to find what a harmonious relationship with food, body, and energy could mean. As she grew older, this interest led Elaine into her current career. Now, she loves to help women find a more purposeful relationship with food and with their bodies.

Something that stands out as a pivotal moment in her journey is the college basketball injury that redirected her life. Until then, Elaine had planned on being a professional basketball player. Her back and neck injury caused her to finally ask this question, however: What can I live for that I love? Answering this question changed her whole trajectory.

A Healing Journey During her 10+ year healing journey, layer after layer was revealed. Elaine found herself trying physical and mental healing opportunities. She chose to be curious, and to dabble in anything that presented itself.

Needing to go deeper still, Elaine found herself working on emotional healing. This is what began to feel transformative. Emotional and spiritual healing intertwined to create a magical experience. Having passed through so many layers to reach healing, she feels this can best be described as a sort of alchemy that was achieved after she surrendered her own agenda and control.

Whether you think of this as spirit, God, alchemy, the universe, or anything else….Elaine found healing that works! She notes that timing is essential, as you must be able to meet each layer with presence. You can’t bypass any part of the journey, and you miss the essential gifts along the way that enable you to embody what you learn.

Bringing Food Into the Picture At first, Elaine had no idea that she had an unhealthy relationship with food. That discovery came after a hard breakup, after which Elaine found herself controlling her food as a means of controlling “something” in her life.

She realized that she was engaging in a domination-based relationship with food, as result of needing to feel in control of something in her life. Because everything else felt like it was falling apart, food felt like something she could do something about. Now, Elaine would ask someone in that position to ask themselves: When will that shift? How long do you have to be in that dynamic with food before you realize it’s not working and make the choice to start changing.

In her own journey, Elaine doesn’t remember exactly how long it took her to notice and change this issue. She speculates it might have been around 10 years! Something she noticed was that, in addition to beginning to control her food, she started becoming secretive. It’s as if she was going inward to hide what she was doing, and to withhold the truth to others.

“I Need Help” Recognizing the power of the impulse and obsession of food control caused Elaine to seek help. She knew that she was the one who had initiated this imbalanced food relationship, and she knew she create change.

One thing she noticed coming up a lot was the need to “re-choose” the kind of relationship she wanted with food. When she was tempted to pull back or return to old, control-based habits….she had to consciously choose to reengage with the choices and lifestyle she desired.

Finally, the obsession and control-based eating ended. Elaine encourages you to not give up if you find yourself struggling. Simply notice, and choose to reengage with your healing.

And noticing and reengaging could take a few hours…..a few weeks…a few months. There is no “wrong” time to notice, and it’s never to late to reengage! Like Simi Botic shared with us, “It’s not failure, it’s feedback.” If you take time to listen to the feedback you’re getting from your body, then you can always create change. There is always something to work with.

The Weight of Thoughts We usually aren’t taught about the weight of thoughts in school, or from our families. But the reality is, our thoughts can truly weigh us down. They carry a weight, an energy, and they absolutely do impact our lives!

Most of us have about 60,000-70,000 thoughts per day. On average, 70-80% of those thoughts could be thought of as having a denser “weight”. If a large majority of our thoughts have that heavy, energetic weight….of course we feel them! And if you can start releasing those thoughts, we can literally start to feel energetically lighter.

Engaging in higher frequency thoughts activate lightness, and allow us to feel lighter! The weight of thoughts can drag us down…but also create buoyancy and joy within as well. Once way to start decreasing the heavy weight of thoughts is to start considering the narratives we are carrying. All too often we have thoughts from our parents, families, religions, societies, and other in our minds and bodies. But no matter where those thoughts came from, we can take the initiative to release them and free ourselves from the weight.

Once clients have talked about their thoughts and beliefs, Elaine brings in the V.I.B.E. Method. This starts with visioning, which involves grounding into an awareness of what has happened in the past while also envisioning their empowered, higher self. This vision of both the past and the future enables them to identify patterns and make aligned choices to move forward.

There is a lot of healing involved here, including from past trauma. The more we allow ourselves to see, however, the more we can heal, release, and move forward with courage.

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Today I’m sharing a few quick life updates on me and the pregnancy! I’m also going to share how intuitive eating and pregnancy actually have a surprising number of similiarites!

Psstt! Have you listened to the 100th episode? ALL of the past guests shared their incredible self-care tips. Take a listen, and try the practices that resonate with you! And remember – when you leave a review and send me a screen shot, you WIN!

Pregnancy Updates If you’d like to hear more details about my first trimester of pregnancy and intuitive eating, you can listen in to THIS previous episode. In trimester two my nausea calmed way down – woohoo! Not too long later, however, the heartburn kicked in. That’s not something I normally deal with, so it’s very noticeable in my body!

I’ve definitely thrown up a lot more in this pregnancy than the last one. I also feel like I’m SO much bigger than I was at this point in my last pregnancy. That might partially be from this being my second pregnancy, and partially because last time around I was still teaching yoga at this point. I can NOT imagine doing that this time!

Recently I’ve also noticed an increase in hip pain. That’s normal, from what I hear, but it’s definitely not super fun. This time around, I’ve also been getting weekly progesterone shots. Since Cooper came early, we’re trying to get closer to full term with this one! (Although when I imagine getting bigger still, I’m not sure how it’s going to happen!)

Similarities Between Intuitive Eating and Pregnancy Trimester One Similarities: Intuitive Eating and Pregnancy In your first trimester of pregnancy, you often end up eating a lot of carbs. You might be averse to veggies, or might be trying to ward off nausea. Either way, it’s usually different than your normal eating patterns!

Similarly, when you start intuitive eating, you’re suddenly free to eat anything. And lots of time, women find that they are drawn to carbs that they’ve previously restricted! The early stages of intuitive eating tend to feel really different than any way you’ve eaten before, and that might include an aversion to veggies and a bit of carb loading. And that is completely fine!

Trimester one often holds some body image stuff as well. You don’t usually quite look pregnant yet…but you’re pants start to not fit well, and you don’t feel like yourself. When you start with intuitive eating, this can happen too! You might feel a little bloated, your pants might feel strange, and you’re in a strange limbo.

Trimester Two Similarities: Intuitive Eating and Pregnancy Often in trimester two your body starts to crave more diversity again. You can eat more veggies, and you might even find yourself craving a salad. Even though there are still a ton of changes happening, you feel a little more at home in your body.

The second stage of intuitive eating is often like this too! You’ll find yourself working in more colorful fruits and vegetables, not because you “have” to but because you actually want them. You’re body has started relaxing around foods you’ve previously restricted. You’re learning and growing a lot, but you’re starting to settle in and feel a bit more comfortable and confident.

Hunger/fullness becomes more important during this phase of intuitive eating as well. You’ll start to play with what satiates you, what feels right at different times of the day and for different activity levels, and what works for your body.

Similarly, during your second trimester of pregnancy hunger/fullness are important. Physically, the baby is pressing against your stomach. You might find that you need to eat smaller meals, or do more snacking during the day. Even if that isn’t your “norm”, you may find that you need to adapt in order to do what’s right for your body.

Recently I realized that when I order my usual order at our favorite sandwich shop, I was feeling STUFFED when I ate the whole thing. I used to always eat my whole order! I realized that things have changed with the pregnancy…and that I should adapt as well. Last time we went I ordered a half order, and it was perfect.

During your intuitive eating process, you don’t have a baby pressing into your stomach that reminds you to evaluate your fullness levels! You may need to tap into your body a little more intentionally, and really check in.

Trimester Three Similarities: Intuitive Eating and Pregnancy In the next stage of intuitive eating, you get to focus on self care! This typically happens once you’ve figured out your fullness level and are back to eating the foods that feel right for you. You’ve also usually invested some time into your body image and self-love.

I’m comparing this to the third trimester of pregnancy. Things are still changing, of course, and it’s key that you learn how to holistically care for yourself. The third trimester of pregnancy is all about the self-care! Same with intuitive eating. Long-term, it’s about self-care that provides the balance to continue making choices that feel good, rather than simply turning to food.

For me right now (in my pregnancy), that means movement! I find I feel best when I do yoga or some other form of movement. It helps me sleep better, it reduces my aches and pains, and overall makes me feel better! (And it’s FUN! I can’t stress how important fun is when it comes to movement!)

I’ve also been doing projects around the house, like preparing the nursery and getting organized before the baby comes. My emotional needs have also been super important to pay attention to. There is so much happening in the world (and state) right now, not to mention in my body! Self-care is a key element of my holistic process.

Self-care also helps me NOT eat my emotions; both as a pregnant women and as an intuitive eater! Finding ways to make myself feel good and care for my full self (body, mind, emotions, relationships, etc) allows me to make choices that leave me stronger, happier, and more rested.

(And if you’ve recently been pregnant, you might be interested in my postpartum body confidence interview with Brittany Woodard!)

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Welcome back! Last week was a self-care smorgasbord with ALL my past guests. What a fun way to celebrate 100 episodes of Quit Dieting for Good. If you missed it, you can find it here (and learn about the PRIZES you can win)! Today, Summer Innanen joins me to talk about body image. She’ll share how loving your body doesn’t have to apply to only physical appearance. This episode is amazing for all women who could use a fresh perspective on body love!

The Weight Loss Quest Summer is a professionally trained coach specializing in body image, self-worth, and confidence. Her own body struggles started early, and she experienced decades of chronic dieting with many binge/repeat cycles. She also had a tendency to over-exercise (something Julie Newbry and I dive into on Ep. #87!) on her quest to “lose the weight once and for all”.

She honestly thought that is what she was “supposed” be doing. Now, she sees the time, energy, and investment she put into pursuing that goal weren’t good for her or her body.

Summer even quit her corporate job to pursue nutrition. She wanted to help other women eat “right” and lose weight as well, since it was something she was obsessed with in her own life. Eventually, however, she realized that she was hurting herself. Gradually she started to learn more about self-acceptance, self-love, and intuitive eating.

When she realized that every single client coming to see her was there because they hated their bodies….she realized she needed to change how she worked with people. Now, Summer specifically focuses on body image with her clients.

Self-Love Misconceptions Summer’s work now has almost nothing to do with food. If her clients are processing in that area she recommends intuitive eating resources, but she focuses her coaching efforts on body image. She’s found that our relationship with food naturally changes when we address our body image and self-love.

She notes, however, that loving your body doesn’t HAVE to mean loving what you see in the mirror. One of the biggest misconceptions with body image work is that it’s all about how you look. And although there is nothing wrong with loving how we look, it’s the very surface level of body image work!

Often, we feel the way we feel about our bodies because of various identities we hold, experiences we’ve had, and messages we’ve received. It comes down to self-worth, and our beliefs about our own worth. This comes down to inherent self-belief. As Summer notes, this isn’t just a matter of learning to find yourself attractive. It’s so much deeper than that!

Loving Your Body As It Is Too often we’ve been that our worth is dependent upon our desirability. When this is what we believe, of course we want to look in the mirror and think of ourselves as attractive! However, you can find yourself worthy & desirable — without changing anything about your body or appearance. This practice of separating worth from appearance can help relieve some of the stress you might feel about your body.

Summer also noted that many women hear about self-love and loving their bodies and feel overwhelmed and guilty: they take on the mindset of “I should love my body….and now I’m doing that wrong too!” There is so much freedom in letting go of that pressure and allowing yourself to simply BE, without needing to judge or evaluate anything.

Letting go of your own expectation about how you “should” feel about your body can help you take your body love to another level!

Summer’s Personal Body Love Journey Summer shares that her own journey with body-love involved a recognition of how she had desired validation from others. So much of the pressure to look a certain way was about having other people SEE that, and as a result to like her, to be impressed by her, or to think positively about her. This part of her journey involved letting go of people pleasing and the need for validation!

She also had to let go of control and settle into surrender. This required her to release her own expectations and allow what WAS to simply be.

Gradually, she was able to relax into the understanding that she is good enough, just as she is. There is no need to force her body into looking a certain way in order to control the way other people think about her. And she doesn’t need to change anything about her body in order to be more deserving of worth, value, and acceptance.

Summer notes that the diet industry often gives us a sense of false hope. When we see a new food program, or start a new diet, we get a little dopamine rush of excitement. We imagine all the ways in which we are going to be better, stronger, thinner (more deserving of love and acceptance)…and it fuels our drive to reenter the dieting cycle. Letting go of that can be hard! In fact, we might even need to give ourselves time to grieve the loss of this magical “dream” body that we’ve spent a huge part of our lives seeking.

Loving Your Body When you accept your body for what it is, what do you let go of? Shame, guilt, pressure, stress, body-hatred? All too often diets are disguised in packages of hope and glittering promises…but in reality the don’t serve us at all. Loving your body is a choice that can help you accept yourself fully.

Once you’ve made a bit of body-love progress, it can be really hard to wake up and have a HARD body day. And yet…they still happen! Summer suggests that if (and when) this happens to you, don’t catastroph-ize it. Instead, tap into what you’re actually feeling. Not thinking! Feeling. (Thinking might be: I hate my hips. Feeling might be: I feel ashamed.) Are you feeling stressed, ashamed, frustrated, anxious? Try sitting with that. Acknowledge that it’s there. You could try journaling, or even sharing it with someone that supports you.

She also suggests considering what else in your life might be contributing. For instance, one of Summer’s most recent body-shame experiences occurred shortly after her dad unexpectedly passed away. She realized she was completely overwhelmed with grief and sadness, and her body immediately triggered an old coping mechanism: shame over something “wrong” with herself that she needed to fix.

Feeling Your Feelings It can be easier (in the moment) to pour yourself into body-hatred rather than to fully sit with grief and shame. When you give yourself the opportunity to really just sit with your feelings and let them be, however, you may be able to find that your problem really isn’t your body. This is a perfect opportunity for a self-compassionate response. Offer yourself whatever you would offer to a friend or child who was going through this same situation.

Self-compassion can feel strange if it’s not something you’re used to practicing. Be patient with yourself and be willing to sit with things you might usually repress or push past.

Also – don’t forget to care for yourself. Summer notes that often she’ll have clients going through a downward spiral, and when she asks them what they’ve done to care for themselves….the honest truth is NOTHING. No time for self-care! And yet, taking that time to care for yourself, even in a small way, can be a huge step towards bringing things back into balance.

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Friends, this is EPISODE #100 of Quit Dieting for Good. Wow! I can’t believe there have been so many amazing episodes, guests, and insights. During the two years I’ve been podcasting I’ve moved across the world (Switzerland to California), eaten amazing food, met wonderful people, and continue to live through a global pandemic. (Plus, I have a baby on the way!) Through it all I’ve been able to come here every week and connect with you, and that’s been my favorite thing of all. This week, I’m bringing you a self-care celebration!

Spread the Love! Episode #100 is such a fun milestone, but that’s never been my goal. Quit Dieting for Good is about spreading the message that all women can live joyful lives — no dieting required! Food freedom and body confidence have always been important parts of my message. Now more than ever, ALL women need to hear that they can be free from diet culture!

Will you help me share that message (and this self-care celebration!) by taking action? You can leave a review wherever you listen (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Podchaser, Player.fm, etc). Once you’ve done that — I’d LOVE if you would share this episode with your friends & family members!

And here’s something super fun! Whoever leaves the FIRST review will get a personalized notebook of your choice from Papier! The next TWO people will get gifted an intuitive eating book (we’ll check in with each other first so I can make sure I choose one you don’t already have!). And the next FIVE people….you get something too! A Starbucks gift card so you can go get a coffee, tea, pastry or whatever you’re craving.

And for everyone else — if you leave a review between now and October 31st, I’ll gift you free access to my $47 Holiday Food Freedom Workshop.

In order to make sure I don’t miss anyone, here’s what you need to do: 1. Screenshot your review! 2. Email the screenshot to caitlin@caitlinball.com or send the pic to my Instagram DM’s. 3. That’s it! PLEASE be sure to send me the screenshot, because I can’t see reviews from other countries, and I know I have lots of international listeners. I also don’t want anyone to miss out on awesome prizes!

Prioritizing Your Own Self-Care Long-time listeners know that I ask every guest to share their favorite self-care tips at the end of every interview. Since this is episode #100, I’ve gathered a LOT of tips! None of them require tons of time and money (as fun as a week at a spa would be, it’s not on today’s list)! They are meant to be easy, fun, enjoyable things you could try today!

Before we get to the guest’s tips, let me share mine:

Choose 2-3 self-care ideas that you can do every single day, and do them! In addition, have a rotation of 5-10 other self-care activities you can practice throughout your week.

First of all, you should have something you can do every single day, just for you, that feels good. It might be something you already do, but pinpointing it as something you do specifically for yourself can feel really good. (And serve as a reminder that you DO take care of yourself.) If you can’t think of anything, create a few easy options you can work into your daily life.

I have two things. First, a five minute meditation I do before bed. I enjoy it, and it makes me feel good! I also write in my gratitude journal every night after my meditation.

Have I ever skipped a day? Yep! But when that happens, I don’t beat myself up. I just get back to it the next day. I know it makes me feel really good, and I make it a habit to prioritize it, even when life is a little crazy!

Throughout the week, I also like to read fiction books. I add in other kinds of meditation, make tea or get a chai latte, and work on craft projects. I LIKE to do things that make me feel good! In fact, I even make an effort to plan these things into my week. I look for moments and opportunities to practice self-care and create space for myself to BE.

Need ideas? Keep on listening, and be prepared to jot down the ones that resonate!

A Self-Care Celebration Sleeping & Resting “Sleep is so underrated. It’s amazing how people just obsess about food when there are so many other basic health self-care things that are equally if not more important than the food that we’re eating.”

• Isabel Foxen Duke

Listen to the full 100th episode for ALL the amazing tips on rest!

Movement, Meditation & Breathing “I made sure at least 3 days at week I was working out. It was more for mental clarity and to feel like I was doing something to take care of myself.”

• Angela Holliday-Bell

“Get into the body, which is the best place to be.”

• Isabelle Ysebaert

Listen to the full 100th episode for ALL the amazing tips on movement, mediation, and breathing!

Daily Intentions & Self-Talk “So often when we have a negative emotion come up, we’re so quick to suppress it or distract ourselves from it and label it as bad. It’s not. Feelings are meant to be felt…you can look at it as your body communicating with you. Just sit with it. Let it be, without labeling as good or bad. What you resists persists.”

• Chelsea Gross

“Take a step back and ask: What is one little thing I can do for myself today? Communicate to your body: I see you, I hear you, I’m listening.”

• Claire Chewning

Listen to the full 100th episode for ALL the amazing tips on setting intentions and positive self-talk!

Treat Yourself! “I got myself a new nightime face cream and have been doing it each night, and it’s felt so fun and luxurious!”

• Paige Schmidt

“Using essential oils in the shower. Pop some lavendar oil in…steam it up, and it just feels luxe. It’s beautiful.”

• Susie Garden

Listen to the full 100th episode for ALL the amazing tips on treating yourself well!

Routines & Rhythms “I am a believer in the morning routine. This is the rudder for your day.”

• Ashley Conway

“It’s creating a non-negotiable routine…that supports me in practices that help my wellbeing.”

• Michelle Grant

Listen to the full 100th episode for ALL the amazing tips on setting routines that feel good!

Journaling “Every night I write the 3 things I am most grateful for. It really helps you change your mindset about things and remember the good things in your life (and your body)!”

• Victoria Welsby

Listen to the full 100th episode for ALL the amazing tips on journaling!

Social Media Self-Care “Instagram shows you more of what you already look at….and you can pump the brakes on that and ask, “What do I want to be seeing more of?”

• Kira Onysko

“While you’re scrolling your feed, if you have any sort of negative feeling, unfollow that person. We get ot control what we’re following and seeing…start filling your feed with accounts that showcase all body sizes.”

• Maria Simpson

Listen to the full 100th episode for ALL the amazing tips on social media self-care!

Making Self-Care Fun “We need to be able to do feel good things that are easy. And we sometimes need to feel that sense of accomplishment as humans.”

• Alyssa Tennant

“Don’t feel selfish for taking 10 minutes out of your day to learn something you’re interested in.”

• Julie Newbry

Listen to the full 100th episode for ALL the amazing tips on making your self-care celebration FUN!

Choose Your Own Self-Care Celebration! So many amazing ideas! I hope you choose the ones that make you feel excited about self-care (and share this episode so the women you love can do the same)!

Keep on practicing in your own life, and don’t forget to send me your screen shot once you’ve done your review. Not only will you be helping me and this podcast, you’ll be helping women around the world learn that dieting is NOT the only option they have!

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This week’s episode features Lindsey Kane, the Director of Nutrition at Sunbasket. I started getting meal kits for family meals because cooking (and planning, shopping, and putting together meals) just hasn’t been that fun lately! Ordering meal kits has been easy, enjoyable, and oh so delicious. AND….once I was on Sunbasket’s email list I started getting messages about intuitive eating. How amazing! Since the messages were being written by Lindsey, I knew we had to talk!

*If you decide to try Sunbasket from my link, I get a little bonus (and you get $35 off PLUS 4 free bonus gifts)! But I promise, I’m only recommending them because I’ve been using and loving the products.

How Lindsey Got Her Start Lindsey, a registered dietitian based out of San Francisco, shares that Sunbasket is a meal kit delivery company. They have pre-prepped meals, as well as oven-ready options. You can get organic produce, clean ingredients, and delicious recipes delivered weekly!

Growing up, food was a big part of Lindsey’s family. She associated it with family and memories. She also loved the independence of packing her own lunches and creating wonderful food. As she went on to study science & anatomy and play various sports, she started getting more interested in nutrition and its role in our lives.

The concept of food as medicine got Lindsey excited to weave her passions together and become a dietitian! However, she realized she didn’t want a “traditional” dietary career. In fact, at the end of her schooling she was afraid she might have picked the wrong major. She didn’t want to have a reactive role; instead, she wanted to work with prevention!

First stop? A grocery store job that let her interact with customers, provide workshops, and really get engaged with nutrition on the ground level.

I Don’t Know That the “Dieting” Method Works…. It didn’t take Lindsey long to start feeling that the dieting method wasn’t working in real life. Clearly not everything from the classroom was translating into real life success in the real world.

Looking back, this is where she started shifting towards a different message. When she arrived in San Francisco, she joined the start up world and started applying all the feedback she had been getting from her previous work in nutrition. Her experience and new found confidence inspired her to change her messaging and really engage with the intuitive eating world.

Knowing that traditional messages about food, health, and dieting weren’t working for people gave Lindsey the drive to share a different message. Part of that included realizing that “health” involved so many more components than just food. Your social, mental, emotional, and physical lives are all part of your overall health.

Meal Planning & Diet Messages Lots of diets really on strict meal plans that advocate restricting various foods or food groups. Planning your meals does NOT have to be about following a diet, though!

Lindsey acknowledges that meal kits sometimes play into this. In fact, some meal kit companies actually have pretty heavy diet-related messaging. However, you don’t need to feed into that!

When you look at meal kits and other meal planning services, you get to make choices based on what appeals to your needs and tastebuds. Lindsey shares that she makes her choices based on what looks good when she chooses. She knows the meals will have a variety of vegetables and proteins, but she doesn’t examine all the nutritional details.

She advises you sign up with any “meal plan” you want (Chef’s Choice, vegetarian, etc) and, within that, feel free to mix and match to choose the meals that appeal to you. Based on customer ordering habits, Lindsey has seen that many customers are searching key words (like paleo, keto, grain free, etc) to find meal planning services that will work for them. For that reason, Sunbasket does arrange their meal kits within those parameters. However, she is pleased to notice that many customers don’t restrict themselves to only those meals.

Fighting Diet Culture As a practitioner, Lindsey notes that having a safe space to process your own food beliefs is so important. And if you found your way to Sunbasket because they offered a sort of meal plan that you see through the lens of dieting, that’s fine! Once you’re there, however, she hopes you might expand your understanding of what it means to eat intuitively and to enjoy fresh, exciting meal choices.

Not to be pessimistic, but Lindsey also points out that diet culture isn’t going away any time soon. For that reason, she’s a believer in developing coping skills and resiliency. Sometimes you have to put your own blinders on!

At the end of the day, ask yourself: Will this food serve me? This question applies to your physical body, your emotional needs, and your overall sense of wellness.

Does Lindsey Use Meal Kits Herself? When Lindsey first started at Sunbasket, she could see how awesome it was…but she didn’t plan to use it. After all, she figured she enjoyed doing her own shopping and cooking. (She didn’t “need” help!)

Now, however, she finds herself ordering frequently. She loves making the decision about what to eat at the beginning of the week, and knowing she’ll have the ingredients she needs to make fun, creative meals. Sunbasket helps her stay out of a rut of repeatedly making the same basic meals, and helps her continue to feel creative and inspired in the kitchen as she tries new recipes.

In addition to her Sunbasket meals, Lindsey notes that she still likes to frequent her local farmer’s market to get extra veggies and other fresh goods.

Satisfy Yourself Lindsey loves the intuitive eating principle of the “satisfaction factor”. At Sunbasket, she works hard to make sure that taste and satisfaction are major priorities.

As people are able to focus on being hands on and creating flavorful meals, she hopes they’ll begin to enjoy their food journeys more. Personally, I really appreciate this! I enjoy cooking, and I want to make real food that truly tastes good.

After a whole lot of takeout (that was fun for a while, and then felt really blah), I’ve really enjoyed coming back to the kitchen and making food again. I’ve REALLY enjoyed not having to go shopping for ingredients. In addition, ordering meal kits has made the end of this pregnancy so much simpler.

The variety and new flavors, choosing my new recipes each week, and being back in the kitchen has truly satisfied me — and that’s something I can get excited about!

If you’re getting curious about meal kits, I’d invite you to check out Sunbasket and save $35 on your first order today!

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Today I talk about something I’ve been practicing having: a healthy relationship with my phone! Technology is amazing…but it can also really intrude on day to day life. I’d love to share what I’m doing to improve that relationship, because I think it might benefit you too!

AND — the Quit Dieting for Good Podcast is coming up on 100 episodes! I started about two years ago, and here I am! Sharing this podcast with you is something I truly love doing, and I’m thrilled to continue! If you’ve been a listener and you love the show, would you do me a favor? Head to your listening app of choice (here’s a How-To for Apple Podcasts) and leave me a review today! Done? Send me a screenshot to caitlin@caitlinball.com and I’ll be sure to send you something special!

A Healthy Relationship with My Phone Does it sound a little weird to use the word relationship here? After all, phones are just things, right? Well, I’m calling this a “phone relationship” because we spend so much time on our phones every day! And since relationships are all about time….it seems like a fitting word for our phone usage.

Personally, since Covid hit I found I was spending up to 6 hours a day on my phone. Yikes! (The average American was spending 5.4 hours per day BEFORE Covid, according to a Provision Life study ZDNet shared!)

Since I use my phone for business and personal life, cutting down can feel tricky. However, during a recent stay-cation I realized that if I was sitting at home looking at posts about other people’s “real” vacations I was going to get super bummed. To remedy that, I told people I was signing off, and deleted the FB and IG apps off my phone. This obviously doesn’t get rid of social media; if I needed to, I knew I could check in on things from my computer. Instead, it just removed the quick access I’m so used to having.

On Day 1, I found myself going on my phone and seeing my thumb head for the spot my IG app used to always be. In fact, my YouTube app moved into the old IG spot, and I found myself accidentally opening it multiple times. (It’s like my phone had been programming ME! Crazy!) I was also picking up my phone a LOT….which made me start to think that maybe I don’t have such a healthy relationship with my phone. Hmmm….

It’s Not Just a Social Media Problem Once I got rid of my social media apps I started checking my email all the time. I felt like I was obsessively checking in (even when all there was to “do” was delete junk emails). When I didn’t have quick access to social media, I just turned my attention to other things to do on my phone.

That was enough to show me that the problem was bigger than just social media. It was about my phone in general (hence “phone relationship”)!

I needed a game plan that went beyond social media apps! This brought me back to How to Break Up With Your Phone, by Catherine Price. She breaks down a ton of facts and figures (it’s so interesting!). She also shares about the addictive qualities of our phones that are making us unhappier. Phone programmers are doing everything they can to keep you ON your phone. Have you noticed that?

Since it’s in your phone creators best interest to keep you on your device, they engineer everything to keep you on. (Or trying to get back on when you’re off!)

Something else interesting: the biggest names in tech severely limit the amount of time their own families spend behind screens. They have the inside scoop, and it’s clear they don’t want technology to take over their lives. But since it’s how they make their money….they certainly aren’t stopping the rest of us!

What Are You Doing? I noticed that I have a habit of getting on my phone for a purpose….then finding myself knee deep in social media feeds and emails….with no recollection about WHY I was even on in the first place.

It’s kind of like walking into a room and not remembering why. Except this version eats up hours of my day. I noticed that any time I was waiting for something, or there was a single moment that could be filled, I was looking at my phone. And I didn’t like that!

Something else: every morning I was checking my email and social media for almost 20 minutes. It wasn’t even time I was really accounting for (so I never realized it was “missing” from my day). Once I stopped doing that, I felt like I had so much extra time in my day! As I started to have a healthy relationship with my phone, I was pleasantly surprised at just how much of my day I was able to free up.

Here’s What I Did Instead + Cleaned Up My Home Screen I put all my social media apps into a folder. I also moved my mail icon to the very last page. You don’t have to have it on that main, easy access bar. And moving these things a bit further away creates another layer of accountability.

+ Prioritized Podcasts and Audio Books I get to choose WHAT I do on my phone. And when I stopped scrolling social media feeds all the time, I was able to prioritize things that make me feel good instead. It was so much more enjoyable to listen to amazing material, rather than mindlessly scrolling apps and killing time.

• Actually Read Real Books Rather than laying in bed scrolling my phone….I started going to bed and reading. In two weeks I read two books (which is pretty good for me)! I read All Adults Here and Then She Was Gone. They were both great, and I know I would have never read them if I had kept up with my (slightly obsessive) phone relationship!

• Started a Weaving Project Not only did I start a new weaving project, I also keep up with my painting project. It feels so good to be creative and have ongoing projects to look forward to. Rather than telling myself I’m “too busy”, evaluating my relationship with my phone has helped me see that I have more time than I used to think.

• Meditated Every Morning & Did More Yoga With all that time I saved in the morning, I started meditating EVERY day. I also found I could often add in a bit of yoga too. (Remember, I had been spending about 20 minutes every morning on my phone!) Scrolling is addictive, and it eats up a ton of time. I know, because I’ve totally been sucked in! In fact, I still have to catch myself, because it’s such a easy habit to get into.

• Just Sitting & Thinking You know those couple meetings between things? Waiting for an appointment, standing in line at the store, sitting in the car waiting? It is SO easy to fill those moments with your phone. But you don’t need to do that! I realized that a lot of my mindless scrolling left me feeling unhappy. I’d see what other moms, wives, and entrepreneurs were doing, and start to think that I should be doing that too. Even though just sitting and thinking doesn’t feel super fun….it also doesn’t tend to leave me feeling down, discontent, or unhappy! And sometimes it even sparked my own great ideas!

• Taking Less Pictures This one has pros and cons. I was able to be more fully present when I wasn’t taking as many pictures. It was fun to just BE there. On the other hand, I LIKE having tons of pictures and thinking about what to post.

• Finding Ideas on Pinterest Since I didn’t have my usual social apps, I did find myself using Pinterest more. Unlike some social apps, I feel like Pinterest gets me excited about DOING things in my own home and life. That’s not a side effect of my regular phone use, so I chalked it up to a win!

• Text & Phone Conversations Sometimes a friend crosses my mind…and I go check out their social profiles. Since I didn’t have the apps, though, this time I actually texted. This resulted in more text conversations and even a few phone calls. Fun! This was another phone use that felt good.

Do I Have a Healthy Relationship With My Phone? Well, it’s still a work in progress!

I did a 24 hour phone fast, which I enjoyed. I’m scrolling less, and being present more. It’s been great, and I’ve been able to incorporate my phone back into my life with a new outlook.

However, I have found that my phone is addictive! I clearly need to create a few safe guards to help myself enjoy a healthy relationship that feels good. One tool I’ve found useful is an app called Space. It helps me track how often I’m opening my phone, and it helps me know when I’m turning to my phone as a diversion throughout the day.

I’ve found that being creative and being off my phone feels really good. Now when I reach for my phone, I ask myself if I actually need my phone. And if it’s just a habit (or an avoidance mechanism), I give myself a chance to sit with what is instead of distracting myself online.

My mornings have also become much more special to me. I love doing mediation and yoga, and I love minimizing that early morning “noise” that my phone brings into my day.

And when I notice that I’m checking too much, or falling into old habits, I’ll bring myself back to doing what feels really good for me. I know now that I can use my phone a lot less than I have been…and I know that that feels really good for me and my life. I’m making more conscious decisions about bringing technology into my life, and I’m honoring my needs. It feels really good!

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Until I had a child, I never realized just how vital (and elusive) sleep can be. That’s one reason why hearing from Angela Holliday-Bell on prioritizing sleep for this episode was incredible! As a pediatrician and avid sleep enthusiast, she shared great information about what sleep is, how it works, and how you could get more of it.

Alert! My Quit Dieting For Good group program + support system is open for enrollment for just a few more days in 2020! I would LOVE to see you there; check it out at www.caitlinball.com/quitdieting. You can expect to gain confidence, stop stressing over food, and experience your own transformation!

Mixed Messages About Sleep In addition to her pediatric training, Angela has also studied in clinical sleep health. Now she sees both pediatric patients and also provides sleep consultations, in which she helps clients improve their sleep habits and get better sleep. This might pertain to enhanced performance, or even just regular quality of life.

As you know, sleep impacts every aspect of your health and wellbeing, which is why it’s honestly so important. It may seem basic (or obvious), but it’s also life changing when you take action! As a health coach, I’ve seen the correlation between sleep and eating patterns come up for many of my intuitive eating ladies. Improving sleep quantity and quality can be a major part of their journey.

Angela shares that every part of our lives are effected by our sleeping. And even though we often hear that we should be sleeping more…it’s also a badge of honor to talk about how little sleep you actually get. From parents comparing notes to colleagues boasting that they’ll “sleep when they’re dead”, many of us receive mixed messaging about actually getting the sleep we know we should be getting.

You have to understand: the more you sleep, and the more quality that sleep is, the more productive you’re able to be during the hours you’re awake. Sleep pays off!

What Does Sleep Impact? We all have a legitimate NEED to sleep! And it’s not just about sleep feeling good.

When you’re sleeping, your body produces hormones to help you repair muscles and restore your body. In addition, a number of cognitive processes are assisted when you get your Zzz’s. Your brain moves memories from short term to long term memory while you sleep (one more reason to stop with the all-nighters if you need to learn something)!

Your ability to pay attention is significantly impacted by lack of sleep. So is your mood! Your ability to monitor and adapt your own mood is decreased when you’re lacking in sleep. And to make matters worse, your reaction time goes down across the board.

In tests that study reaction times and functioning, people who sleep less than 7 hours per night perform significantly worse than those who are getting enough sleep.

A Three Pronged Approach to Feeling Good Exercise, nutrition, and sleep are part of a solid, three pronged approach to a feel-good life. Why is sleep included here?

Well, Angela shares that lack of sleep causes your body to up-regulate your hunger hormone and de-regulate the hormone that makes you feel full. In addition, your body is more likely to burn muscle for fuel and store fat when you are sleep deprived. And finally, insufficient sleep can cause your body to increase cortisone.

Whew!

Prioritizing sleep to maintain your health is clearly vital! And if you’re already NOT feeling well….sleep is a key part of assisting your immune system and aiding in the healing process. No matter what your current state is, sleep can help you feel even better!

The Four Pillars of Sleep Hygiene Sleep can be so hard, because so many factors can impact it. Sometimes, it’s a bit of “chicken or the egg” quandary. For example, people with depression are more likely to not sleep well…and not sleeping enough can cause or exacerbate depression.

However, Angela shares that many questions about sleep come down to the four pillars of sleep hygiene.

Have a consistent bed time and rise time. Angela shares that the time you go to bed and get up shouldn’t differ more than an hour on either side. This includes the weekend! It does take effort and training to create a regular sleep system; 4-5 days on routine and then a wild weekend makes it really hard for your body to get into any sort of helpful rhythm.

Have a routine. Parents often understand doing this for their kids, but they don’t realize they should be doing that for themselves as well! Just like our kid’s brains understand that bath time, reading time, or other calm-down activities are signals that bed time is coming, our brains will do that too! Whether you meditate, read, or listen to calming music, find ways to slow yourself down and prepare yourself for bed as well.

(And do what you can to avoid blue light from screens in the hour or so leading up to bed!) If it’s not working, get up! Angela notes that the mind is really strong, and makes a lot of connections. If you lay in bed and don’t fall asleep, your mind starts to churn. What time is it? How long do I have to sleep? What if I can’t fall asleep? To avoid the mind racing questions, get up and do something quietly until you’re sleepy. This can prevent your mind from connecting your bed with anxiety, which is not helpful.

Use your bed for sleeping (and other adult activities, of course) only. You shouldn’t be eating, watching TV, or doing other activities there – you want your mind to clearly connect your bed with going to sleep. As you focus on prioritizing sleep, it becomes easier for your mind and body to crawl into bed each night.

Prioritizing Sleep Angela takes prioritizing sleep quite seriously! She shares that she takes a hot shower in the evenings, and enjoys aromatherapy lotions. She also journals each night. Because of her own experience with insomnia, she’s found that her mind tends to kick in with a lot of thoughts about the rest of her day as she lays down.

Rather than lay in bed and think about those things, she uses journaling as a way to let her mind process her day. That keeps her from getting ambushed by all those thoughts once she lays down. (This could be the perfect time to give gratitude journaling a try!)

And if sleep is out of your control (like when you have a newborn!), Angela recommends sleeping when the baby sleeps. Even though it might be tempting to clean or take care of other things around the house, let yourself sleep instead! As long as it isn’t too close to bed time, napping allows you to reap the benefits of sleep. (PS – if you’ve never heard of a Snoo, you can find out what that is here!)

The more other factors might impact your own sleep, the more important it is to create routines and rhythms that allow you to priories your sleep in whatever way possible.

To learn more about sleep stages, sleep inertia, and the ideal length of a nap, listen in to the full episode!

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This week’s topic has been inspired by my clients! On a recent call, they were all having their own version of a bad body image day. It was great timing, because they were able to experience it together. Sometimes it’s so powerful just to know you aren’t alone, and to be supported by other women who get what you’re going through!

Before we get to how you can recover from these bad body image days, I want to share something special! We’re currently partway through the Better Body Image Challenge, but it’s not too late to JOIN! There are special bonuses for all the lovely challenge members!

The Need for Control We’ve all had bad body image days. Whether our clothes don’t fit right, we feel we’re not fitting in, or we’re just overall discouraged – it happens to all of us. Often it feels like they just come out of nowhere! The reality is, however, bad body image days don’t come out of the blue.

On my group coaching call, I pushed a little deeper to learn more about what else was happening. Unsurprisingly, each women in the program had stressors in her life over and above body image. From huge moves to postponed weddings, they were carrying a lot!

Often, when our world feels like it is falling apart or out of control, we turn to controlling our bodies as a coping mechanism. We want to be able to control something, and we turn that need on our bodies. Even when we want to be free from old mindsets, stress has a way of pushing us towards old habits.

5 Tips for Recovering from Bad Body Image Days Tip #1 – Check in with yourself and identify other stressors. Give yourself the time to identify other stress factors that may be bothering you. Because honestly: the size of your body is likely not the only cause of your frustration.

This is also a chance to see if you’re keeping up with your self-care. Two of my clients on the call realized they had had a lapse with their normal walking and yoga practices. These were things they really enjoyed as forms of self-care, and when they quit doing them, they saw a difference! Whether you’ve been extra busy, changed your routines, or were taking a break, you’ll often find there are side-effects when you cut yourself off from self-care habits that have been reducing stress and helping you feel good in your day-to-day life.

Tip #2 – Allow yourself to feel your feelings. When you suppress your feelings, things tend to come out a bit sideways. You’ll find another way to express your frustration, hurt, or anger – and that might get channeled towards your body!

It is absolutely okay to feel “bad”. Whether you need a good cry, a pillow punching session, or venting to your bestie, don’t be afraid to feel whatever you feel and let it all out.

Tip #3 – Go back to basic body love practices. Now that you know your stressors and are feeling your feelings, you can start showing your body love. One option is to try a body gratitude practice. Choose a time of day, and spend time thanking your body in specific ways.

Yesterday my body gratitude included thanking my body for completing a yoga class, even though I was stuck inside all day.

All day long your body is showing up for you. She helps you be the partner, parent, colleague, creator, and all around human that you are. Thank her for it! And not only does gratitude feel good, it helps move you away from the build up of negative mental talk. You might envision that negative voice as being hurt or scared. Try using positive talk to soothe it. As you become calmer and more centered on gratitude, you may find your bad body image day slipping away effortlessly.

Another option is to dress your body in a fun, meaningful way. Wearing a fancy dress you don’t have a reason to put on often, a brightly colored scarf, or something else that helps you feel confident and good can go a long ways towards defeating a bad day!

Finally, imagine you and your body are friends, and ask her what she needs right now. Once she tells you, listen and act! Whether that means a hot bath, a long walk, a restful evening in, a vigorous bike ride outdoors, a delectable chocolate snack or a lovely homemade dinner – do what you can to honor the needs your body communicates.

Tip #4 – Double down on self-care. Sometimes you need to double down on the stuff that makes you feel good. In addition to body love practices, what else do you need?

Nourishing meals, a special gift, time with a friend – what can you give yourself that would feel really good right now?

Interestingly, we’re sometimes tempted to turn away from self-care when we aren’t doing well. The more negative and frustrated we feel, the more tempted we are to hibernate with Netflix and shut down. Often, however, that is not the approach that will make us feel the best!

If you have self-care favorites to draw on, do that! And if not (or if none of your old standbys appeal to you), don’t be afraid to try something new. Maybe an improv class, an expressive dance experience, an outdoor adventure, a new book store – do a bit of digging and see what stands out!

Tip #5 – Remember it was just a day. No matter how rough it feels, it’s still just a day. You haven’t “ruined” any progress you’ve made, and this isn’t permanent.

Sometimes bad body image days happen. They can feel like they come out of nowhere, and they can effect us each in a different way. Don’t put pressure on yourself to be perfect, and don’t assume that you’re failing because things aren’t feeling really good in the moment.

A bad day doesn’t have to turn into a bad week, month, year, or life (even if it feels like it could!). In fact, bad days can help us enjoy the good days that much more. Next time you’re having a rough time, take a deep breath, listen to this podcast again, and try some of the tips.

And if you’re ready to make a long-term change because you’re done fighting the same body image fight again and again, feel free to check out the Quit Dieting for Good program. I’d love to see you there!

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This week’s episode is a fantastic look at post-partum body confidence. Brittany Woodard shares SO openly and honestly about her own journey with her postpartum body image. Any woman who needs a body confidence boost will benefit from listening in!

Recently I was on a client group call and it seemed like everybody was having a bad body image day. It inpsired me to create the Better Body Image Challenge. This is a FREE, 4 days challenge that includes a daily email AND live training from me. It’s all new material, and I’m so excited to share it with you! We’re kicking off August 25, so sign up today!

Mom-Life Inspiration Brittany is a registered dietitian who specifically works with moms on regaining their body confidence! Becoming a mom changes your body in so many ways. Plus, mom life can be hard!

Whether you’re looking to stop dieting, find food freedom, or come to a place where you can accept your bodies changes — Brittany is there for you! In addition to being a mom herself, Brittany got her start working at a WIC clinic. Before that, however, she spent two years in Nepal with the Peace Corps. That experience is what inspired her to want to work specifically with women.

After giving birth to her own children, her focus narrowed even more. Moms who had given birth and who were now dealing with body image “stuff” became her passion. Eventually, Brittany’s career came into focus; she uses cognitive behavioral therapy to help moms stop dieting, get used to their bodies, and overcome the constant diet culture messaging.

The concept of getting your body “back” after giving birth is ridiculous. This pressure women feel to bounce back and meet idealized body standards just isn’t healthy. It leads to guilt, shame, and frustration. Rather than resenting your body and forcing yourself to pursue something impossible, Brittany focuses on helping women love and accept themselves.

It’s NOT You! (And there isn’t anything wrong with you!) Brittany’s early decision to get into dietetics was partially based on her own interesting in diets. At first, she thought that by being a dietitian she would always have the inside scoop on which diets were the best. As she learned more, however, she began to realize that NO diet truly worked. Rather than discovering the best diets, she discovered the reality that dieting isn’t the best option for your physical or mental health.

Her greatest revelation: it’s NOT you. Nothing is wrong with you, your body, or your genetics. This understanding helps her work with post-partum moms in all stages of post-birth!

I shared a bit with Brittany about my own journey with post-partum body confidence. Even though I was already doing intuitive eating, I found out I definitely had more body confidence work to do!

Around the 3 month mark, I got really frustrated with my body. I didn’t want to be wearing maternity pants any more, but I also didn’t fit into my old clothes. Motherhood is so high pressure, and not “snapping back” into my old version of normal felt like one more thing that wasn’t “right” in my mothering journey.

The Power of Thoughts & Beliefs Brittany shares that awareness is such an important part of the journey. Her clients come to her knowing that they are unhappy with something – maybe their dieting habits, maybe their body image, or maybe just a general sense of dissatisfaction. Being aware that there IS a problem is what helps them get in the door! Once there, Brittany works with them using cognitive behavioral therapy, which is based on how thoughts create actions.

In a nutshell: Our thoughts and beliefs are what create our feelings and ultimately our actions. When we can change our thoughts and beliefs to something more empowering and positive, we’re better able to have feelings and take actions that allow us to live the lives we desire.

This process isn’t easy, but it is powerful and it does work! Brittany helps women ask questions and challenge unhelpful and unhealthy beliefs that are leading to behaviors that don’t serve us.

• Where do these ideas come from?

• Who is telling us these things?

• How can you change your mindset and bring yourself into a more positive mindset?

When you ask questions like this (and are open to answers that may surprise you), you can make powerful changes in your life!

False Standards Often celebrities are held up as the gold standard when it comes to post-partum body confidence and expectations. What we don’t consider, however, is the reality that their lives are not like ours.

They have nannies, and night nurses, and people to cook, and clean, and ultimately airbrush them into the pictures of perfection we see in magazines and online. They aren’t living the way we’re living!

When you’re a new mom, dealing with ALL the craziness that goes into parenting, the last standard you should be applying to yourself is that of a celebrity who has resources you can’t even dream of. What you’re doing as a mom is important, and it’s hard, and it’s not anything you need to judge yourself for!

You also don’t need to constantly be with other moms, family members, or friends who are obsessing over weight, diets, and changing their bodies.

Brittany encourages women to surround themselves with a supportive community that offers love and compassion. She also advocates for you to be willing to share about your own desires for body confidence and diet freedom if that feels right for you. You don’t need to continue interacting with diet culture groups and conversation 24/7, especially if you’re trying to move away from that for yourself! And if someone you’re really close to (like your mom!) is really stuck in that way of thinking, you don’t need to “change” them! Do what you can to deflect and move away from those food-based, body-shaming conversations….and give yourself the freedom to live in a way that feels better for you. (Get some tips on how to deal with dieters here.)

Having a smaller body won’t make you happier. (Just like having money doesn’t make you happier.) Brittany encourages women to learn to love themselves for who they are. When you do this, you’ll find there is so much to appreciate about your body!

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I’m back from a mini stay-cation that involved lots of home projects and cleaning. It wasn’t quite as good as a regular vacation, but our house does feel amazing! This week we’re digging into a big topic: healthified foods! These days, you can find “healthier” version of just about everything. From ice cream and tacos to smoothies and salads, there always seems to be some sort of hack being promoted! So when should you eat them? And when should you pass?

If you’re interested in chaining things up with your eating, you might love my free 7 Step Guide to Kick Dieting to the Curb!

Labels on Your Favorite Foods My favorite snack bar has a lot of labels on it: paleo, grain free, natural sugar only, and all that sort of thing. Labels can be triggering! When you’re trying to leave a dieting mindset behind, they can bog you down and keep you tied to certain rules about “good” food and “bad” food.

On top of the labeling, we also have zucchini spirals for noodles, dates for dessert, cauliflower as pizza crust and potatoes — the list goes on and on! With all the substitutions and food transformation, it can get overwhelming.

As someone who does occasionally enjoy zoodles, cashew parmesan, and all sorts of other healthified foods, all while also practicing intuitive eating, I know how confusing the can seem. You might be dealing with all sorts of internal questions, like:

• How is this different than dieting?

• Isn’t this another form of restrictions?

• How can I do it “right” and stop obsessing over labels?

And honestly, it all comes down to one thing: intention.

Why are you eating that? I eat all sorts of date and nut snacks because I like them for what they are. They are date and nut snacks, and I enjoy them! They give me an energy boost, they have a bit of protein, and they taste great.

However, they aren’t an alternate for brownies and cookies.

Early on in my journey, I tried to eat them as a dessert replacement. I found myself eating a TON of them because I was trying to curb my dessert cravings. Ultimately, I’d end up eating way more date balls then I even wanted….and then caving in and eating brownies later anyways.

That didn’t work for me! If you love the taste of a certain type of food, then you can let yourself enjoy that food. I can eat date bars and ignore all the labels, simply because I love date bars and I’m eating them for me. Based on my work with intuitive eating, that’s an intention I can feel really good about.

Let’s Talk Healthified Pizza Cauliflower as a crust replacement is really popular right now. Let’s talk about it! If you’re thinking about eating cauliflower crust pizza for lunch, there are a few questions you can ask to figure out if this is diet based thinking or intuitive eating based thinking.

1. Why am I choosing cauliflower crust vs. regular crust pizza? An intuitive eater might notice that a heavier crust option on regular pizza makes them feel a bit bloated and sluggish, and that they won’t have much energy later in the day. If they have a big night out, this might not be a great idea. A cauliflower crust pizza might be perfect in this situation! If they’re able to stay in, enjoy a regular pizza, and do something relaxing that doesn’t require much energy or focus, it might be a great night for regular pizza. Alternately, a dieter might be noting calorie counts and nutrition facts in order to determine whether they “can” eat pizza, or if they should settle for the cauliflower crust instead.
2. Will this truly satisfy me? If you answer this honestly, you might realize that eating the cauliflower crust pizza might make you crave regular pizza even more. If you eat a substitute, you won’t be satisfied, and will keep eating in order to fulfill that craving. However, it could be that a cauliflower crust pizza is honestly exactly what your body and taste buds need and want. Perfect! Enjoy your cauliflower crust!
3. If a regular pizza felt 100% allowed and was 100% available to you right now, would you eat that instead? This question helps you understand if you’ve fully released restrictions. Sometimes we think we’re choosing something for the right reasons, but we’re really just making fear based decisions connected to old dieting ideas. If that’s the case, I encourage you to try some of these “fear” foods so you can get them off the pedestal they’ve been placed on.

You Won’t Decide Wrong Whether you choose healthified foods or not, you can’t make the wrong decisions! Whatever choice you make, you can use the feedback to inform your food choices next time around.

A final tip? Don’t be afraid to rename foods!

Recently, I had a client trying out new breakfast foods. I suggested sweet potato toast with peanut butter and honey on top. I’ve had it before, and it’s pretty yummy! She replied, “That doesn’t sound like toast to me….”

In her case, she needs to rename that food in order to truly enjoy it. Otherwise, she’ll see it as a sad toast replacement, and she won’t be able to enjoy it in the same way.

A few years ago, I offered a pumpkin muffin to my brother. He quickly told me it was awful. On second thought, I explained it was really more of a baked oatmeal cup than an actual “muffin”. Once he heard that he took another bite…and he liked it! When he expected a muffin, a baked pumpkin oatmeal cup was not an acceptable replacement! But when he knew what it was and he ate it as that, he enjoyed it.

Rather than using healthified foods as replacements for the real deal, I’d encourage you to enjoy them for what they are, not for what they are “kind of like”.

PS: Here’s the amazing Paige Schmidt interview on intuitive eating shaming that I recommended in the podcast!

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This week I’m sharing my conversation with the amazing Kira Onysko. We had a chance to talk about to shift our workout mindset when it comes to exercise. She encourages you to embrace a performance based mindset (rather than a body-focused aesthetic mindset). Like so many of my guests, Kira’s work evolved with her own personal journey and struggles. This is a great conversation!

Have you listened in to my on-demand training yet? It’s free, and it offers 4 steps that let you get started with intuitive eating today! If you’re ready to take care of yourself and feel good in your body, this is for you! You can check it out HERE.

Kira’s Start with Movement As a certified personal trainer, Kira works exclusively with women. She’s highly passionate about teaching women how to incorporate fitness into their lives in a balanced, non-restrictive way as they improve their workout mindset. In her view, exercise and fitness shouldn’t consume your life. And all too often, they do!

Kira’s family was always movement oriented. She grew up loving exercise and physical activity. Her extended family also embraced a food loving culture that brought them together around lots of food. As a result, she felt she had a pretty good relationship with food and movement.

Around pre-puberty, however, her body changes started to impact her gymnastic performance. As she grew taller and gained a bit of weight, she started to feel her ability to perform in the gym and in competitions began to suffer. Her solution? To start limiting food and paying more attention to her diet in order to minimize weight gain.

A few years into those patterns, one of Kira’s gymnastic coaches brought a box of donuts to year end party. When Kira passed, her coach took her aside and told her that she could have the donut. Whatever else she said in her pep talk, it helped Kira break out of her food restrictions and realize that eating was a normal, acceptable thing!

The Downside of Workout Culture Post-high school, Kira experienced the absence of athletics and organized exercise. Having been an athlete her whole life, she missed movement, and she found herself not feeling as good as she would have liked.

During that time, the health & fitness climate was very different. The only real adult role models in the field were fitness models and body builders. The mindset was – you work out to burn calories, lose weight, and/or change your body.

This means that you eating habits get adjusted as well. Because you’re pushing yourself hard in the gym to burn calories, it’s natural to want to decrease caloric intake in order to help your efforts go farther. Obsessing over intake and restricting food is celebrated and expected. Because it’s so normalized, you don’t even realize it’s necessarily an issue at first!

Eventually, Kira found her friendships and relationships were being affected. Missing workouts or consuming too many calories started to cause anxiety. She hesitated to go to new restaurants, since she couldn’t guarantee that she’d be able to find a food she felt she was “allowed” eat.

Fortunately, during Kira’s degree program she was introduced to CrossFit. For the first time since school, she was able engage in movement that was performance based. There was no focus on mirrors, body size, or other aesthetics. Instead, she was able to make mind/body connections and engage in movement for the sake of movement.

Fitting In with Fitness For the first time as an adult, Kira felt excited about working out without needing to change her body. She was introduced to the exciting variety of American Oreos, and she realized that you could enjoy working out AND enjoy good food that you wanted to eat. She feels that she finally “saw the light” of all that was possible when it comes to enjoying the you move and the way you eat, no strings attached.

Kira did note that even within the CrossFit community, there can still be a lot of emphasis on food and eating. Dieting and food restriction is very bonding. It’s something to talk about, commiserate over, and compare notes on. It’s an easy fall back conversation, and it helps create a sense of belonging. Even if the movement component is something you love, sometimes too much focus on food can create a tension that doesn’t provide an ideal atmosphere.

Also, that’s not to say that all food talk is “bad”. Eating to aid recovery and fuel workouts is important when you’re challenging your body and engaging in movement. And one of the best ways to make that happen is to get tips and tricks from others! The key, however, is to enjoy it as a conversation and then check in with your body to see what makes sense for your needs.

Since her transition to CrossFit and weightlifting, Kira has had huge workout mindset shifts in her life. She now feels she is able to embrace movement and eating in a way that works for her body and needs.

Performance Based Workout Mindset Kira shares that many of her clients have never truly seen when their bodies are capable of. Many times they’ve engaged with lots of cardio and light weights, but they haven’t really pushed themselves to try other forms of movements.

When she puts programs together, Kira loves to create benchmarks based on “max effort”. In a certain amount of time, a client is challenged to perform as many reps or seconds of a movement as possible (pushups, wall sits, etc). More often than not, by the program mid-point all clients have surpassed their goals and feel really proud of how they’ve grown.

These benchmarks have nothing to do with weight, measurements, or aesthetics. They are purely about personal bests and personal growth. Often, this sort of growth is more inspiring and motivation than previous metrics based on body changes. Although shifting the workout mindset can take time, it’s an amazing way to build confidence and begin loving your body!

Exericse is NOT Punishment! Kira encourages her clients to engage in movement they actually love. Rather than trying to punish your body or force yourself to move in a way you think you “should” be moving….you can find things you actually enjoy. Don’t be afraid to experience with different options; you might be surprised by what you like!

You might try exploring different classes and groups. Not only are you moving, you’re also engaging in a chance to meet others who have similar interests. Who knows, you might even find a new friend or two!

Getting to have fun, make friends, try new things – these are ways to appreciate your body for what it can do, rather than just what it looks like.

Kira also points out that many of our most amazing experiences in life are movement based. From water skiing to kayaking, mountains climbing to hiking, we often base whole vacations around moving in ways that feel GOOD for our bodies. You can find those sorts of movements and do them frequently (rather than just once or twice a year as part of a trip).

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Social distancing is so important right now. It’s also stressful, hard, and can feel really frustrating. However, I also think that we can still have FUN while doing it! (Speaking of fun…if you haven’t checked out my summer self-care series yet, go do it! You can find all 5 videos over on my IGTV channel!) In these unprecedented times, I think we could all use a bit of fun in our lives!

Also, in my signature training, How to Ditch the Food Guilt + Shame to Gain Confidence + Feel Free, I dive deep on what intuitive eating is and how it could work for you. Whether you’re just starting or could use a refresh, this is for you!

Enjoying This Time Back in April my whole family booked our annual trip to Moon Lake, Washington. Our tickets were the cheapest they’ve ever been, and we were so excited! However, as the trip drew newer, we started to feel less confident about actually traveling. Ultimately, my husband and I canceled our tickets in favor of social distancing. It’s what felt right for us, and I know it was a good choice for where we’re at right now.

However…

Knowing the rest of my family is there without me has created some major FOMO. Plus, this is the first time in my life that I haven’t been able to make it! And even though it’s technically a small thing in light of everything else that’s going on globally, it still felt really hard.

Rather than sitting around and moping, however, we decided to get activated and create a plan for enjoying that time we do have. From house projects to furniture set up, we put together a series of activities we can do around our house. We get to feel safe AND have fun together — and that makes what we’re missing in WA feel less heavy.

As I record this, a part of me knows I “should” be in Washington with my family. It’s strange not to be, but I also know that I have the choice to enjoy the time I do have here at home!

Food Can’t Replace Joy Even though having fun might not feel like it’s that connected with intuitive eating, it absolutely is! When we have fun we are engaging with our lives. We’re present in the moment. And we honor our needs to connect, celebrate, and notice all that is good.

When we don’t do that? Sometimes we turn to food instead.

If you’re not enjoying your life, you’re going to rely too much on food to fill the gaps. After all, eating is a coping mechanism! If you’re not getting fulfillment and joy from other parts of your life, you’re more likely to turn to food to get what you’re looking for.

The reason you eat the way you eat as so many layers! Often, those layers have nothing to do with the actual food we’re eating. They are connected to our emotional needs, our struggles, our pain, and a whole assortment of other things! Right now, over-eating might be a response to social distancing. Rather than feeling guilty or ashamed, you can peel back some of those layers and look for other ways to help yourself get your emotional needs met. (And you can even find ways to have fun while social distancing!)

The Foundation of Self-Care A quick note about how vital self-care is in the process of having fun!

If you’re not taking care of yourself on regular basis, you won’t have the energy for adding into your life! Exhaustion, fatigue, and overwhelm might be signs that you need to build in a foundation of self-care that will allow you to engage in fun things.

The best way to do this is to develop a routine that feels really good for you. This might include journaling, meditating, moving, or connecting with loved ones. Get clarity about what things feel really good in your life, and make sure that you’re building them into your life.

You might also look for energy leaks! This week I had to get off social media for a while. Why? I was getting drained and overwhelmed by my social feeds. Taking the week away helped me consider if and how I wanted to add it back into my life. Rather than just slogging forward with my same old patterns, I noticed the issue and took action as a form of self-care!

Once your foundation is set, you can up level by adding in fun!

5 Ideas for Adding In FUN While Social Distancing ONE – Take some time to sit down and brainstorm fun ideas. It can be hard to have fun if you’re stuck in a rut, or just watching time pass by. Once you have your list, make a PLAN! Often time passes us by because we don’t plan how we’re going to use it.

You can think of this as a sort of summer bucket list. They can be small (eating an ice cream cone while taking a walk), or a bit more time intensive (plan out a summer picnic and take it to your favorite park)!

TWO – Make time to connect with the people you love. This is harder than it once was! You might need to be more creative about you can spend time with those you love.

If you have nice summer weather, you might be able to create an outdoor space to connect while still staying socially distanced.

Another option? Phone dates! I used to visit with my friends while I was going places….but since I’ve hardly been going anywhere lately, I realized I wasn’t connecting with my friends as much anymore. Intentionally planning in phone dates with my friends has been so helpful for my own mental health.

You can also try using Zoom or other video chat tools to have larger gatherings! From Beauty Counter parties to birthday parties – find a group and get together. Virtual connections do feel different, but they can be life giving, fun, and exciting all the same.

(Listen in to the full show to hear about the childcare pod that we’ve created, which has been another connection point in our lives!)

THREE – Projects! Head over to Pinterest and hunt for some new ideas. Personally, I’ve been working on a paint-by-number craft. My husband and I are doing some home projects. We’re starting a garden! I’m even looking into weaving. And, of course, I always love baking.

Whether you return to an old hobby or craft, or learn something new, projects can be a huge source of joy and inspiration. Rather than park yourself in front of the TV, you can explore other options that might feel more life giving.

Another note: projects don’t have to mean being productive! Finding things that bring you joy are wonderful. Give yourself space to be creative, to try new things, and to explore. Even if that means you end up making something and throwing it away, that’s okay!

FOUR – Get outside. Fresh air and nature bring so much joy. You might try taking a walk around the block, finding a local beach, or taking hike.

Not into all the activity? Try sitting outside with a cup of tea, or watching the stars from your backyard.

Especially if you’ve been working from home, make the extra effort to get outside and breathe some fresh air when you have a chance.

FIVE – Plan some day trips! Often we forget how many really neat things are all around us.

My family lives in Albany, which doesn’t get super hot in the summer. I realized I was craving that summer heat! After a bit of brainstorming, I thought of a childhood friend whose mom lives in a hot area and has a pool. After a bit of connecting, we got the details sorted out and headed over. It was a blast!

She was more than happy to see a family enjoying a pool that she doesn’t often use, and we loved the chance to swim somewhere that felt really safe and enabled us to maintain our social distancing practices! It was close by, it was free, and it was much needed!

Maybe you could take a day trip to a park and have a picnic. Could you try picking blueberries or strawberries? Finding a quiet beach front or out-of-the-way trail?

You might refer back to your summer bucket list for more ideas. What would you have FUN doing? What would bring joy into your life? Go do it and have fun!

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This episode is a little different than the norm, but it was so fun! Natasha shares so much about what the enneagram is, how it works, and what it might mean for you. Best of all, we dive deep on how you can use the enneagram for self-care in order better care for yourself and your needs.

The Quit Dieting for Good Program is open through September! It includes an incredible six-module course, along with 6 months of time together. You’ll be in a group with other amazing women who are working on their own intuitive eating journey. We’ll have 3 group calls per month, and we share so much with one another. The results are incredible! Interested? CLICK HERE!

Natasha’s Enneagram Start Natasha Smith is an Enneagram Coach. She’s also a mom of 3, and is a multi-passionate entrepreneur. She’s a 6 with a 7 wing, and she loves to talk all things enneagram! (I think I’m a 7!)

She shares that the enneagram is an ancient wisdom system. Even though it’s gotten popular in recent years, it’s definitely not new! In a way, it’s a personality typing system. Beyond that, however, it helps you understand WHY you do what you do. Rather than just telling you characteristics that you have, the enneagram reveals underlying motives that can help you in all areas of your life. The enneagram for self-care makes perfect sense!

About three years ago, Natasha looked in the mirror and realized she just didn’t feel like herself anymore. She sought out a counselor, and shared she wanted to grow and change. Here, she was introduced to the enneagram. She took the test…and got the 3 result.

Since she wasn’t feeling it, she went back and dug in deeper. After a lot of reading, studying, and test taking, she realized that it wasn’t going to work unless she took the test from the perspective of why she did what she did. (She kept getting a 3 result that didn’t resonate, and she realized she was answering the questions based on what she wanted to be true, instead of giving her truest answers.) Some of those answers were really impacted by her anxiety, which she recognized later as she began using the enneagram for self-care.

Recognizing Anxiety (And her true type!) Natasha had dealt with anxiety her whole life, but she’d never recognized it. She called it other things, and refused to consider it was something that might affect her. After all, anxiety was debilitating and sounded awful!

But when she read the 6 Type, she got completely overwhelmed. That was her.

She felt so understood and seen, and realized that if others felt that way and were able to live full, strong lives, she could too. That’s what compelled her to start using the enneagram as a coaching tool for other women who were also seeking transformation!

The ability to be present with yourself and your type is key to being able to connect with your full self.

Natasha Shares About Being a Six Sixes can be wishy-washy. They tend to work through a lot of “worst case scenarios”, and anticipate the absolute worst outcomes at all times.

Natasha shared she didn’t even realize this was something she did until she became more self-aware. Her detailed, instant thoughts were so negative and consuming; she realized they were showing up in all areas of her life.

Finding her type helped Natasha recognize that she did struggle with anxiety. It also showed her the ways the was coping with it: becoming a workaholic, doing too much, and avoiding these feelings.

She realized that she needed to slow down and allow herself to feel things. She practiced trusting that she could be safe, and that the people she loved could be safe as well. Noticing her default programming, and the way it kicked in throughout her day, was the self-awareness she needed to be able to be present in her daily life.

Increasing her mindfulness and becoming more aware were powerful ways of tuning in to her reactions and responses throughout the day. In fact, her family quickly noticed the change as well. She was able to be calmer, more present, and less prone to thinking negatively.

Part of embracing your enneagram type is to observe yourself without judgment, and to have grace for yourself as you discover more about who you are. Practicing this way allows you to truly use the enneagram for self-care; it’s a loving, gentle tool!

Many women use food restrictions or emotional eating as a way of controlling or avoiding what’s really happening in their lives. It would be interesting to know more about how various enneagram types engage with the diet industry (and with intuitive eating)!

Should I take the test? Natasha recommends holding enneagram test results loosely. The enneagram is a journey, and the point is to find yourself as you learn more about yourself. If you take the test and the results don’t really connect with you, it’s okay to take it again (and again)! Learn more about the numbers, and see if there are any that do resonate.

Like her, you may end up with the wrong number — and that’s okay! She advises that you take a look at your top three numbers, and learn more about them.

You’ll also want to think about WHY you do things. For instance, if you walk into a room and can easily identify what people may want or need, ask why? Is it to be loved? To gain attention? To get approval? Thinking about your motivations can help you get more accurate test results, as the enneagram truly emphasizes the underlying motivations you may have.

Intuitive Eating & Your Enneagram Type Underlying motivations are highly important for eating practices too! Natasha shares that a lot of 9’s can struggle with either overeating, or being really restrictive. Because 9’s tend to sort of “fall asleep” to themselves, they aren’t always present in their bodies. They also tend to avoid conflict, and may eat to avoid problems.

8’s tends to have a lot of energy and passion towards things, which can lead to overeating as well. They may also eat more to deal with the stress of constant leadership exceptions.

1’s and 3’s are most likely to tend towards restriction. For 1’s, they often don’t want to look “bad”, and since overeating is often categorized as a “bad thing”, they will want to avoid it. For 3’s, being overweight can conflict with their desire to appear good in other’s eyes.

Your type can contribute to how you cope, as well as how you think about food and your body. But it can also have a positive impact! Using the enneagram for self-care is a powerful way to listen to your body’s needs and care for yourself.

(If you’re a 7, listen in to this part! I asked Natasha some specific questions on my type and she shared some great info.)

The Enneagram Types (A Quick Glance) Ones & Threes 1’s are the perfectionists and 3’s tend to want to appear successful. A negative body image can lead to sense of moral failure or general unraveling. There’s this idea that if your body doesn’t look a certain way, that you’ve failed.

Twos 2’s are helpers who do a lot for others. They also tend to struggle with self-love, which impacts their body image. It can be hard for a 2 to truly feel that they are fully enough as they are, and they often look to others to increase their own self-worth.

Fours 4’s are often melancholy. They’re more creative, and they like to feel their feelings. However, they can also get stuck in those feelings and start to wonder what’s “missing” inside of themselves. Because of this, 4’s can get drawn into negative self-talk and self-criticism. They often feel “less than” if something in their lives is lacking.

Fives 5’s are analytical. They don’t often dress flashy, and may tend towards letting themselves go because outward appearance just doesn’t bother them.

Sixes With the 6’s, they tend to go back and forth. They’re doing great, then they aren’t. They’re following a plan, then they’re not. They are often in a battle with themselves, and that can translate to how they feel about their bodies.

Sevens 7’s are often very active. They like to experience new things, but can sometimes get stuck in letting themselves go when they aren’t in a good place. Otherwise, they tend to be active and want to work on themselves and take things to the next level.

Eights As strong leaders, 8’s can sometimes struggle with imposter syndrome. This can lead to a fixation with what’s wrong, and other negative thoughts about the self. Although they can be assertive and bold, they also refrain from being fully vulnerable and tend to turn inward when help is needed.

Nines Since they have a need to numb themselves out at times, 9’s can struggle to know what they feel, and can even tend to feel nothing. They’ll just let go, and whatever goes, goes.

(It might be interesting to learn your number and then listening in to the episode on checking your beliefs!)

The Enneagram is a Tool! Since each type has a distinct path of growth, knowing your type can help you understand how to get back on track. It’s a great tool to have in your toolbox if you’re on the journey towards being your highest self!

If you take a test, remember to explore the results and make sure it resonates with you. Learn more about the types, and be open to learning more about your own inner motivations. If your desire is to use the enneagram for self-care, you’ll want to do this in a loving way that works for you.

Want more info? The Enneagram Institute has a great test for about $12; it has a lot of questions, so you do have to really sit down and take it like a true test. TrueSelf.io includes images on their free test, which makes it quick and easy. (It’s not quite as in depth, but it’s a great starting point!) You can always with Natasha as well – she’s on IG as @radiantlyflourish.

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Today’s episode is all about snacking! As I sat down to record this podcast, I just happened to have been finishing up a snack myself. As an intuitive eater, I think it’s important to fuel my body whenever I need to. Sometimes that means full meals, and sometimes that means snacks! (There really isn’t a “wrong” approach here.)

Quick note: I’m only accepting clients into my Quit Dieting for Good program through September! (Since I’m pregnant, I’m building in a bit of a maternity leave for myself.) I’d love to chat with you about how you can get started with intuitive eating today! Personalized support, group coaching calls, workshops, guided visualizations, 6 amazing modules, and more — I love the content in this program!

The Mixed Messaging of Snacks There are SO many messages about snacking! And all those messages lead to questions.

Is snacking acceptable? How many snacks should I (can I) eat in a day? Is snacking good for you? What’s the “best” or “right” kind of snack?

If you’ve ever been on a diet, you know all about the different thoughts on this. From a resounding NO, to encouragements to eat many snacks a day, the advice is all over the place. Rather than looking for an answer “out there”, I’d like you to consider –

Does snacking work well for you? For your body? For your emotions?

Often intuitive eaters will find that the answer to those questions just depends. Some days larger meals might feel better. On other days, snacking might work better.

In addition, seasons of life can change how you might answer those questions. As a pregnant lady, I find that the big meals I usually prefer just don’t work that well for me right now. So I’m eating smaller meals and more snacks to keep myself fueled throughout the day.

Figuring Out Your Snacking Needs What are you currently doing when it comes to snacks?

Do you have current beliefs about snacks? Most importantly, do those beliefs help you or hinder you?

Often we believe that snacking has some connection to our weight. We either restrict and limit ourselves because we think snacking is bad…

Or we eat lots of small meals and snacks because we’ve been told that’s the best way to lose weight.

Instead of just blindly snacking (or not) because of hidden beliefs, I’d encourage you to dig a little deeper to get to the root of WHY you’re currently eating the way you’re eating. So often we get into habits and routines that aren’t truly about what’s best for our own bodies and lives.

But what if you WANT a large meal? A big hearty salad, a full bowl of curry, or a large burrito that will fill you all the way up (as opposed to a bunch of smaller snacks), might feel really good for you and your body.

(Listen in to the full episode to hear about one of my client’s “snack dinners”!)

A Client’s Story A client of mine was eating small lunches and snacks during the day, and a full dinner in the evening. And by the time she got to dinner, she was inhaling her food! She told me about it, and shared she wanted to slow down and enjoy that meal. At first she thought it would help if we focused on eating mindfully. And we did do some great work with that!

But then we realized that she had internalized this idea that snacking or grazing on really small meals all day was better for her than eating full meals. As a result, she was doing that….and then coming home and speed-eating her dinner!

Rather than continue to eat snacks because of a hidden belief about them being “better”, she chose to listen to her own body. And for her, eating larger meals that filled her up felt much better!

Slowing down and eating more mindfully is something she can enjoy doing when she knows she’s going to actually get full and feel restored after a meal. The snacking life just wasn’t cutting it! (Although she also knows she can always revisit that later — sometimes our needs change, and we get to change too!)

Food Freedom Can be Real! In the last diet I ever did before I became an intuitive eater, I was fed the line about that diet really being a “lifestyle” and the “best way to eat”. The food freedom and lifestyle I was hoping for just didn’t work.

I realized I was overeating during lunch, because I was really stressed out about staying full until dinner. Since I didn’t “get” to enjoy snacks, I had to eat an uncomfortable amount of food earlier in the day. That’s not great!

When I know that I can eat snacks when needed, I can relax and allow myself to enjoy my meals. Whenever I’m full, I can stop, with the knowledge that I can eat more whenever I need to. If that’s not until dinner, great! If that’s in a few hours and then I need to refuel with a snack, no problem!

True food freedom for me didn’t happen until I was able to freely eat in a way that feels good for my body and works in my life. That might mean big meals, small meals, snacking throughout the day, or not many snacks at all. It changes from day to day, and season to season.

The choice I make about snacking aren’t “good” or “bad”. They aren’t rules for me to follow (or for you to copy)! They’re just ways of eating that are based on what works for me right now.

There are No Rules + What does your schedule look like?

• What would feel good for your body?

• Are there foods you really like to eat?

• What meals do you really enjoy?

Based on your answers, keep those things on hand! I love to have apples and nut butter available, because I really enjoy those as fuel in my day.

Play with what works with you. Pay attention to what meals or foods make you desire a snack pretty quickly. (If I eat cereal for breakfast, I feel a need for more fuel within 2 hours! If I eat something with protein, I can go quite a bit longer without needing anything else.) If I have a busy morning and won’t have time for a snack, I make sure to plan a breakfast that will hold me over for longer.

Another thing to think about — there are no rules about what a “snack” is. You can define for yourself what food work as snacks, and what feels best as a full meal.

Let Snacking Be Neutral Resist the urge to label snacking as “good” or “bad”! Instead, practice listening to your body and checking in throughout the day. Don’t be afraid to skip a snack you would normally eat….or to eat a snack you wouldn’t normally consider!

One last thing to consider: Sometimes snacking is about our emotions. (No need to make this “bad” or “good” either!) If you think a lot of snacking might be tied to emotions, I’d love if you listened in to Episode 22, which is all about actually feeling your feelings!

At the end of the day, there is no wrong way to go about snacking. My biggest advice is to regularly:

• Check in with your snacking beliefs.

• Think about your own schedule and needs. Experiment!

• Prepare yourself with snack & foods you like, and eat them as needed.

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For this week’s interview I met with Sarah Berneche. We had an amazing conversation, and were able to really go deep on the layers of food restriction! No matter where you are in your journey, it’s always worth considered how restrictions might be popping up in your life! (Not too long ago, I shared about my own process of needing to let go of restrictions again as well!)

Ready to Ditch the Guilt + Body Shame to Gain Confidence + Feel Free? Check out my newest workshop! It’s an hour long, available on-demand, and FREE!

Meet Sarah! Sarah Berneche is an intuitive eating counselor and registered holistic nutritionist. She considers herself a nutrition therapist, and most of her clientele consists of women dealing with disordered eating and body image.

She shares that in her early years, she had a “normal” relationship with food. Post-puberty, however, she began getting bullied for her new, larger body. At that point, she began to feel that she no longer wanted this body. Shortly after, she learned about the WW points system.

This led her down the rabbit hole of diets. Sarah spent years trying to manage how she felt about her body by controlling it with food restrictions. Over the years, her diets morphed into disordered eating. In the midst of her unhealthy food relationships, she completed her dietary training and began working as a nutritionist.

During a corporate nutrition training, someone asked if they were allowed to eat yogurt with fruit in the bottom. That question struck her — Sarah realized that pushing people to eat only certain “good” foods and to restrict themselves from the pleasure or joy of food wasn’t in line with her values.

Healing Food Relationships As she studied and grew in her own understanding, Sarah learned more about intuitive eating, health at every size, and the body positive movement. Having healed her own food relationship, she became passionate about helping other women have the same experience.

One thing Sarah notices is that many women want intuitive eating to be a clear journey with a specific destination. There is a desire to “arrive”! With intuitive eating, however, there are many phases to the journey. Rather than trying to finish the journey, it will likely feel better to enjoy each step along the way.

Another important point: many women have a relationship with dieting built on years of practice. Transitioning to intuitive eating is a practice as well. You should plan to invest in it, just like you would with any new relationship! Along the way, you’ll likely notice that sometimes that old dieting relationships tries to get back into your life! That’s normal – and you have the ability to choose, each and every time, which relationship you would rather invest in for the long run!

The Layers of Food Restrictions Even when you’ve been eating intuitively for years, you may find restrictions popping up in your life!

Sarah shares that the layers of food restrictions can be like the 100 layer crepe cakes. Every time you peel one back, it seems like there is another one ready to take its place!

You may notice this happening physically — whether that’s the temptations to calorie count, control portion sizes, or restrict specific items. At some point, we start to move into more mental and psychologic concerns as well. For example, being a “better person” if you eat clean or maintain a smaller size. We also tend to have a lot of fear around things like carbs, fat, or other foods we may have demonized during our dieting journey.

Many women tend to think that if they stop dieting, their food will be different. Sarah notes that this is true, but it’s not the only change! You’ll be a different person too!

Your dieting came about for a reason, often a much deeper reason than we tend to acknowledge. You may have been managing anxiety, stress, or old traumas with your previous restriction/binging cycles. You may have used dieting to bond or connect with other women or people you care about. Dieting may have helped you cope with feeling inadequate.

When you STOP restricting, a lot can come up!

Dieting Makes us Feel Safe Diets have served a purpose in our lives! Because of that, they have a certain amount of security attached.

When we start intuitive eating and release diets, we need to reconsider the coping mechanisms and tools we use to allow ourselves to still feel safe. After addressing the physical food restrictions connected to her diets, Sarah had to dive deep on the emotional needs that she had been using diets to manage!

From romantic relationships to personal connections to inadequacies and other core wounds — Sarah found that when she stopped restricting, she was faced with many old feelings and hurts she had never truly addressed.

Dieting had never been about “just” losing weight. When we talk about food and body, we are never just talking about food and body. There are so many deep, core needs connected to what we eat! There are so many layers of food restriction that we’ll need to be willing to pass through!

Life Gets Better Without Diets The diet industry creates a problem (making us feel inadequate and broken) and then offering a solution (start dieting!). In the process of ending that relationship, we get to start rebuilding our core beliefs about who we are.

Intuitive eating allows us to peel back all of the layers and messaging and become our truest, most authentic selves.

Sarah shares that the more she does this work, the fuller her life becomes. With less restriction, she experiences more abundance. She’s found herself more conscious of connections, wholeness, and gratitude in many areas of her life.

Rather than trying to get to the smallest size (and then intending to treat herself well at that later point), she’s able to treasure and value herself today, just as she is. She’s also seen an increase in the strength of her friendships and connections. Intuitive eating has enabled her to open herself to body positivity, social justice, and more care and concern for others and for the world around us.

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Recently some of my clients have been going through the process of grieving their dream body. I understand that process, because I’ve had to do it to! When you start a new diet, you usually have an idea about what you’re trying to create, right? And no matter what that looked like for you, the reality of intuitive eating (and saying NO to diets) usually means letting go of that dream. That’s hard, and it’s okay to notice and allow yourself to grieve what you’re releasing!

Have you heard about my latest training? It’s called How to Ditch Food Guilt + Body Shame to Gain Confidence + Feel Free, and it is on-demand, FREE, and available now! You can learn more by clicking here! (And don’t miss the BONUS options for my Quit Dieting For Good Program!)

Are Your Dreams Holding You Back? Sometimes we have dreams that feel amazing…but they hold us back from what we really want. For example, say you’ve had a dream of owning a second home for vacations. You might be working hard, saving your money, and even preparing to go home shopping! But if you dig a little deeper, you might realize that what you actually desire is to take more vacations.

The concept of owning a vacation home was a placeholder for your true desire – taking the time to vacation.

Once you realize that, you might take that second home off your vision board. Instead of working extra hours and saving all their extra money for that house, you might realize you could use more time off and invest in dream vacations right now.

Maybe a time share would be a better fit for fulfilling your true dream.

Maybe just giving yourself freedom to vacation now would allow you to live out your dreams in a way you never imagined.

What Is the Dream Behind Your “Perfect” Body? Your dream body works the same way. You might have imagined the perfect number on the scale, all of your clothes fitting like a glove, or some other picture of what your dream body would mean to you.

But in reality…

Having that dream body often isn’t even about your physical body. Instead, the real dream is often about finding the perfect partner, achieving a certain fete, having a specific career, or feeling confident and comfortable. We tell ourselves that our dream body is going to be the catalyst for all of those things (and more!), but in reality….it’s not.

The good news is, you DON’T need to change anything about your body to go after your real dreams. Your ideal partner, salary, career, and life can be lived in the body you inhabit right now – no changes (or dieting) required!

Giving yourself permission to give up one dream is what allows you to embrace reality and experience joy right here and now, in the present.

Giving Up On My Own Dream I’ve always dreamt of my children being a boy and a girl. One of each. I grew up with a brother, and it seemed perfect. Plus, I loved doing “girl” things with my mom – baking, drawing, crafts, and more!

So when I had Cooper, I was super excited to have a boy. And when I got pregnant again, I was ready for a girl. My pregnancy seemed different, and I was mentally convinced I was having a girl. Since so many people seemed to also think it was going to be a girl, it felt like my dream was confirmed. I was so excited!

And then we got the results back — it’s a boy!

That was really, really hard for me. I had a beautiful dream for my future, and in one moment I suddenly realized that it’s not a dream that would ever come to be. No little girl to do girl things with in the kitchen, or get our nails done, or any of the other things I had pictured. (I know that we might have a boy we wants to do those things with me! But I also know that it’s okay to grieve the loss of what I had expected and hoped for.)

Now that I’ve had a chance to adjust, I’m getting excited to think about having two little boys running around the house. Cooper will have another bother, and we get to bring another little baby into this world. There are so many people who want a baby, and of course I recognize our privilege in having children at all. I also want to be sensitive to those who may be grieving other dreams related to conception, fertility, or losing a child.

No matter what your dream is, though, it’s okay to recognize it and allow yourself to grieve for everything that will never become a reality.

Grieving Your Dream Body With intuitive eating, your body will settle into a set-point weight that is right for you. (After all, it’s based on your DNA!) However, your set-point weight may not be at all like your dream body.

Many women are hoping that intuitive eating might be the answer that allows them to lose the weight and finally keep it off. And for many women, embracing intuitive eating DOES lead to losing some weight. However, it’s unlikely that your set-point is going to be as low as your “dream” weight.

That’s where the first stage of grieving comes in: Denial. Often this means you still have a hope or desire that intuitive eating is going to naturally lead to having the weight you’ve been dreaming of. You’re not quite willing to release that dream body you’ve been working towards for years….even though you DO know you want to be done with diets!

Eventually, you start to understand that the diet industry sold you a terrible dream to begin with. You realize your dream was never realistic or good for you in the first place.

That brings us to the next stage: Anger. This comes when you start to realize that you’ve held yourself to unrealistic expectations. You might be angry at friends or family you encouraged you. You might be angry at an industry that took advantage of your hopes for years. And you might simply be angry at yourself.

Eventually, you’ll end up in stage three: Bargaining. At this point, you start to think about dieting again. Maybe if you could diet with a new mindset, right? You could intuitive eat AND lose weight AND still get your dream body! Or so you think…

Going back to dieting will not help you move forward in the long run. By avoiding the temptation, you can move forward more quickly. Unfortunately, however, there tends to be one more hard stage of grieving to pass through…

The fourth stage is: Depression This tends to happen once you’ve been working through intuitive eating for a few months. At some point, you realize that your body intutively wants to be a different size than you had dreamt of.

Often you find yourself asking if intuitive eating is even worth it. You might also start to realize how you used dieting to exert control in your life. What ever you were using diets to cover up (as a band-aid cure) starts to rear up. The bigger issues in your life, the issues dieting was helping you deal with, start to reveal themselves. This can be a hard stage! Not only are you releasing the ideal dream body you’ve expected, but you’re also coming face to face with other hard things in you’re life that you used dieting to avoid.

You can do this! You can release that old dream body, you can accept and love yourself the way you are, and you can face your life without using diets as a form of control. Don’t forget to show yourself love and plenty of self-care as you pass through this stage!

And finally, you’ll reach the fifth stage: Acceptance When you’re here, you start to accept that you have a body that wants to be a certain size. You are able to let it be the size it desires to be, because you realize how much you’ll GAIN by doing so! You can experience freedom, self-love, and body confidence as you begin to accept yourself and your body in ways you never have before.

Finally, you understand that your dream body is what’s really getting in the way of your true desires.

Rather than chasing after a fictional dream body that keeps you in a constant pattern of restricting, binging, and dieting, what would happen if you allowed yourself to grieve your dream body….and finally release it?

You can!

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This week’s amazing guest is Julie Newbry, the Intuitive Personal Trainer. As we discuss how to stop over-exercising, I hope you’re inspired to release exercise-related guilt and give your body grace and love!

Also — I have a NEW offer for you! It’s a free on-demand training that walks you through how to ditch food guilt and body shame so you can gain confidence and feel free! You can register at www.caitlinball.com/training and get started today!

The Start of Intuitive Movement Julie shares that she works with clients that are pursuing fitness without attempting to shrink their bodies or focus on weight loss. Her own journey with health started at a young age —

She attended her first Weight Watchers meeting at age 10. From then on, Julie was constantly dieting. At age 16, she had a full blown eating disorder that she battled until she was 30. Even though shed remembers having a love for sports and playing as a child, she couldn’t remove them from the focus on aesthetics and weight loss that we so often pair with movement.

In her early 30’s Julie’s own concept of her physical body started to change. She began to appreciate just how incredible it was, and how much it was capable of. Eventually this inspired her to segue into personal training. Sadly, her boss at the gym constantly pressured her to lose weight and reduce body fat. Even though she has been happy with the shape she was in, she started to slip back into the need to lose weight, which ultimately led back to disordered eating patterns.

Exercising with Respect for Your Body So many women are used to exercising frequently, with the specific goal of shrinking their bodies. Movement for fun and joy, and movement that is kind, is almost unheard of.

Julie notes that exercising to lose weight isn’t necessarily wrong…but it also isn’t helpful. Often when we force ourselves to work out in order to move the needle on scale, we get into a cycle of “never enough”. We either lose the weight, stop moving, and then regain the weight. Or, we guilt and shame ourselves into movement because we are so intent on seeking a certain outcome. Either way, we’re more likely to find ourselves aways demanding more of ourselves, rather than feeling grateful to our bodies for all they are doing.

When you can start moving out of joy and kindness, however, you can start taking back your power. Exercise can become a way of showing yourself love. You’re much more likely to stick with it if you view it as a way to build yourself up and truly love yourself, rather than as a way to change your body.

Many of Julie’s clients are exercise avoidant (not exercising much at all), and some are exercise dependent (over-exercising). She noted that many women who are exercise dependent have a lot of fear about what will happen to their bodies if they stop. She shares that, in reality, if you are maintaining a certain body size by severely restricting food or exercising for an extreme amount of time, you’re using control keep yourself smaller than you’re body naturally would choose to be.

A huge part of her intuitive movement work is to help women release this internal fear and clarify their own values about who they want to be.

Finding Joy in Movement When you can let go of the “have to’s” of movement, you get to start experiencing the joy of movement again! Julie stresses that you can give yourself permission to move in new, different ways – ways that might be fun or get you doing something you haven’t done before.

Rather then get sucked into the need to have a certain type of equipment, or to trudge along on machines that make you miserable, you can choose to creatively explore types of movement that you might actually find enjoyable!

Julie also points out that the exercise industry is heavily invested in profiting from program and plans. You have the right to question that! What is your intention in pursuing a certain program? Is a physical challenge you’re taking part in feeling more like a punishment, or celebration? Are you having fun when you move, or are you over-stressing your body?

It can be so fun to push your body and see what it is capable of! It can also be painful and harsh, and the difference honestly comes from your own attitude and approach. By slowing down and really identifying why you’re moving and what you hope to gain from it (and when those gains don’t require your body to change sizes), you’ll likely find your approach to movement changing.

Also, when and if you decide to stop over-exercising, you aren’t resigning yourself to a live on the couch. Instead, you’re making a choice to engage in strenuous, challenging activity because you like it….not because you’re trying to punish yourself.

Food & Exerecise Your body has all sorts of awesome mechanisms that will resist an imbalance of working out and eating. Trying to live off of rice cakes and broth while playing the Tetris version of “how much can I eat” and “how much do I have to exercise in exchange” doesn’t create health. In fact, your body will naturally balance things out if you trust it with intuitive movement and eating.

Leaning in to this requires you to let go of control! Julie shares that she had to leave her gym and go to therapy to deal with some of the stress of letting go. It is hard, especially when it’s been a way of life and a personal mindset for a long time! Now she knows that the best way for her to approach movement and exercise is to have self-compassion and to question what is true.

She asks herself — Do I need to experience that kind of pain or discomfort to be a “good” trainer? Does that movement/program/plan honor my body and my needs? If I did “that”, would it come from a place of love?

Fitness and health don’t have “a look”. Any size or shape of body can be healthy; the most important thing is that you are able to honor your own values and truth in your movement journey.

Freeing Up Your Time Julie shares that she’s had several clients pick up new jobs, start volunteering, and go back to school with all the time they freed up by practicing intuitive movement! When you can stop over-exercising and release all the mental math, preoccupation, and effort you’ve been putting into exercise, weight loss, and food control, you have so much more freedom!

And of course, you get to choose how you want to use your newfound energy, time, and freedom.

One of the most profound changes in her own life has been family dinner. She says that being able to sit with her family and eat what they eat and have that time with them is a highlight of her day. Being able to model for her own children that women can eat rice and bread, women can enjoy their relationships with their bodies and food, and women can be FREE have been things that she has found to be personally transformative.

No matter where you are in your journey, you can make the choice to change things. You can love yourself the way you deserve to be loved. You can model the sort of relationship with food and exercise that you want your children to see. The power to create change is within your own hands. Don’t be afraid to release old patterns and embrace freedom!

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Now that you know I’m in the 1st trimester of my pregnancy with Baby #2, I thought it would be fun to talk about it! (See the full announcement here!)

If you’re wondering how intuitive eating works with a pregnancy, I’d love to share my experience. And if you’re thinking you’re interested in starting to eat intuitively, but you’ll wait until AFTER the baby, I’d love to share why it might be a really good idea to start now! (Or at least shed some light on why you don’t need to wait if you don’t want to!)

I Didn’t Feel Bad About the Carbs I found out I was pregnant on the first day we sheltered in place. It happened to coincide with Cooper staying home from school sick, and then me getting his cold too.

And then once the cold was gone, I got morning sickness! For me, that usually means I need to eat immediately when I get up, and usually my appetite is for carbs. Years ago, that might have been really stressful for me. In the past, I’ve had so many internal rules and regulations about eating carbs, and getting pregnant doesn’t change any of that mental chatter. I know that for me, dealing with the general bloat and nausea of pregnancy, plus fighting guilt and shame around carb intake, would have been extra overwhelming.

Throughout my whole 1st trimester, I was so grateful that I no longer had a negative relationship with carbs. As I’ve changed my morning eating routine, it’s been fun to see Cooper get involved (he’s convinced he’s feeding the hungry baby in his tummy too), and it’s been so wonderful that I can engage in new food patterns with joy and freedom instead of stress and guilt.

(Also, it just so happened that my early pregnancy carb-cravings coincided nicely with the sourdough craze, so I definitely got in on that too!)

Body Freedom at ANY Size (Pregnancy Included!) This baby is so, so tiny…

but I still feel so, so bloated.

It doesn’t make my pants feel great, even early on in the pregnancy.

But instead of assuming that I’m not eating right, I’ve been able to accept that my body is changing and growing. Bloating is inevitable, and there’s nothing to stress over!

Also, this time around I’ve been a big fan of wearing maternity clothes as soon as you want. They are so comfortable, and they made for a growing and stretching body. Rather than try to force myself into my “regular” clothes that feel tight and uncomfortable, I’m wearing clothes that feel GOOD!

Even if you don’t have a need for maternity wear…

I like to advocate for my clients (pregnant or not) to buy clothes they like in a variety of sizes. If you have a few pairs of pants or nice tops in a size larger than usual, you can wear clothes you like even when you are a little bigger. That works whether you’re pregnant, have period bloating, have gained a few pounds, or just want the extra space.

There’s never a reason that you have to force yourself into clothes that are simply too tight, too small, or too constricting.

Trust Your Body For awhile in the 1st trimester, I could NOT cook. It just turned my stomach, and I couldn’t deal with it.

Sometimes that meant eating broth with rice and noodles, because it’s all I could stomach. And then sometimes it meant freezer meals, or comfort foods like take out. I also struggled with the idea of veggies — so I didn’t push them for awhile.

I trusted my body to tell me what she wanted and needed. And around 12 weeks in, I started craving salads and citrus-based things (like lemonade and key lime pie). Roasted veggies still don’t appeal to me, and that’s fine. My body will let me know what I want and need, and I’m listening in so I can honor whatever she shares with me.

Intuitive eating allowed me to enjoy the cravings I had (and will continue having) while also caring for my body and needs. Sometimes I would eat something that made me NOT feel good. Hmm. I would just tuck that away as feedback that would come in handy next time I was making choices, and move on.

No guilt, no shame!

I also chose to celebrate the take out and freezer meals when that’s what my family needed. My husband and Cooper didn’t mind the change, and I chose not to feel guilty about it. Not feeling good is what it is. There’s no need to pile guilt on top of it!

Intuitive eating during pregnancy gave me the grace to take care of myself in whatever way worked for me at the time. I didn’t have to beat myself up, or feel guilty for not being “enough”. Instead, I could be a really parent and wife who knew what they needed and took care of themself. What a gift, to both myself and my family!

Prepare for Pregnancy Up & Downs About 10 week in I had a Corona virus scare. I got more sick than what I could excuse away as just the pregnancy, and my doctors ended up wanting me to have the test. Being sick and not knowing what it was (especially with Covid-19 always on the news) was so scary. It was also a reminder to be so grateful for this little baby and how much I already loved them.

Ultimately, it was just a scare. After recovering from that, I had a week that made me think I was in the clear. Less morning sickness, more energy…

And then things got hard again.

If you’ve been pregnant before, you know how fast things can change with both your body and your feelings. After a few more weeks of morning sickness, things cleared up again. Around week 16 I started to actually feel good, and I’m loving that right now.

Pregnancy is a series of ups and downs, and there is so much happening during the entire experience! For me, intuitive eating during pregnancy has enabled me to:

• Maintain a positive body image, especially during those first stages of growth and bloating

• Accept the changes that are happening with my body

• Release food guilt and parenting guilt (all the guilt) because I understand there’s no reason for it, and I can choose to let it go

• Listen to (and trust) my body as she tells me what she wants (and doesn’t want) – including food, rest, and any other needs that might come up

I’d love to hear from you too! Have you tried intuitive eating during pregnancy? Would you be open to it?

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Maria Simpson, who also goes by Body Love Boss, joined us this week to talk about body neutrality. We cover what body neutrality means, and where it fits into the body love conversation! We also talk about taking care of and respecting our bodies. I’m so excited to bring a fresh perspective and another awesome, personal story to the show.

“Looking Like” a Personal Trainer As someone who always loved movement and exercise, personal training felt like a natural fit. And Maria feels that at the beginning of her career, she had a really healthy perspective. But after about 7 years as personal trainer, Maria reached a burn out phase that inspired her to take a break from that part of her life.

As her career had continued to grow, she had started to feel more pressure to look like what she felt a personal trainer “should” look like. She lost weight, and as her body got leaner, she got more and more compliments. (Just last week I talked about the unintended consequences of body compliments!) Eventually, Maria was only eating the bare minimum, while also exercising an extreme amount of time.

It didn’t take long for health symptoms start popping up. She kept pushing her body harder, and forcing herself to do more. Eventually, she came across a YouTube video made by someone with a very similar story to hers; that woman shared that she was dealing with a eating disorder. For the first time, Maria recognized that her exercise and eating habits were possible disordered.

No More Mystery Symptoms As she started eating more and resting, her mystery symptoms started to disappear. And even though she loved being a trainer, Maria made the choice to stop training. Instead, she began to pour herself into the work of body love and acceptance.

A huge part of her healing involved gaining weight. This part of the journey was when body neutrality became an important focal point for Maria. During her recover period, she gained 50 pounds in about two months. She felt an extreme amount of shame as she looked at a body she didn’t feel she recognized. As much as she wanted to hide, she also knew she needed to be able to embrace herself as she was.

And early starting point? Identifying that gratitude was the opposite of fear and shame, and choosing to express gratitude for everything she could. While practicing that, she felt a small shift in the way she felt about her body.

Those small shifts continued to grow as Maria chose to recognize that her worth was not attached to her size. She started recognizing negative thoughts about herself that would pop into her mind, and she’d practice replacing them with something else.

A Growing Gratitude Practice This small steps continued to form into a gratitude practice. Maria started making lists of things she was thankful for about her body, and choosing to notice all the things her body was capable of.

She found it allowed her to do and experience so much.

And as she noticed and expressed gratitude, she found she could have a life filled with joy and happiness, no matter what her body looked like. This realization was freeing, and allowed Maria to accept that she was honestly healthier and happier at her new weight.

Instead of forcing herself to follow a strict diet or exercise regimen that would allow her to be a certain size, she could release that control and enjoy the way her body naturally was. It felt really good, and served as a continual reminder that being happy and comfortable in your body was more important than anything else.

Body Neutrality vs. Body Love It’s really hard to ask someone to suddenly love you. They need to meet you, get to know you, and gradually grow into love.

Our bodies are the same. When we’ve had a difficult relationship with our body that has been marked by stress, tension, and even hatred, we can’t suddenly wake up and be genuinely in love with it. We have to allow ourselves to work towards that, and moving towards body neutrality is one way of doing that.

Maria has found that focusing on what she most wants to be remembers for has helped her to shift her focus; instead of how she looks, she can focus on how she shows up and lives. In the process, she has slowly moved into the space of feeling neutral about her body, and from there she was able to begin to love her body.

She doesn’t feel she loves her body every single minute of every single day. However, she feels that has the tools that enable her to get “unstuck” when she finds herself succumbing to her old thinking patterns. And if she’s feeling particularly negative, she doesn’t have to swing drastically back to love. Instead, she moves gently back to body neutrality, and from there, she can transition back into full body love.

Body neutrality is an important ground that lets you experience gratitude and appreciation for yourself, exactly as you are.

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Last week I announced some really fun personal news on Instagram – we’re expecting! I actually found out the very first day of quarantine, which was interesting. In some ways, it was a really great way of easing into a period of extra rest and a slower time at home. (Although it also meant being the only one caring for Cooper for the bulk of the day, which was exhausting in it’s own way!) It’s also meant I haven’t had to deal with body compliments of any kind (for some reason, people love to dole out compliments and advice for pregnant bodies), which has been kind of nice too.

(Also, send your pregnancy + intuitive questions my way, because I’ll be doing an episode on that soon!)

The Harmfulness of Body Compliments First things first: Don’t assume anything about anyone else. You might think that someone is super confident in their body, and that your comments about their body wouldn’t impact them. However, that’s simply not true.

Everyone has their own experience with their body. They have hurts, hangups, and experiences you don’t know anything about. And just because you meant something as a compliment doesn’t mean it will be received as one. (Remember too that lots of women won’t tell you if you’re comment hurt them. They’ll nod, smile, and go home to grieve it alone.) Size and confidence are not related!

Ultimately, you can’t know what impact your comment on someone else’s body will have, so it’s better to simply refrain from making them in them in the first place. Here are a few examples that illustrate what I’m talking about:

Let’s say someone you know has lost weight. You notice, and immediately respond with phrases like, “Wow! You’re looking so great!”, or “You’ve lost weight! How did you do it?”. This can bring up all sorts of feelings.

They may feel really happy and proud of themselves, since our society has really ingrained in us that losing weight is important. On the other hand, however, these comments can be upsetting. Someone might immediately realize that just as you notice their slimmer body, you also noticed their larger body. And your attention and compliments now drive home that you were noticing (and not complimenting) before. That can feel disheartening and upsetting!

I had a client who naturally lost some weight after she started intuitive eating. Simply changing some habits based on what felt good for her body created some weight loss.

Soon after, she started getting a lot of compliments. She was proud and happy; the validation felt great! Not long after, she started overeating again. When we dissected what was happening, we realized the compliments had put her into overdrive. Instead of the great habits she had been implementing to feel good in her day-to-day life, the body compliments made her start restricting and striving to lose more.

All of the attention on her body made it hard for her to enjoy eating for her overall wellbeing; they brought her back to the dieting mentality of making choices that were really about weight loss.

Think of someone you know that’s gained weight. You may know someone that you think is too thin, and that you think should gain some weight. And if you notice that they do gain weight, it can be tempting to offer body compliments. Things like, “You’re looking so healthy!”, which we of course mean as a way to make them feel good.

When you make comments about someone looking “better” when they have more weight, it’s not helpful. It draws attention to their weight gain, which may be something that is really internally hard for that person to deal with. Too many body compliments about weight gain can also be discouraging; it highlights how much people notice and pay attention to your body and its size.

In addition to having to get used to a new body size and the different way that clothes fit, now this person has to deal with your opinions and noticing also.

Finally, let’s address compliments having anything to do with body size/shape and clothing. It’s so easy to someone looking great and start offering comments like, “That skirt is so slimming!”.

That sort of compliment implies that the other person looks best when they are making an effort to slim themselves down. Wearing Spanx, or only wearing a certain style or cut of clothing, becomes a norm because they feel that it’s the only way they can look good. You would never want your friends to feel they “have” to limit themselves to wearing “slimming” clothing….but constantly commenting on the clothing that does diminish their size instills in them that they DO need to do that.

Another back handed compliment is, “You’re so brave for wearing a bikini!”. The suggestion there is that someone doesn’t really look like the type of person usually seen in a bikini…and they are brave for being willing to reveal their less-than-perfect body. No one needs a compliment like that!

At the end of the day, comments about other people’s bodies aren’t a great idea. Whether you’re directing it to them, or making the comment to someone else, no one is served by the constant attention on body size and shape. The best thing to do is to just NOT do it!

A Personal, Embarrasing, Revelation Early in college, a friend of mine from high school sent me a picture of her and her roommate. Her roommate happened to be a model. I said out loud to MY roommate….

“Wow! I’m glad she’s not my roommate!”

When I saw her, I had been thinking about how I would feel insecure if I was constantly beside someone who was so gorgeous. I was glad that I didn’t have that kind of pressure. My roommate was really hurt though, because I was implying that she wasn’t that beautiful. Later, I found out she even cried later. I felt terrible!

In my mind, my roommate was beautiful, and I would have never believed that she had insecurities about that. But as I stated in the beginning…

You don’t know what people struggle with when it comes to their bodies.

My off the cuff comment that I didn’t even think of was extremely hurtful to someone I cared about. (Someone that I believed to beautiful….but made to feel less-than in a split second.)

Responding to Body-Based Compliments Awareness + Change is the key here. Once you know better, you can do better!

If you’re the one receiving the comments, I recommend acknowledging and pivoting. For example:

“Thanks.” and move on. Or even, “Yes, I did lose weight.” and then immediately pivot. You can make it clear you’re not wanting to discuss your body or it’s changes.

A more direct route?

“Thanks, but my body is the least important thing about me, and I’d rather not talk about it.”

If you’re asked for details about HOW you lost weight, you can share things like:
“I’m focused on taking care of myself in ALL ways. And in doing so, I naturally lost/gained some weight.”

You can talk about intuitive eating the way you talked about Paleo or MyFitness Pal the first time. Share what it’s all about, or why it’s working so well for you.

Alternates to Body Compliments Try complimenting body energy/outlook/mindset.

Notice someone’s positivity and confidence.

Call out something specific someone did that was kind or caring.

Notice someone’s dedication to their job, their family, or their hobbies.

Compliment someone’s habits that seem to make their lives better.

Notice someone’s sense of style and creativity, rather than the fit of their clothes.

Call out someone for handling something really well.

When we compliment people for who they are and what they’ve done (rather than how they look), we can shift the focus to something that really, truly matters. How powerful is that? Body compliments don’t give us that chance — so let’s STOP using them once and for all!

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This week Chelsea Gross and I dive into the topic of healing from chronic illness (and healing in general) while intuitive eating. When you’re eating to deal with a chronic illness, you might have to do a bit of extra mindset work to maintain your own intuitive eating journey. Chelsea is SO open and honest about her story and her journey with healing, which makes this episode especially helpful.

If you leave a podcast review in Apple Podcasts in May or June and send me a screen shot (email to caitlin@caitlinball.com or send it in my IG DMs) you’ll get a FREE group coaching call! It’s a small gift from me to you; the more reviews there are, the more women can benefit from the intuitive eating message!

As a certified nutrition and mindset coach, Chelsea works 1-1 with women around the world (virtually, of course!) to make peace with their relationship with food, their bodies, and themselves. As someone who struggled with all those areas herself, Chelsea loves helping other women find healing and freedom.

Chelsea’s Early Food Journey In middle and high school, Chelsea dealt with a lot of fear, anxiety, and even panic attacks. When she reached out to her mom and sister, they brushed it off. She internalized the idea that being emotional, being sensitive, and having fear was wrong — and that she needed to be fixed. Moving to college amped up her need to fit in, and she started to fixate on losing weight and “looking right” as a means of doing so. Like most women who decide to change their bodies, she started dieting and exercising. And at first, it seemed like it worked. She was getting a lot of attention and compliments, which felt good!

She kept up the cycle of obsessing, restricting, and controlling as long as she could. Eventually, however, things fell apart. When she broke up with her first serious boyfriend, she started eating more to soothe her emotions. Other stressors that popped up through her college career had a similar effect, and by her senior year she had gained weight. She determined to lose it, and jumped into a cycle of restricting and binging, which later led to purging as well.

Post-college, Chelsea took her struggles out to LA, where she pursued acting. The stigmas about weight, size, and diet continued to weigh on her in an industry notorious for pressuring women to control their food intake and maintain an “idealized” size.

The Wake Up Call In 2014, Chelsea experienced a yoga injury and a car accident within a few days of each other. She started experiencing severe lower back pain, which sent her on a journey to all sorts of health practitioners. Nothing seemed to be working.

She found herself with no passion, no purpose, and struggles that seemed to be completely overwhelming her entire life. With no joy to fuel her, Chelsea realized she was sinking into a black hole that she had to find a way out of.

Via an online search, Chelsea found a nutrition program that sparked her interest. The connection between the physical body and the mind really intrigued her, and she made the decision to dive in. Throughout the course work, she became inspired to “make her mess her message”. She also gave up dieting and started looking at health as something holistic and positive. Rather than trying to “look” a certain way, she dedicated herself to “feeling” healthy, whatever that looked like for her body.

Healing From Chronic Illness As she was working through all of this, Chelsea started experiencing symptoms in her abdomen and gut that were concerning. After many rounds with naturopaths and doctors (and so much testing!), she was diagnosed with Lyme’s disease.

Eating in a certain way (or not eating certain foods) can be an effective tool for healing from chronic illness. It can make intuitive eating tricky, however, because there are so many tendencies to use restriction as a tool!

Chelsea suggests that embarking on a healing diet CAN be helpful. And if you’ve been dealing with disordered eating or other chronic eating issues, it’s really common to be dealing with digestive and auto-immune disorders. Your system may be damaged, and you may need to do some reparative work.

Something important to remember is that when you were dieting, restricting or elimination a certain food came from a place of punishing, hateful energy. That was about control, and a desire to change your body or yourself.

Making a decision to restrict a food to decrease inflammation or help your body heal is a completely different mindset and motivation! If you’re attempting to heal from a chronic illness, creating a clear distinction that helps the restriction feel different is important. Intuitive eating is a way to honor your body and her needs. Making a choice to restrict a certain food from a place of love and respect IS intuitive!

I am choosing… Rather than using “I can’t” language that makes you feel that you’re not “allowed” to eat a certain food, try using “I am choosing” language. When you make a choice to restrict a food for healing reasons, remind yourself that it IS a choice.

You aren’t creating new rules, and you aren’t putting yourself in a position to start craving food you’ve been restricting and controlling. Instead, you’re being gentle and making choices that you can feel good about.

Chelsea shares that now, she’s quite flexible in her food choices. She brings a mindset of choice into her food decisions, even when those choices are to restrict certain foods. Nothing is permanent, and she never 100% takes a food off the table as if she will never eat it again.

However, she has done some very specific food protocols to help her body in its journey towards healing from chronic illness. There have been times (like during her candida cleanse) that didn’t work for her. She moved into them too soon, and her head wasn’t in the right place. She realized that happiness and flexibility were super important to her. In addition, she had to recognize the role of stress in her holistic health journey. If eating a restrictive diet meant to heal her physical body created too much stress and pressure mentally, she was losing out on a different kind of health.

Being able to be in the moment, create space for her full life, and to incorporate joyful, positive practices ended up being vital. Chelsea realized that being happy was just as vital to her health as making food choices that empowered her.

Create Room for Joy Overall, eating a certain way isn’t about doing it ALL the time…it’s about doing it most of the time. Give yourself room for joy, for travel, for date night — give yourself permission to live a full life, even in the midst of healing from a chronic illness.

Remember to CHOOSe to allow foods you love. Make the choice to give yourself permission to enjoy each element of your life, including your food choices. And create those distinctions in your mind! When you are making food choices from a place of love and compassion, saying “no” doesn’t feel harsh or punitive. So remind yourself – you LOVE your body, and you’re taking care of her in way meant to protect and nourish her in the best way possible.

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A few months ago I went back to Step 1 of intuitive eating. What does that mean? Well, it involved the need to let go of restrictions AGAIN. This podcast feels important to share with you, because it’s my own personal journey. Maybe it will encourage you to get started, validate what you're already doing, or even reassure you that you’re not doing anything “wrong”.

If you’re just getting started on your journey and want to know more about first steps, I’d love for you to join the Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge! It’s completely free, and provides and audio training and homework assignment every day. Looking for more? You’re invited to check out my signature course, Quit Dieting for Good! From a monthly membership, an amazing community, and awesome coaching calls — this is an amazing resource for women who know they are ready to quit dieting and let go of restrictions once and for all!

Let Go of Restrictions Last July when I moved back to the US with my family, I had to make some adjustments. There were so many food options we hadn’t had access to, and so many things I wanted to try! After a few months I felt like was settled back in….and then I had another round of desire for foods that I hadn’t been able to have for awhile. In addition to increased access, there’s so much more convenience in the US as well!

For example, things like takeout (which wasn’t super great and was really high priced) weren’t very common in Switzerland.

So for me, a big move created a life change. And as a result, I had to relearn to let go of some restrictions.

For you, it might be pregnancy, a new job, or some other life change.

Don’t be afraid to check in with yourself and your beliefs and listen to your body. Maybe you’ve created “new” rules about food that you will or won’t eat, but it’s been awhile since you’ve really checked in with yourself.

If you realized that eating a lot of bread doesn’t make you feel great, you may have decided you feel better not eating bread. That’s great! But after a while that can start to become a new restriction under the guise of intuitive eating. It’s okay to try bread again; a different kind, a different variety, a different quantity might actually be great!

Allowing Food’s I Didn’t Even Love Moving back to the US inspired me to try all sorts of foods again! And rather than try to stifle those desires, I gave myself the freedom to do so. Even for foods that I was pretty sure I didn’t like, or had never really loved – I had freedom to try them out all over again.

As I listened to my body and reflected on my experience, I realized that some of my initial food choices may have been fueled by my own reaction to diet culture. In Switzerland, there wasn’t nearly as much conversation about dieting, or pressure to be dieting. But back in the US….it was a whole different story!

As an intuitive eating who was absolutely NOT dieting….I was pretty eager to eat my daily chocolate and consume whatever I wanted. Eventually, I realized I wasn’t checking in with my body quite as often. It was just a reminder to myself that intuitive eating is truly about your own body and needs. And I needed to remind myself that I am safe to eat anything, at any time. Just because I’m in a more diet-centric culture doesn’t mean I’m going to get pulled back into the dieting world!

Fun (Restriction Free) Food Experiences I have been reminded how much I LOVE bagels with cream cheese. (“Everything” bagels with cream cheese, tomato, and red onion are my go-to order.) Our first few months back in the states, I was getting bagels multiple times a week. Now I eat them a few times a month. I still love them, but I also know I can eat them anytime, so there’s less urgency to consume them as frequently.

American baked goods are another fun favorite! In Switzerland you can’t get baked goods (like chocolate chip cookies) very many places. And when I did have them, they just weren’t as good. So now that I’m back, I’ve enjoyed some phenomenal chocolate chip cookies, as well as amazing brownies! So good. Does my body prefer to run off baked goods alone? Nope! I’m not eating them at every meal, and I’m not even eating them nearly as much as when we first moved back. By giving myself free rein to experience them again, however, I’ve been able to find a balance that has felt really good for me and my body. (Funny enough, I thought I remembered loving those giant Costco muffins, but it turns out I actually don’t. Glad I gave myself permission to try them out though!)

A few more fun ones? Deli sandwiches! My husband and I had both missed those, and we enjoyed quite a few in our first weeks back. And Mexican food! As Californians, we missed Mexican food a lot while we were in Europe. (My husband is still enjoying multiple burritos a week!) American burger joints are also so different here. They are way more affordable, and I definitely missed them!

On a regular basis, I don’t love Hershey kisses. And in Switzerland, I developed quite a refined chocolate palette. (I love chocolate!) However, I’ve found that there is something about Hershey kisses in holiday desserts that is super nostalgic and fun. So even though I don’t necessarily love them from a taste perspective….I do love them for the memories they stir up for me. Nostalgia can be a wonderful reason to enjoy a certain kind of food.

Not all of those foods made me feel great. I realized that some foods don’t work very well in my body in large quantities; balance is important! Most of those foods work in smaller quantities, and I enjoy them that way.

Fullness Factors and Other Shifts When I was first starting intuitive eating, learning to let go of restrictions was a starting point. I didn’t have an entire foundation and years of practice under my belt yet! So even though I was back at Step 1…it wasn’t the same as starting over completely. I find myself reminding my clients of that truth sometimes! When you take some time to revisit earlier steps, you return with more of an understanding of how your body works. And that means even the first steps are experienced differently the second (or third) time around!

For example, a big change for me was knowing my own fullness factor. Intuitive eating has really helped me know when my body has had enough of something. When I was on Step 1 for the first time, I didn’t really know that yet! But now, I do. I’m not coming off of a diet mindset that has me trying to eat a lot of something “bad” while promising to be “good” the next day. This time around, I was able to enjoy smaller amounts of anything (food can’t be bad or good, after all!) without finding myself feeling overfull.

This time around I slowly tried all the foods, and had a lot of fun letting them all be allowed. I never really had that gross feeling of having gone all out and really binged or over-eaten on anything. If it had happened it would have been okay, but it didn’t. That’s probably because I really do know my body a lot better, and I was more tuned in to how things were making me feel, even as I was enjoying them.

Letting Myself Have Freedom When we first came back, I definitely had some fun visiting Target and buying some cheap (but super cute!) clothes. The access and affordability were so different from what we had in Switzerland, and I enjoyed making purchases I couldn’t have made there. (Same with using Amazon Prime, which we didn’t have overseas!)

But after a bit I wanted to return to my more sustainable, eco-friendly practices. Those are things I value, and I didn’t want to lose them just because it was easier to access more things here in the US. It’s not about “not allowing” myself; it’s about knowing what really matters to me and choosing to honor that.

From baked goods, Target runs, nail salons, and Amazon — I’m giving myself permission to have (or try) anything. I trust myself to listen to my body, to honor my values, and to check in with my own belief systems.

Going back to the first step of intuitive eating helped me remember how much freedom I have; all I have to do is choose to let go of restrictions! As I return to my regular routines of cooking more at home and eating more of my regular foods, I’ll continue to check in with myself (mentally, emotionally, and physically) to make sure I’m taking good care of my full self!

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On this week’s show, I met with Paige Schmidt. She’s a fellow health coach and an intuitive eating counselor. Our conversation dug into the intuitive eating shaming we’ve both noticed lately. There’s been a bit of pressure in the online world recently to do intuitive eating “right”….even though that’s not what intuitive eating is about!

Follow along to listen into Paige’s thoughts on intuitive eating shaming, as well as lean more about her story! (And if you don’t want to miss anything, please subscribe to the show! You’ll never miss another episode!)

Meet Paige Schmidt Paige works with women on intuitive eating. She focuses a lot on helping women listen to their bodies AND feel good in their bodies. A huge part of her focus is “free and better”, not “free and worse”.

That means feeling safe enough to know that you are empowered to make the choices that will enable you to feel your best. Leaving dieting behind and eating intuitively is a huge part of this empowerment!

Paige shares that before her intuitive eating work, she had an intense relationship with calorie counting. She used (and deleted…and re-downloaded) the apps again and again. One moment she would get sick of it and swear she was done! BUT…then she would get sucked back in to needing to diet and calorie count. It was such a hard cycle to break!

Eventually she got a glimpse of what it might look like to be free around food. Witnessing the food relationship of another woman who was really empowered in her choices (and who was NOT dieting), was so eye opening for Paige. Seeing someone make their coffee with real sugar, cook with real butter, and not be tied to calorie counts or food measurements inspired her to believe that food relationships could potentially be different.

In a similar way, my experience living in Europe opened my own eyes to a really different way of thinking about foods! Rather than low-fat, fake food, diet-based approaches to health….I discovered a world where people were eating real food that they fully enjoyed!

Finding people who eat and live differently than you can be a powerful catalyst for change.

Getting Honest In her late teens, Paige eventually sat down with her parents and confessed that she was getting overwhelmed. She was partying and drinking. She was restricting food. And honestly, she didn’t want that anymore. AT this point, she realized that she needed to create some sort of change in her life.

Sometime after, she started to feel free from her previous dieting lifestyle. She was tracking less, and feeling much more permission to eat in a way that felt good in her body.

But then she reached a comfort threshold. She started to feel stressed about her lack of food related control. It seemed like she probably should be tracking calories or restricting food….right?

Rather than getting sucked back into a cycle of dieting and control, Paige sought help! She started working with a counselor and naturopath, both of whom she found extremely helpful. A huge part of her transition while working with these professionals was a focus on real food.

Rather than sugar free, “fake” foods, she realized she could consume the real deal (whole milk, butter, and so on) and feel really great! As her eating changed, she started blogging about eating real, whole foods. Years later when Paige learned about intuitive eating, she was thrilled to realize she was already on that track and really aligned with its principles.

Intuitive Eating Shaming A few weeks ago, Paige came across a post online showing various food quantities. The graphic showed single/small portions of foods like ice cream and pizza, and then images of larger portions of those same foods. The image was labeled with “fake food freedom” and “true food freedom”.

The post irked her! She realized that, depending where someone was in their journey, people were dealing with all sorts of food issues. Seeing a graphic like that and being made to feel that they “have” to allow themselves to eat larger portions in order to be “real” intuitive eaters isn’t helpful for healing.

When Paige first started, she was really stressed out about consumption with foods like ice cream. Her solution? Focusing on creating a safe experience with that food!

She bought fun colored bowls, and decided that when she wanted to enjoy ice cream, she was going to really sit down and enjoy ice cream. It could be a small portion, and that didn’t make it any less of a “true” intuitive experience.

So many people who are just starting intuitive eating can easily start to question if they are doing it “right”. Self-doubt and questioning and shame don’t need to be a part of your intuitive eating journey! It is completely okay for you to create your own safe environment and food situation, and it is completely okay for your to tailor that situation to yourself.

Feeling Safe Ultimately, intuitive eating doesn’t need to be attached to shame.

Paige shares that although she isn’t dieting and doesn’t personally support dieting, she would never want anyone to feel ashamed of their eating choices when they are around her. We all have different bodies and needs. We’re all coming from different places in life. Our situations differ.

Intuitive eating shaming is so unnecessary!

At the end of the day, everyone has the choice to eat how they want to eat. The goal is that you feel empowered in the choices you are making for your own life. And one day, if you have questions about intuitive eating, you can absolutely ask her about it! Ultimately, you should be eating what you want in a way that feels really good for your own body.

Give yourself the space you need to process your own body’s needs and desires.

Whatever stage you are in is 100% fine!

I shared that I often look up and make Paleo recipes. Why? Well, I eat meat, but tend to avoid dairy. I know my body really well, and I know dairy isn’t ideal for me. I’m not dieting; I’m serving my body’s needs in a way that feels really good for me.

Feeling Powerless Paige shared a recent encounter in which a client was feeling really powerless in her intuitive eating journey. A lot of that feeling came from the pressure to do it “right”. It can feel like making changes or really strategizing about food choices can go against intuitive eating.

We’ve both had that experience!

There might be foods we don’t include in our diets….or foods that we eat even when we know they don’t make us physically feel great.

Why?

Because eating intuitively can look ALL sorts of different ways!

Paige shared that often eats “Miracle Noodles” because they don’t have any lectin. A lot of people would perceive those noodles as a diet food….and might even be quick to try and shame her for eating something advertising itself as a 0 calorie pasta replacement. Personally, she LOVES their taste AND feels better when she eats them.

She’s comfortable with the choice she’s making about noodles that feel right for her body. And that IS what intuitive eating is all about! Don’t let anyone judge you for your own intuitive eating choices!

No shame necessary!

Choosing to Eat Eating certain foods because a diet plan like Keto or Paleo tells you that you must isn’t the same as choosing to sample options from those types of plans because you WANT to.

And remember…

Everyone is in a different stage of their intuitive eating journey, and ALL intuitive eating is meant to be shame free.

Paige shares that she’s at a point in her journey where she feels really natural about food choices. She can get ice cream and Miracle Noodles and feel great about both choices! She has no intuitive eating shame, and she feels really confident in whatever she puts into her cart.

No matter where you are in YOUR journey….you’re not doing it “wrong”. Check your beliefs, listen to your body, and trust what she tells you.

Tune in to the full episode to hear Paige’s great self-care tips! She has some fun quarantine related thoughts on caring for yourself in a really positive way!

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Stress about how you “should” look, or what you “should” be eating are not healthy! Ideally, you can care for yourself from a place of love and compassion. Sometimes that means tuning out the advice of others (family members or friends who are really self critical, who talk negatively about bodies, or who are constantly on the next trending diets, for example). In this week’s episode of the podcast, I dive into how to deal with dieters!

Struggling with your relationship with your body or food? You’re invited to the free Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge! It’s four simple (but vital) steps that can get you started on your journey to self-care and true health! Check it out over on the site: www.caitlinball.com/challenge.

Covid-19 Update I hope you’re doing well and staying healthy at home! Here in California, our shelter in place orders were just extended for another month. That’s a bit of a hard reality. In addition, I’m aware of multiple small businesses, like my co-working space, that have had to close their doors for good. If you’re struggling, at home or in business, please reach out to someone. You aren’t alone, and you will make it through this!

At the end of the day, all you have is your health and your relationships. It’s a reminder to me that I do what I do because I LOVE helping people with their health. (And remember: that’s more than just physical. It also includes mental and emotional health.) When you’re truly healthy, you can feel good in your body. You aren’t constantly berating yourself, or putting yourself down. You get to feel at peace with yourself, and experience the sensation of self-love and acceptance.

Something important to remember: a good relationship with yourself will spill over into good relationships with others that you love and care for.

Building Your Intuitive Eating Confidence I’ve been asked about dealing with dieters a number of times. Here are the sorts of situations my clients and fellow intuitive eaters find themselves facing:

+ My mom is a dieter and she’s been talking about her success with the keto diet (and encouraging me to join!).

+ I have a friend doing a diet, and we usually diet together. She wants me to join her like usual!

+ My friends/family members/coworkers are implying that I “need” to lose weight to be healthy.

Here’s my encouragement: The more confidence you get in practicing intuitive eating, the easier it will be to deal with dieters. When you’re first starting, it’s easy to get triggered by diet-based comments. You might even start to question if not dieting is really the right thing!

Trust me: it is. My challenge to you is to keep doing the work, and to trust that you will reach a place where diets just don’t even appeal to you.

Letting Go of Judgment When I first started intuitive eating, I was living in an average size body in Switzerland. Dieting is not that common in the country. And even if it was, I still wasn’t experiencing fat shaming or other pressure to lose weight.

However, I have experienced pregnancy and childbirth. Becoming a mom was wonderful, but it also came with all sorts of new messaging and feedback from others! There were so many thoughts and opinions about everything I “should” be doing, as well as the “right” way to do everything. I was really sensitive about comments from other people…and I realized that that was a result of not having confidence.

Having parented for a few years now, I’m much more confident! I don’t stress about what other people do; I assume their choices are connected to what works for them. And my choices are what work for me. Rather than feeling sensitive or experiencing shame, I simply parent the way that feels good for our family. I’m sure there are people out there with opinions, but that doesn’t bother me anymore.

Your food journey is the same way!

The more confidence you gain in your choice to eat intuitively, the less impact other people’s opinion will have. You’ll realize that other people’s feedback is often just a projection of what you’re judging about yourself. And when you gain more perspective and self-compassion, you judge yourself less and other people’s opinions don’t matter as much.

5 Tips For Dealing With Dieters Tell others what you are doing. When I was starting out, I told my best buddy (that I used to always diet with) and she did the same intuitive eating challenge I was doing! Even if the people in your life don’t join, at least they’ll understand a bit more about what you’re doing. Having a community that is working on intuitive eating together is really enjoyable; it can be a great way to bond with your friends on another level. And remember; even if they aren’t interested, you can find many other things to connect with each other over.

Spark Conversations Leave out an intuitive eating book or materials.

Share your favorite podcasts, or tag friends in an inspiring post on social media.

This can be a really non-threatening way to engage people you care about, especially if you see each other often! You never know what will get someone curious.

Pivot the Conversation You don’t have to engage with someone who is interested in discussing diets. If someone is persistently talking about dieting, you can acknowledge them…and then change the conversation.

In the same way that you might pivot a conversation if you’re extended family is trying to dig into anything personal (your dating life, perhaps?), you can do that with dieting! If you’re stressed about this idea, try practicing!

When you’re in conversation, see if you can pivot from the topic at hand to something new. It can be completely innocuous….one minute Aunt Peggy was talking about the best place to buy oranges, and the next you pivoted the whole group into a funny anecdote from work. It’s easier than you might think!

Have the Hard Conversations Dealing with a close family member or loved one that always seems to bring up weight/diet matters? Often my clients share that planning a trip home is stressful because they can almost a guarantee that someone is going to start talking about bodies and offering suggestions on how to lose weight. That can be so hard!

My suggestion? Have the difficult conversation with that person BEFORE the diet talk come up. For example, try sharing honestly how comments about your body or weight make you feel.

You might also communicate that any comments about your body (including positives or negatives), aren’t helpful. Share what you’re working on with intuitive eating: your desire to love and accept your body as it is, your goal of removing restricting or binging on food.

Loving and accepting your body as it is is really good for you! Let your loved one know how they can best support you. Give them ideas for OTHER topics of conversation: your work, your life, your hobbies. Request that they choose any topic other than weight or dieting.

This might mean making a phone call before your trip. The people who care about you will usually respond well. They want you to feel supported and loved, after all! The key is to find a quiet moment, and to communicate honestly and gently.

Be Blunt Sometimes we forget that this IS an option!

Being blunt can be really uncomfortable, and I completely understand that! I do want you to understand that you have permission to share how someone else makes you feel. You are not obligated to hold back, or to conceal how you really feel.

So remember: you have full permission to express how you feel when someone in your life tries to pressure you into dieting or losing weight.

It might mean you simply say, “That’s really hurtful. I would never say those things to you, and I need you to stop talking to me that way.”

Even if it’s hard, it can be exactly what needs to happen. When you are being hurt, you can absolutely stand up for yourself. It’s not right for anyone to treat you poorly or put you down, and you don’t have to tolerate it just to “keep the peace”.

Be Confident in Your Decisions If you’re practicing intuitive eating, it’s because it’s something you chose for yourself. No one else’s opinion or feedback needs to sway you! Just like with parenting; the more you accept your own desires and release judgment, the easier it is to let other people’s opinions roll off your back.

Intuitive eating is an amazing way to eat, live, and take care of yourself. You can absolutely have confidence in choosing this lifestyle for yourself. If you are looking for a bit more support, I’d love for you to check out my Quit Dieting for Good program. You’ll get the chance to connect with other amazing women who are going through the same journey, plus get access to coaching calls with me!

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Sam Finkelstein is an anti-diet dietitian, and she joined us over on the podcast to discuss the idea that being “anti-diet” does not mean being “anti-health”. And honestly, if you don’t truly believe this, it’s really hard to make positive changes and let go of restrictions. Intuitive eating is much easier to embrace and practice when you understand this!

Food Fixations Sam shares that what she remembers about dieting is being totally fixated on food. It seems whenever we diet, we get consumed by paying attention to all. things. food.

From following the rules, dealing with our body crying out for more food, and stressing about instances where we might end up failing on our new diets…once we are engulfed in a dieting mindset, it’s hard to see past it! Once huge downside to this is that it’s super hard to live our lives in a balanced way when we are in the midst of dieting. And many people are constantly engaged in some form of diet!

Food fixation goes hand-in-hand with stress and cycles of restricting/binging. It’s hard to be at your best (or even to enjoy your life) when this is where your mind is! That’s one reason why it’s so important to check your beliefs often.

Dieting and disordered eating is really common in our culture. In fact, it’s become so common that it can be hard to spot. Sam shares that she often hears some version of, “Well, if that’s disordered, then isn’t everyone basically disordered?” when it comes to restricting food intake. Her answer? Yes! If your food patterns create cycles of restricting and binging, if you’re mental space is consumed with what you will eat, or what you already ate, or what you want to eat but won’t allow yourself…

That is disordered. That’s not something to normalize, it’s something to recognize and address!

Sam’s Anti-Diet Approach As she prepared for college, Sam initially applied for journalism programs. At the last minute, however, she took a year off and traveled. During that year, she decided she wanted to become a registered dietician. She feels this was connected to wanting to heal something within herself, which may be common for many people in the field. Since graduation, she worked in a variety of programs. Gradually, she’s settled into working specifically with people dealing with disordered eating.

As a result, she currently works with lots of clients who are recovering from eating disorders and from chronic dieting. (Diet recovery might mean that you don’t fit the criteria of a full-blown eating disorder, but you’re struggling with your relationship with food and eating. Rather than waiting for things to escalate, Sam believes that we can, and should, start addressing those things early on.)

Her nutrition approach is ant-diet, health at every size. It’s also based on intuitive eating! She finds that people who are first starting recovery can’t usually start with intuitive eating from the get go. It’s really hard to tune into your body’s signals when you’ve repressed them for a long time. That’s okay! Sam notes that you can start slow and build up, with intuitive eating as the eventual goal. For example, principles like —

• Full permission to eat all foods, and

• Honoring hunger when it does come up

Are great ways to start moving towards an intuitive approach to food.

Who Decides What “Health” Is? For a long time, Sam shares that Weight Watchers was the gold standard of weight loss. Their success rate? Around 5%! THAT is what “success” meant in the dieting industry. And their definition of “health” pretty much just meant losing weight.

Eventually, Sam realized that traditional dietary methods weren’t working. She also recognized that health was a much bigger concept than she had ever imagined. Rather than envisioning it as only meaning weight loss, she realized it had the potential to be so much more.

That’s one reason she loves to incorporate intuitive eating into her work. She shares that one common question she get’s asked is:

But wouldn’t I just eat everything then?

And intuitive eating IS about having permission to eat or do anything you want. As an intuitive eating provider, Sam promotes bodily autonomy. YOU get to do whatever you want for your body, and it’s not for anyone else to tell you. (With some eating disorder cases, sometimes there does need to be extra support in the beginning. But even then, she views her advice as a recommendation that clients can choose to follow if they wish.)

However, she also wants to make it clear that intuitive eating is so much more than just eating whatever you want. It’s about listening to your body. This means tuning in, listening to hunger and fullness, and learning to say YES to what your body needs.

She also wants to make people aware that health at every size practices and intuitive eating models achieve success! In fact, studies have shown that the positive impacts of these programs exist with or without weight loss. The size of your physical body does not have to change for you to be a success story! There is so much freedom in this idea, it’s worth repeating:

The size of your physical body does NOT have to change for you to be a success story.

Weight Cycling & Stigmas If you’re not familiar with the term, “weight cycling” is the phenomenon in which dieters lose weight, and then gain that weight back. Usually, the end weight is higher than the weight before the diet. This cycle continues over and over again. And guess what? Studies show that weight cycling has more links to chronic conditions that have previously been associated to weight.

That means it’s not necessarily extra pounds creating negative conditions…it’s the diet culture stigma and the yo-yo dieting that are creating issues.

Recently, I saw a post Sam created online talking about the idea that we don’t “owe” anyone anything when it comes to our health or the size of our bodies. Basically, you are in charge of your own body, and you know your body best. This is body autonomy. You do not owe it to anyone else to be “healthy”, especially when people are using “healthy” as a code word for weight loss. Because honestly, when people talk about health, they are all too often really talking about weight.

There are many for whom it would be MORE healthy to stop exercising. To stop dieting. To stop experiencing shame or guilt about their body size.

It is absolutely up to YOU to decide what your own big picture wellness looks like. What would it mean for you to be truly healthy? Would you be doing anything differently? What would you not be doing?

If you create your own picture of wellness, it would include so much more than rules about what to eat or not eat, or how many minutes to work out. Let’s start to expand the idea of wellness! It can mean so much more than we currently let it mean.

Wellness is Diet Culture Repackaged Saying that a diet is a “lifestyle” is just a repackaging of the same old diet culture. How can you tell them apart? Well, diet signs include:

• Are you asked to rule out a certina food or food group?

• Have certain foods been demonized or glorified?

• Are you asked to ignore body cues, like hunger, as part of the “lifestyle”?

If your answer is yes, then you’re probably dealing with a diet. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the word “wellness” automatically means something is going to be good for you.

So what’s another way to wellness? Stop restricting.

Why? Because when you’re restricting, there is something going on somewhere else in your eating. And the more we try to control ourselves and our eating, the more tension builds up. And eventually, that results in binging. We end up really out of balance as we swing between the two extremes, and it’s a never ending cycle. Our body’s respond to our rule-making by going on high alert and searching for food, and no matter how long we hold out, eventually we cave in and consume a massive quantity. Cue the guilt, the renewed pledge to stick to our restrictions, the building tension, and the eventually collapse. If you’ve dieted before, you know that cycle all too well!

Putting Weight Loss on the Back Burner Intuitive eating can turn into your new diet if you aren’t aware of your tendency to start creating new rules! It’s important to put weight loss on the back burner when you approach this practice, but after a lifetime of dieting, that can be hard to do. Sam recommends that you exercise compassion for yourself as you learn how to listen to your body and respond to her needs. She also reminds her clients that this is a process that takes place over time.

Sam points out that social messaging tends to feed us the message that when we do things right, we get smaller. When we do things wrong, we get larger.

So if you’re new to intuitive eating and you’re not losing weight, or maybe you’re even gaining some weight, it’s easy to think that you are doing something wrong. Good news! You can’t fail when you practice listening to yourself and honoring your needs. It can be really hard to override those messages, so be patient with yourself.

Keep in mind, there is a lot of social messaging and internalized feelings to undo! If you’re here, you’re showing up, and you’re taking steps to recover your partnership with your body. That means you are doing everything you need to do. Trust that things will come together; you don’t have to accomplish everything all at once.

The work of intuitive eating is ongoing. Full recovery from eating disorders and disordered eating is possible. However, recovering doesn’t mean you’ll never have a negative thought about your body, or feel a need to restrict or binge a certain food. The thing that has changed is the way you address it within yourself.

Remember: be gentle, be patient, and practice self-care.

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I’m on Day 39 of staying home! All things considered, we’re doing just fine. There have been good days and bad days, and we are doing our best to make the best of them. I’ve also been realizing that if you haven’t done it in awhile, this is a great time to check your beliefs. (I know I’ve been checking mine!)

Check Your Beliefs This has been such a busy, strange time. Even though in some ways it’s been chaotic, there has also been more down time than normal. Most of us have lost our normal routines that include work/school/childcare/social lives, and it’s given us a chance to think in a new away about what we WANT to include in our lives.

Based on my personal experience, this seems to be a great time to check in with your current life, thoughts, and beliefs. And maybe you’ll identify some areas you’d like to make changes, even once we go back out into the world! Let’s talk about them now so you can have an opportunity to examine them yourself.

Belief #1 This one might be hard to admit to, but you might believe that being fat is bad. Even if you wouldn’t directly say those words, your actions and choices might reflect that it IS a belief you hold.

In today’s culture, this is a really strong one for many women.

When you say things like: I don’t want to gain weight, OR I’m most comfortable at ‘this’ size….

The belief you’re communicating is that being fat is bad. Sometimes we think fatness is unlovable, or that being fat will make us unworthy. You’ve been conditioned to believe that being fat is a bad thing. Long ago being fat was an admirable trait! It was a sign of wealth and privilege.

So many health and body trends that relate to size and appearance come and go. From the rise of tanning beds and self-tanning products, to breast implants and booty growth hacks; there’s a lot of messaging about what’s “good” and what’s not when it comes to what’s desirable at the moment.

These so-called body standards are just like fashion trends. They come and go, and when they are in, we get bombarded with messaging about how important they are. But in reality….they come and go all the time.

Our body size is the same way. And since “thin is in” right now, we are being constantly told that that is the ideal we are supposed to live up to. And so we start to think…

It’s bad to be fat.

I highly recommend The Anti-Diet Book by Christy Harrison if you want to learn more about the history of dieting and body ideals. And just a few weeks ago, I interviewed Victoria Welsby about life as a self-proclaimed “Fierce Fatty”. We had a really great conversation about body fat and social stigma! She discusses how you might need to check your beliefs and see if you’re using fat phobic thought processes to fuel your intuitive eating journey.

Try This: Write your beliefs down on paper.

Then write some things that make the statement NOT true.

For example:

Belief: If I gain weight, I won’t be as healthy.

Statements: Actually, when I weighted X amount I rarely ever got sick, and actually felt healthier than ever.

There are always things that contradict your beliefs and thoughts. And if they aren’t serving you, they need to be dismantled!

Belief #2 Being overweight is really bad for your health.

For example, I recently read an article that claimed obese people are more likely to contract and die from the Corona Virus. Intrigued, I did some research. Apparently, this information is being misconstrued by media, and it’s not accurate. For example, many obese don’t get the same care as non-obese people, because of healthcare biases.

Here’s the deal. I know thin and fat people who are unhealthy. And I know thin and fat people, and people of all the sizes in between, who ARE healthy. Your body has a natural set point. For some of us that, set point is below average, for others its above average, and for some it’s average.

And it’s actually healthier to have your body stay at a consistent set point rather than to yo-yo up and down. When we diet, restrict, binge, and gain back weight…it’s really hard on our bodies!

Another thing to remember: “health” includes both physical and mental health. Constantly stressing, obsessing, and worrying about food intake and numbers on the scale isn’t good for you at all. In the episode about whether intuitive eating is healthy, I talked a bit about the full definition of health. True health can’t only look at your body size, weight, or BMI. That is not the full picture!

Belief #3 This is a food group belief! If you think a certain food group is “bad”….I’m here to tell you it’s not! Whether you hold these beliefs about sugar, carbs, fat, or something else, I want you to know that food is just food.

Food is just food. (That’s worth saying again!)

There is no food that is “good” or “bad”. You don’t need a cleanse, you don’t need keto, and you aren’t addicted to sugar. There is no need to completely restrict any food from your diet based on it being “bad”. Marketing and current trends may make us feel like a food isn’t good….but it’s just marketing.

I recommend you find a trusted source for nutrition guidance. And remember: your own body counts as a trusted source! You can trust your body to let you know how much sugar (or anything else) you need. Once you allow those things, you’ll be fine. The issue comes when you restrict for a long time, and then finally allow yourself to have some. You might feel like you go a little crazy, because your body wants something that you haven’t allowed it to have in a long time. But once you normalize any food as something you can eat when your body desires it, you’ll find that you can eat an amount that is right for you.

So what foods do you still label?

Rather than trying to qualify anything as “good” or “bad”, what if you change your mindset so you just think of it all as feedback? If you drink too much alcohol and get a nasty hangover, the feedback is that that quantity of alcohol didn’t feel good. You can choose to use that feedback to adjust future actions if you choose. Not because you did something “bad”, but because you want to serve yourself and your body in the way that will feel the best.

What Beliefs Don’t Serve You? Just like the back of your closet can fill up with clothes you forgot you had, the back of your mind can fill up with beliefs you don’t realize you have! But even if you aren’t always aware they are there, they do have an impact.

Take some time today (or whenever you get a chance) to bring those beliefs to the surface. And once you do, you have the power to toss them out and get new ones! Get out what is no longer serving your.

Your thoughts become your beliefs, and your beliefs become your thoughts. (What a crazy cycle!) The good news is, you have a lot more control of your thoughts than you think. And since it’s all intertwined, you can take back control by choosing to change your thoughts.

If you need more support around checking in with and changing beliefs, I’d invite you to check out my Quit Dieting for Good course. Enrollment is open, and I start a new group on the first of every month. There are 6 modules, live coaching calls, a private FB support group, and more! The community is amazing. To get started, head over to www.caitlinball.com/apply. I talk to all applicants personally to make sure the program is a good fit, and I’d love to chat with you!

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Today’s guest, Alyssa Tennant, is a women’s empowerment coach. She helps women use pleasure to heal from burnout. This episode is all about getting to know yourself as you add pleasure to your life and have some fun! If you’re tired of trying to “cure” yourself with guilt and shame, you might need a good dose of pleasure as medicine!

Early Dieting Experience Alyssa shares that, during the summer after her junior year, she expected herself to live up to the standard of being “Wonder Woman”. (Literally. She has the journal to prove it!) Part of that journey involved losing weight and being more fit.

But the harder she worked to control herself and her food choices, the more she rebelled. Even though she was working really hard to lose weight, she ended up gaining even more of it! Her method of controlling and restricting did not fit well with her nature, and it showed!

Also…she realized in retrospect that trying to live up to a literal superhero was a sure way to set herself up for failure. Now Alyssa looks back and recognizes that this time in her life was both miserable and unnecessary! She was consumed with becoming someone else, and that never seems to end well. Now, she’s fully satisfied with being her true Self. In her work, she loves helping other women nourish themselves with pleasure and begin to live fully as themselves as well.

Radical Responsibility As a Women’s Empowerment Coach, Alyssa works with smart, successful women who are tired of feeling tired. Her work is all about how women can take radical responsibility for their own lives, and in doing so, free themselves from burn out.

She shares that, in 2012, she visited a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. This was her first foray into alternative health & wellness, and set her on the path towards healing. Since Alyssa had graduated from Stanford and claimed a job at Google…things just seemed off. It was as if the life was being drained out of her.

She knew herself to be someone with a bright, joyful essence, but it seemed like that was gone. In her search for a cure, she turned to alternative medicine. At that point, it turned out she was low in Vitamin D, so there was an immediate fix. However, her health continued to struggle as her career moved forward. From digestive issues, immune disorders, and chronic fatigue, she had one health related set-back after another.

These health issues led Alyssa into yoga, and also inspired her to get an MA in Integrative Health Studies. Eventually, these pursuits led her towards her a more pro-active approach towards her health. The ongoing game of whack-a-mole she seemed to be playing with her health needed to end, and she got serious about getting to the root of these problems. She also recognized that she wasn’t alone in what she wad dealing with! So many high-level women were struggling with similar issues.

Empowered Women Change the World Alyssa decided to focus her final paper on the health effects of being a modern woman living in a patriarchy. She examined our current system and society, which too often doesn’t value women for who they are.

Alyssa’s research led her, in a round about way, towards women’s relationships with their own sexuality. She found that this relationship was pivotal in a woman’s sense of self….and yet, this wasn’t being addressed! Even in her integrative health courses, Alyssa hadn’t had any significant course work about women’s health and sexuality.

She set out to remedy this by enrolling in two courses on this subject. In the year she spent devoted to these programs, she feels she had the most transforming and liberating experience of her life! Taking responsibly for her own pleasure finally ended the cycle of burn out she had been trapped in before.

Empowered women change the world. This belief inspires and motivates Alyssa’s work and coaching approach. She truly believes that when women are empowered, they are equipped to create massive change. Maybe women who experience pleasure as medicine are on the path to becoming world changers!

Self-Awareness Here in quarantine, we are naturally all more self-reflective. (If only because we are stuck with ourselves at the moment!) This is a great time to get in tune with who we truly are.

Alyssa suggests that sometimes, activity and interaction are things we use to avoid traveling inside and getting to know ourselves more deeply. Why? We might be uncertain, or even afraid, about what it would mean to really get to know who we really are.

One of the first tools she suggests for getting to know yourself better is the Enneagram. There are many variations out there, but she recommends the work of Beatrice Chestnut! The Enneagram can help you feel deeply seen and validated, and offers a lot of insight about what motivates you, and what you value. In addition, it provides clarity around opportunity for growth and improvement. Alyssa also points out that the Enneagram can be a tool for identifying underdeveloped parts of yourself.

Another starting place might be the work of Dr. Kristin Neff, whose work revolved around self-compassion and mindfulness. If you’re trying to connect to yourself mindfully and with compassion, her work is extraordinary helpful. (And she has a great book, which you could read while socially isolating.)

Dr. Gabor Mate’s work is really helpful when considering trauma and harmful messages that have been internalized. Alyssa found that some of her eating patterns were triggered by other emotional needs. By recognizing these patterns, she was able to better understand herself and her needs.

Through all this work, Alyssa recognized that she also had shame and repression regarding sexuality. She found there is an immense power available when we are able to integrate our full Selves, including our sexuality and sexual expression.

Pleasure as Medicine One thing I’ve loved about the quarantine has been seeing so many people getting back to the roots of what they love. From baking, sewing, music, painting, and more…it’s so exciting to see people embrace things they’ve forgotten about themselves! I find that many of my intuitive eating clients DO spend time talking with me about food. However, we ALSO spend lot’s of time learning more about the things they truly love and enjoy.

Alyssa’s newest group course is called Pleasure as Medicine, and she believes that pleasure is an underutilized asset in many of our lives. When she was writing her thesis about reclaiming the feminine, she learned more about the amazing hormones that are released during bodily pleasure. Those pleasures include hugs, massage, and even orgasms.

When we release pleasure hormones, we counteract cortisol (the stress hormone) in our bodies! Alyssa realized that pleasure is the perfect antipode, or medicine, for stressed out women! By connecting to what feels good and pleasurable for your own body, you can decrease the impact of stress.

One of Alyssa’s clients pointed out that pleasure may be the perfect antidote to stress…but it’s also the first thing to go when stress hits. Corporate ladies, busy moms, bosses – they all need help making pleasure a priority for themselves.

During Covid-19, accessing your own pleasure can be a FREE, easy way to help yourself destress and relax. (Listen in to the full episode to hear details on something immediate you could do right NOW to tap into pleasure.)

Various Types of Pleasure Alyssa considers herself a pleasure advocate! She loves to find ways to increase her client’s experience of pleasure.

Sensory Pleasure: This practice is about engaging your senses (like touch, taste, and sight) in order to experience pleasure. By bringing all of your attention towards one sense and truly giving yourself over to that sense, you can experience amazing amounts of pleasure.

Taking time helps you get so much more satisfaction and enjoyment out of something that seems small or simple. Alyssa reminds us that we can find pleasure in EVERYTHING.

Energetic Pleasure: Alyssa suggests using breath work to get into a state ready for transformation. Doing a full body breath practice can help your whole body prepare for pleasure and experience sensation.

Primal Pleasure: Strong emotions like anger and sadness can get repressed a lot. Primal pleasure is all about release as you fully experience whatever you may be feeling. This may include sounding or movement, like dance, in order to help us get into our bodies and feel amazing.

Final Tips These are stressful times, even if you’re working hard to stay even keeled. It can be hard to stay positive at home!

Alyssa shares that her and her partner used their whiteboard to brainstorm lists of things to do during social isolation. They thought up a list of fun and easy things, as well as a list of productive things that would provide a feeling of accomplishment.

Taking time to consider all of the simple, accessible options that are available to them has eased some of the stress from this extended homestay!

You can find Alyssa online www.alyssatennant.com (where you can get her free morning ritual!), as well as on IG @Alyssa.tennant.

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Today’s guest, Corinne Dobbas, is an amazing Registered Dietician that works in the intuitive eating & health-at-every-size space. Rather than stick to our original plan, we decided to pivot with this episode! Since we’re still sheltering in place, we discuss staying positive, stress, boredom, and self-care strategies that can help you through Covid-19. Rather than dreading each day, let’s talk about ways to enjoy the slower pace and time at home.

(Also – a HUGE shout out to every essential worker that is helping to keep us safe at home! We appreciate all you’re doing!)

For those of you interested in ending the diet cycle and learning to love your bodies, my Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge is open! You can learn the basic elements of intuitive eating, and take part in a fun challenge each day. And if you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Don’t worry about adding more to your list. The challenge will be around later too; feel free to focus on self-care right now!

Let’s Meet Corinne Corinne shares that her early diet experiences were usually geared around eating as little as possible. The whole goal was to look like women in the media. Since she was obsessively reading celebrity magazines, she would often to try implement their food related “tips” into her life as well.

In her later teens and early twenties, Corinne realized that she had a borderline eating disorder. She had enough awareness to ask for help, as she realized that she needed outside guidance to navigate her ideas about food and exercise.

Looking back, she realizes that a lot of her journey was about finding her value outside of her body size. Slowly, she was able to untangle food, exercise, and self-worth. It sounds simple to talk about now, but there were so many pieces involved in that process! Corinne doesn’t feel she would be able to live her day-to-day life now if she was still dealing with those early food struggles. As a mom with a young toddler at home, she is so glad she has the freedom to eat what works for her, with no restrictions or food “rules”!

Her Work in the World As a Registered Dietician and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Corinne calls herself a “Nutrition Therapist”. Essentially, she works with clients using various counseling tools and therapeutic practices, in combination with nutrition education and intuitive eating principals.

The goal of her work is to help clients make peace with their bodies in a way that is not attached to their weight or size. Instead, it’s about individual connection to body and self. Her clients learn to eat and move in the world in a way that aligns with their own values. However, this isn’t where her practice started!

Corinne shares that her own struggles with food, eating, and movement are what initially led her to the field of nutrition and dietetics. She wanted to be the healthiest person she could personally be. At the time, she didn’t understand that her definition of “healthy” was extremely disordered. So even though that is what led her to dietetics, she still had a lot of internal processing to do in order to grasp what health actually was.

Eventually, Corinne’s own healing work, as well as her changing understanding of nutrition and health, started to feel unaligned with her client work. She realized that, as a dietician in a health club, she had a lot of internalized beliefs about weight. This included fat phobia! So much of her beliefs about eating and nutrition were tangled up in weight and size. It began to feel unethical and uncaring to spend her career moving people towards dieting and weight loss when that wasn’t what she was practicing or benefiting from in her own life.

For a time, it seemed that working as a dietician was not going to be compatible with her new beliefs about bodies and health.

As she started learning new counseling tools, Corinne started learning new ways to work with clients that had nothing to do with body size or weight. She was grateful to learn more about things like intuitive eating, somatic body work, self-compassion, and more. As her awareness grew, she started working with clients who were dealing with body image, eating disorders, and other struggles.

Almost 10 years later, the work that she started out doing is not at all like the work she is doing now! Having experienced healing herself, she is now able to help others heal themselves. Rather than leaving the field altogether, she is so glad she focused on staying positive and contributing an alternate way of thinking.

Emotional Eating Since staying positive can feel hard right now, lot’s of people might be dealing with emotional eating related to stress, boredom, fear, or some other emotion. So let’s talk about that!

First off: emotional eating does not have to be “good” or “bad”. It just is. Sometimes we eat from emotion, and we don’t have to feel shame or guilt about it! It’s really normal for ALL people to experience this. Also, in times like this, it’s normal for pretty much everyone to see a change in their eating patterns.

Wherever you are right now, you are absolutely okay. You can sit with your feelings, and do your best to accept yourself in this moment. You can eat food without feeling guilty or ashamed.

Corinne shares that, in her client work, she often uses the concept of zooming in and out to shift focus.

Instead of thinking about all the BIG things going on in the world, try to zoom in on yourself. What do you need right now? What could help you respond to yourself in a way that feels aligned?

Corinne likes to ask clients:

+ What are you feeling right now?

+ What would be the best way to respond to that feeling right now?

If the honest answer is that food would help, then go eat! That’s okay! The idea here is to create a pause and check in with ourselves. And then once we have that answer, we try to honor ourselves by giving ourselves what we asked for. Staying positive becomes so much easier when we can trust ourselves to listen for and honor our own unique needs.

The Fear of Weight Gain There have been so many conversations online about the fear of gaining weight during this time of staying home! If you’re stressing about that, Corinne wants you to know that that is pretty normal too.

Our culture puts a lot of focus on weight, and also assigns a lot of meaning to size. People who are more prone to diet culture and the diet world are often very sensitive, and have a lot of concerns about how we will be seen by others. Those fears can feel so real! When it comes to weight gain or size, however, the more we can connect to what is actually important to US, the more we can remove ourselves from what others might be thinking.

What characteristics and traits do you value in others? 99.9% of the time, you don’t mention their appearance or body size! When you try to consider what truly matters most, body size usually has little to do with it. So if you’re feeling really worried or stressed about your body size, I’d love to ask you to consider:

+ What are you really stressed about?

Often, we find our real worries are about rejection, acceptance, or belonging. We may assume that what we care about is weight, but that is rarely the root!

However, worrying about weight loss can also be a concrete, tangible area to focus on in times of uncertainty. When life feels out of control, weight can feel like something we CAN control.

Corinne validates that this IS normal; we’re looking for things we can control and pour energy into.

So…how can you sit with those feelings, and still make choices that feel right for you and your body? She notes that by evaluating what truly matters to you, you can refocus on things that align with your greater values. She also encourages you to be caring and compassionate with your body and your thoughts right now. There’s a lot happening, and we’re processing so much on a daily basis!

Remember to zoom in on yourself, and make decisions about what matters to you in this moment. At the end of the day, staying positive and practicing self-care will help you get through this crisis!

Staying Positive at Home Right now, we’re able to connect with people online without having to think about bodies. Many of us aren’t wearing makeup; instead we’re wearing comfortable clothes, and we’re experiencing less pressure to look a certain way in order to show up to work, school, or social events. That can be so freeing! It’s a great time to realize that you are loved and worthy, regardless of your size or weight.

Many people are also realizing how much calmer they feel now that they don’t have to worry about what other people will think about them day in and day out. Staying positive is so much easier without the constant fear of criticism!

Wow! Isn’t that interesting? When the only thing that changes is our environment, we can feel better in our bodies.

This is a great opportunity to zoom in and reflect on our own perceptions of our bodies, our sizes, and our health. We might find that there are so many things we honestly love about ourselves – things we too easily forget about in the midst of day to day life.

Final Covid-19 Tips for Staying Positive Corinne shares she is doing her best to limit news consumption. She’s staying current, but not getting consumed by the 24/7 news cycle.

She’s also doing her best to add in elements of normalcy. Getting up and getting dressed in the morning might help her feel a little more “on track”, even if she technically wouldn’t have to.

Self-care practices like journaling, eating well, and resting on a regular schedule can all help keep things moving along. Play around with what works for you! Ideally, you’ll find your own mix that allows you to stay positive while also processing what’s happening around you.

Food, water, rest, and support are the basics you want to be sure you’re getting enough of! Personally, Corinne, is operating from a place of basic self-care as much as possible. She finds getting fresh air in her backyard is helpful, as is allowing herself to feel her feelings.

Her final advice: Find something you really look forward to doing, and give yourself space for joy.

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Today's guest, Victoria Welsby, also goes by "the fierce fatty". On today's episode, we talk about fat phobia, as well as the beliefs we all have about the size of our bodies. Listen in to hear Victoria's tips about how we can start examining our thoughts about body size. And since many of us are still at home, not surrounded by other people or regular distractions, this is a great time to question our body beliefs! Maybe we want to change some of our thoughts about our body size, and how we're "supposed" to look.

Just a quick note that the Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge is available on demand! If you could use a little something new (and positive) in your life right now, this will be perfect for you! It can all be done from the comfort of home, so it's a perfect coronavirus activity.

Let's Meet Victoria! To break the ice, I asked her:

What's the craziest diet or diet related thing you've ever done?

Well...Victoria shares that she first started dieting when she was a child. At the time, she thought that diets meant eating "bland" food. She would eat pasta with no sauce, or even uncooked noodles! She thought less flavor = less calories. I can resonate; back in the day, fat free graham crackers were my big "treat". Wow! Glad I've moved past those days (Listen infor some crazy tidbits about Mr. Graham's original intentions with the graham cracker!)

Now, Victoria is "the fierce fatty", and she helps people feel confident in their bodies and around food. She also teaches on topics like fat phobia, intuitive eating, body confidence & fat acceptance, and more. However, she hasn't always been fat positive! In fact, she shares she used to struggle with quite a bit of self-loathing herself.

Becoming a Fierce Fatty Victoria is British, and was brought up in poverty. She had a lot of food insecurity, based on both her own size as a larger child, and her family's lack of financial resources. She always knew her body was "bad" because it was bigger. In addition, she had an intuitive sense that she shouldn't be showing her body or stomach, as she senses it would embarrass people to see her belly.

By 17, Victoria was homeless. She was also dating a 30 year old abusive alcoholic. Her self-esteem was so low that she didn't think her situation was really that bad. As someone who was "fat" and "ugly", she felt glad she had as much as she had (basically, someone who was willing to be in a relationship with someone "like her").

One day, however, she read on the internet that it was okay to be fat. She also read that she was NOT addicted to food, and that dieting didn't work. Those messages kicked off her entire journey of becoming a coach and starting to spread her message. (Along the way, she gave an amazing TED Talk; I'd encourage you to check it out!)

Intuitive eating has been a huge part of her journey as well! She shares that when we deeply tie food to a fear of gaining weight, we cannot truly eat intuitively. Why? Because we are constantly struggling against an inner critic that is fearful that if we eat that next bite, or that slice of cake, that we will gain weight. And when we are restricting food based on our own fear of getting bigger, we aren't able to listen to what our body is telling us about her needs and desires.

Happy in a Fat Body Victoria is open about the fact that she has no desire to lose weight. In fact, she confidently states that she is happy living in a fat body.

Often, society seems to be shocked by this message. Even if people don't overtly judge her for being overweight, there is often a sense that she "should" be working towards being thinner. But she's not! She's embraced being "the fierce fatty" and doesn't want to become a smaller person.

That didn't come about overnight though!

For years, Victoria struggled with the idea that thinness would give her everything she wanted. Happiness, self-acceptance, money, love. She associated all of these magical things with being thin.

At some point, she had even lost weight. And...nothing happened. She had worked so hard, and at the end of it all she found she still hated her body.

This revelation led her into researching fat, and fat phobia. She wanted to know where the message that you shouldn't be fat came from, and if it was true. After all, most of us feel that we "know" being fat is unhealthy, bad, wrong, and undesirable. But how do we really know that is true?

For example, society tells us unequivocally that fat is unhealthy. That's not accurate! Victoria suggests Health at Every Size for anyone who believes there is a direct link between health and size. (Spoiler: There's not!)

Health is incredibly complicated, and what makes someone "healthy" or well has nothing to do with body size. Rather, it has much more to do with socioeconomic status. For example, health outcomes for women of color are not as good as outcomes for white women. It has nothing to do with size, and everything to do with bias within the health system. (And there are a lot of biases!)

Even if being fat was causing you to have health issues, the honest truth is that dieting doesn't work as a "cure" for fat anyways. Choosing to force yourself into a diet can be stressful and unproductive; it makes things worse, not better.

Dismantle the Source Victoria started working on dismantling the source of these powerful, negative messages that she had received about fat.

In doing so, she eliminated fat-phobic messages from her life as much as possible. Although she can't avoid all social messaging, she does what she can to change to the message she receives about fat bodies. That includes following body positive accounts on social media, and letting her friends know that diet talk isn't welcome. (There are so many better things to discuss!)

Now, when she sees a fat body, she feels her natural reaction is to see it as just...a body.

This is, in part, because she's able to see each body as distinct and beautiful as it really is. Instead of thinking of what a body "should" look like, she appreciates what they actually DO look like. This has led her to understand that WE have the power to decide what we want to believe about our bodies. By adjusting the messages she was taking in and choosing to reevaluate what she valued, she revolutionized her viewpoint!

Sometimes, however, she admits that getting away from harmful messages can be hard.

For example, fat people often don't want to go to the doctor because they know that they are going to be pushed into a diet plan. When something as big as an entire national medical system is feeding you a message that is harmful, it can be hard to avoid. However, you can do your best to understand facts and reality in order to guard against the automatic assumptions that it's so easy to make about fat.

Doing the Work I'm working with a lot of intuitive eaters who want to feel more confident around food, but who also struggle a lot with body confidence. Victoria shares that we are terrified of being fat (or becoming fatter) because of our fat-phobic society.

In many ways, this is attached to our desire to be loved and accepted. We want others to receive us well, and we can hear their criticisms in our minds when we gain weight. We fear that they'll judge us, or think about us differently, if we become fat.

All too often, questions of worth begin to come up when we think about weight. But are we really less worthy just because we weight more (or less)? Are we better people when we weigh less? Are we actually happier?

If we're honest, we don't need to lose weight to be the best versions of ourselves! In fact, we can be fully, authentically ourselves at any size. Rather than striving towards an ideal that doesn't ultimately serve us, we should question why we want what we think we want. What are we really trying to get? What are we afraid of?

We ALL have fat phobic beliefs. Why? Because we live in a society that constantly sends us messages about losing weight and avoiding being fat. Victoria's advice? Get behind the bullshit! Ask the hard questions, and don't be afraid to tune out messaging that isn't serving you.

At the end of the day, one of the best things you can do is to find out what will make you happy, and do that.

Victoria shares that something that makes her really happy is to do some gratitude journaling every night. It's a way of remembering all that is good in her life (and about her body), regardless of how she may have felt throughout the day. This has also helped remind her of the things in her life that really matter and bring her joy.

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I'm coming to you live during nap time today, because we are currently sheltering in place. If you're not an essential worker, you're probably home all day every day at the moment too. This can be hard if you have a difficult relationship with food or your body! So today, I'd love to share a bit about intuitive eating during the coronavirus.

Personal Update We've already been home for about two weeks, because Cooper was home sick with a cold. That rolled right into our shelter in place orders, so here we sit!

Overall, I've given myself a lot of grace! This first week was really terrifying with what's happening in the world. I might be more excited about homeschooling or taking some online classes next week, but this week I felt good about just surviving. I took care of the basics, and focused on self-care as much as I was able.

We've done lots of FaceTime and connecting with relatives. The days have felt long, but that's the least of our worries right now.

Eating Intuitively While You're at Home All. The. Time. Intuitive eating is still possible during times like this!

Stress, anxiety, and general overwhelm connected to events outside of your control can easily send you straight to the pantry, but intuitive eating can help you take a deep breath and listen to what your body needs instead. It's not a "diet", and it's truly meant to be sustainable during every single season of life. That includes our current coronavirus season!

The ability to not have a strained relationship with food is not just for when things are going great...it's for times just like these too.

However, this whole ordeal is uncharted territory, and that can easily send you back to old patterns. Even if you WANT to trust your body, it can be hard when there is so much happening. In fact, when I asked online, a lot of you shared that you're having trouble discerning what you truly need.

So here are my tips:

Be kind to yourself. Your body might be in panic mode after seeing empty shelves or feeling fearful about having access to certain foods. It's okay. Be gentle with yourself, and trust that you'll settle in.

If you're really stressed, and it's preventing you from listening to your body, what you need to do is address the stress. Don't fixate on your food choices; think about alleviating that stress! If scrolling social media or having the news on 24/7 is stressing you, take a break. You can turn those things off, or walk away when you need to.

Go back to the things that calm you down. Yoga? A hobby? Taking classes or seeing friends? (Online, of course!) This whole last week I was just kind of surviving, and I didn't really move at all. Yesterday I realized that I was super stressed, and I needed to move my stagnant energy out.

I didn't want to do it...

But I knew I needed to! Let yourself rest, but don't be afraid to push yourself a little in order to do things that you know will make you feel better in the long run. I also did some breath work, and we took a family walk around the neighborhood. Watching TV on the couch with my husband seemed more fun, but I'm so glad I got up and did something I knew would feel good!

Stress eating....and boredom eating! Some of us are stress eating, and others are boredom eating! Personally, I'm home with a 3 year old. Some of the things he most wants to do, aren't really that fun for me. It can be tempting to load up on snack food to help the time pass!

To keep myself actively engaged, I pulled out an old adult coloring book I had purchased. Cooper will even sit down and color while I'm coloring! It's super relaxing, and helps me engage with something that calms me down and feels really peaceful.

I also ordered a paint-by-number kit, which I'm super excited about!

Another big item on the to-do list? Cleaning out the garage! Last week was not the time (we have a LOT of stuff in there because our parents had recently given back all the childhood things and other items we had left in their houses). This week, I might start to work on a box a day. It feels good to be productive, and it helps curb the boredom!

Weight Gain During the Coronavirus Quarintine You might be spending more time on the couch, and that could be adding some pounds. I've been seeing so many ads and posts about exercising, restricting certain foods, and other diet-culture messages. Don't listen!

This is a stressful time, and yes...that might mean you gain a few pounds. That often happens to me when I'm stressed, because my body is trying to hold on to a bit of extra! Sitting at home and stressing over it, or making myself feel guilty for how I'm coping, is NOT a good way to spend my time at home. It's not good for you either!

I would encourage you to unfollow anyone who is posting tons of weight-related content online right now. I would also encourage you to dig into those beliefs.

You're not surrounded by other people at the moment, and you have an opportunity to distance yourself from social media (thanks, coronavirus). You could even specifically choose to learn more about intuitive eating. I finally had a chance to start the Anti-Diet Book by Christy Harrison, and the first chapter explains so much about diet culture, and where it comes from. So much of what we think and believe about food is based on really old "science", or even just straight up lies and fallacies.

I also have my FREE challenge going on; you can learn the 4 simple steps of intuitive eating, and then actually practice them. Quit Dieting for Good, which is my signature program, is also moving to open enrollment. That means you could dive into your food relationship and body image right now, and really take this time to be a bit of a reset.

Above All, Listen to Your Body Personally, I'm not diving into any courses. It's hard enough to try and work and have my 3 year old at home. For some people, however, this is an amazing time to dive into something you might otherwise not have the capacity for.

I have been doing lots of reading, and I'm also listening to podcasts around the house! (If you're enjoying this episode, I'd invite you to go all the way back to episode one and check it out!)

The best thing you can do for yourself is be super kind. Release stress as much as you're able. Don't worry about doing quarantine the "right" way, or the way other people are doing it. Don't beat yourself up, and don't try to make yourself do it all perfectly. Stay safe, stay home, and stay healthy.

Want to chat? I'd love to connect @caitlinballhealth; feel free to DM me and start a conversation!

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On today's episode, I interview Kristen Ciccolini. She is a holistic health coach helping women overcome food anxiety. Part of her work includes helping women to repair their relationship with food through strategies that strengthen their mindset, intuition, and self-trust. I noticed her approach was more spiritual than the average health coach out there so I wanted to bring her on to tell us more about how to use spiritual practices to heal your food relationship. I want to forewarn you guys that are a little hesitant about woo-woo stuff -- she actually keeps it really practical and encourages you see what you like and leave the rest. So even if you are hesitant, listen in anyways! I know you will get take aways from this episode with Kristen.

The Challenge (And psst...a huge Quit Dieting for Good announcement!) Before we talk to Kristen, let me tell you something. If you are just getting started with intuitive eating, or have been trying it but are feeling like it's not working - I want you to go sign up for the Food Freedom & Body Confidence Audio Training & Challenge. You will get four audios explaining the four steps that you'll use to get started with your IE journey. Each day you will also get a challenge so that you can start implementing what you learn into your daily life. It's easy to listen to podcasts, download trainings, and even go to workshops. The hard part is the implementation. That's why I combined the two! Go check it out!

Also, I have a BIG announcement!

I decided that instead of launching the Quit Dieting for Good program a few times a year, you are now able to enroll any time of the year. You get the same great course and group coaching calls. The only difference will be that women are at different stages of their intuitive eating journey. However, that was already the case, even when we technically all started on the same day! That's why I realized you shouldn't have to wait for me to open enrollment. I'd rather you come join me when you are ready!

So head over to caitlinball.com/quitdieting to learn more about the program. From there, you can apply for a call with me so I can learn more about you and make sure it's a perfect fit!

Ok - without further ado, let's talk to Kristen!

Craziest Dieting Moment I asked to hear about Kristen's craziest dieting moment, and she shared a food tracking moment you can probably relate to! When she first got started with "healthy" eating, she was logging everything she was eating. (And admittedly going a bit overboard.) When visiting her mom's house, she was throwing a bunch of stuff into the blender. Without realizing it, she used a full fat Greek yogurt, and it sent her calorie tracker into the red. She had a mini freakout, and tried to get her brother-in-law to eat it instead. (He thought the whole shake was pretty gross!)

I can relate...I used those calorie tracking apps years ago too!

Even when less than ideal, these early experiences with the health and nutrition world were important. After all, they helped lead Kristen into the work she does today! Because she is able to identify with the stereotypes & stigmas of food tracking, she knows just how harmful they can be.

Kristen's Work Kristen is based in Boston. She works a lot with women dealing with food anxiety, emotional eating habits, and body image issues. She also works with those navigating dietary restrictions and other health issues that benefit from nutritional intervention. Her online program, Intuition Nutrition, is a radical approach to emotional eating.

She loves to help people have a more relaxed relationship with food!

Kristen shares that she is a recession-era graduation, which means to finished school just in time to NOT get hired anywhere great. In the meantime, she went to work at content farm, where she was churning out work at a high rate. She found herself feeling constantly stressed and overwhelmed.

She found herself constantly hustling. Working multiple jobs, generating multiple income streams, feeling depressed, skipping meals, dieting off and on, and just generally not living a life that felt very good for her body. All this coincided with a health boom in Boston, and eventually she found herself in a high-intensity cardio workout that ended with a brunch.

Learning about the food she eating (and the impact that food had on her body) caused Kristen to change her eating habits. She was learning more about how food made her feel, and what kind of impact her food choices had on her.

Career Changes & Spiritual Practices Eventually she got serious about changing her career. Realizing that she finally felt passionate about something, she dove all in.

At first, Kristen came at health from a nutrition standpoint.

As she worked with clients, however, she started to recognize the impact of our diet culture. So many people seemed to feel that they couldn't trust their bodies or themselves. There was so much fear, anxiety, and stress connected to food choices. Kristen knew how harmful these things were, because she had experienced them herself! Gradually, her coaching practice evolved into what it is today.

Part of that includes spiritual practices that she incorporates into her work. She notes that this is a non-religious spiritual practice, and is very personal to each individual person. It's also something that is careful about using with clients, and isn't an expectation or obligation.

So many systemic factors contribute to emotional eating, from food insecurity to weight stigmas. Spiritual practices help Kristen and her clients develop their intuition and inner practices that can help deal with unhelpful food relationships.

Rituals & Spiritual Practices Arbitrary rules, guilt, shame, and restrictions tend to result from negative emotions that we weren't taught to properly cope with. When we find ourselves eating to deal with emotions, we tend to respond by "punishing" ourselves.

As a response, the pendulum swings, and we binge. The cycle continues on and on. Using intuitive spiritual practices and tools can help you step out of the pattern and find space. When you have a chance to breathe, you can choose to respond differently.

Kristen notes that she often uses journaling as a quick and easy tool for exploring the root of food cravings.

Another great tool: meditation. Approaching your day with more level energy can be a great way to explore behaviors, wants, and needs. It's also a way to consider where you learned your current coping behavior. Meditation can help quiet your mind and get you in tune with what your body is trying to tell you.

Rituals around intention setting can also be really helpful. A ritual is simply a series of actions. Amanda Yates Garcia is the "Oracle of LA", and she shares that a ritual is a symbolic action that galvanizes people into taking action in their own lives. They are meant to empower you to take action in your own life. By setting an intention, or releasing things that no longer serve you, you can be empowered to achieve your own goals.

One final spiritual practice Kristen sometimes uses is tarot. This is again a way of considering your relationship with food and what's happening in your internal environment. Each of these spiritual practices are about honing your intuition and getting in touch with yourself.

Develop Your Own Practices Self-care should be done because it makes you feel good. Don't be afraid to find things that work for you, rather than just doing what you feel like you're supposed to be doing.

Kristen shares that her own spiritual practices have developed as a slow trickle over the years. Rather than feeling that she "had" to create a certain set of beliefs or practices, she slowly discovered the things that she enjoyed. As she incorporated various things, she found the ones that worked best for her.

Because she has a nutrition business, those practices attach to her food choices as well. When you think of food as medicine, you can find many ways to enjoy eating as a way of healing and honoring yourself.

When you approach your self-care or spiritual practices, don't be afraid to experiment!

Listen in to the full episode to hear Kristen's take on "sugar addiction" too! She shares some great thoughts about our body's needs, and how sugar plays a part in meeting them.

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Today we are going to dive into a hot topic: intuitive drinking!

Drinking intuitively can apply to alcohol, of course, but it's so much more than that. In this episode, we'll discuss alcohol, water, coffee, and more! Do you think it's possible to consume beverages intuitively? Let's talk it through!

Exciting news! I'm re-opening my Food Freedom & Body Confidence Challenge. This is perfect for anyone who is ready to dive dive deeper into intuitive eating. It's also great if you're in a bit of a rut, or need some extra encouragement. This time, it's open at all times (no more waiting for a certain start date). I can't wait for you to get started!

Intuitive Drinking: Water Human bodies need a lot of water in general. That's why water consumption should be a priority. However...

Sometimes an emphasis on drinking lots of water is actually diet talk! Rather than use hydration as a tactic to decrease food consumption or control food intake, let's remember to think of it as a gift to our bodies. When I drink water before meals, I think of it as a helpful gauge for how much food my body will need to be satisfied.

I don't use it as a tactic to trick myself into eating less! Instead, I intuitively drink an amount that feels good for me. What I eat pairs with that; it's an intuitive balancing act designed to make me feel really good.

Hydration is all about self-love and self-care. If you notice that you're thinking of water as an appetite suppressant, check in with yourself. Look for signs that you might be letting a diet mindset creep in.

Drinking water regularly helps me feel really good. Sometimes I have to do little hacks to help me stay hydrated, because I'll forget to drink enough. Keeping a full bottle on hand, adding fruit slices to your water, or trying bubbly water can help you enjoy your hydration!

Intuitive Drinking: Soda My last diet ever was the Whole 30 diet. (This was a few months before I discovered intuitive eating.) I don't recommend doing this diet unless you're trying to pinpoint a food allergy (although if that's the case, I'd recommend working with a dietitian and a proper elimination diet).

However, doing Whole 30 did give me one major realization: I had a serious Diet Coke habit! Soda wasn't part of the Whole 30 plan, so I gave it up for 30 days. Afterwards, when I went to enjoy a Diet Coke I realized I didn't really like them anymore. The strong sweeteners and chemical taste no longer appealed to me. (I didn't make any "rules" about not drinking them...just honestly didn't like them anymore.)

I also realized I had been using Diet Coke as a habit. It seems I didn't actually enjoy them that much, and I was often using them as a way of passing up the treat I had actually been craving.

You don't need to give up Diet Coke (or any other soda) just because I did! My own preference is to eat sweet things, rather than drink them. Bubbly waters and kombucha keep me super satisfied and happy on the beverage front. Every once in a while I find myself craving a Fanta (or some other soda), and I'll enjoy one when that happens. Nothing to stress over!

One of my clients recently told me that she actually started drinking more sugary drinks and sodas the first few weeks of intuitive eating. For a long time she hadn't allowed herself to drink them, and without restrictions she decided to enjoy them! Eventually, however, she realized they were giving her stomach trouble. Once she realized that, she stopped drinking them. This time, it wasn't about following rules: it was about feeling good.

Having the mindset that you can eat or drink anything is so freeing! If you drink something and ultimately decide you don't like how it makes you feel, you can choose not to drink it. And if you continue drinking soda because your body tells you that it can feel good while doing so, then enjoy them!

Feel free to experiment. Play with quantities, and pay attention to your body. It will let you know what works for you!

Drinking Intuitively: Alcohol First things first: why are you drinking? Is it coming from a good place? Is it coming from a place of need?

There are all sorts of reasons we drink alcohol. Are you having a great time? Is alcohol increasing your enjoyment of a situation?

Are you really stressed? Is alcohol a coping mechanism?

Drinking a bit of alcohol to help you destress isn't really a problem. Just like with emotional eating; you won't ruin your life or your day by consuming something you enjoy. However, if you're drinking in excess, or drinking something that makes your body feel worse, you might think about making adjustments.

Would journaling, taking a long bath, or going for a walk help you cope AND feel better?

Or does relaxing with a glass of wine feel right for you?

Personally, I've found that drinking when I'm in a bad mood doesn't work well for me. Alcohol, after all, is a depressant. When I'm down and I drink, it just makes me feel worse. (And that feeling tends to linger into the next day!) Checking in with my body let me know that it would be better for me to practice a different form of self care (like getting extra sleep or talking to a friend). Drinking alcohol when I'm tired has a similar effect.

Rather than doing it anyway, I choose to find different ways to fulfill my needs and honor my body.

I do like consuming alcohol when I'm feeling celebratory! A toast with my husband, or a fun night out with my friends are reasons I enjoy drinking. If I happen to be at an event that I'm not really enjoying, I choose not to drink to "fix it". Instead, I just go home!

A few other things I've noticed about myself: * Day drinking makes me super over-tired...and if I try to nap it off, I wake up feeling nauseous and awful. It doesn't work for me! * Really sweet and sugary drinks give me a major day-after headache. Who needs that? * Organic wines with lower sulfates are more enjoyable to me, and also give me less "day after" struggles. * Drinking a lot of water before (and in-between) drinks makes me feel a lot better while drinking. * Sometimes I just want to have fun! Total freedom, no limits. When I fill this way, I can choose not to worry about the after-effects. That method wouldn't feel good day-to-day....but occasionally it feels right!

Drinking Intuitively: Coffee & Tea Originally, I didn't think intuitive eating would change my coffee & tea habits at all! Personally, I really don't like coffee flavors. (I can't even eat tiramisu, even though I love chocolate).

I've had clients, however, who have had lots of coffee-related experiments.

They tell me that everything from what you put in your coffee, how much of it you drink, and when you drink it can impact your body. Each of them end up settling on a different way of enjoying coffee, and they are doing it exactly right for themselves. There isn't a "wrong" answer, and I would encourage to experiment with what feels good for you.

My coffee-free ways haven't changed. I have, however, had some changes in my tea-drinking life. I found that drinking caffeine every day was making me more tired in the long term. The initial rush was great...but the afternoon crash was NOT.

Intuitive drinking helped me understand that the more tired I am, the less caffeinated beverages I should consume. In addition, being super stressed is not a good time for me to add caffeine into the mix.

Personally, I know I can drink a few chai teas every week and still feel good. The rest of the time, I enjoy non-caffeinated teas that I can savor without that caffeine boost that makes me feel less than great.

If you're like my grandma or husband, your body might have zero problems processing caffeine. At the end of the day, the important thing is that you check in with yourself and figure out what works for you!

Drinking Intuitively: Juice & Smoothies Using these beverages for cleanses is so popular! Many of us connect them to weight loss and previous dieting attempts...which doesn't feel great.

With smoothies, I've realized I don't like "drinking" my breakfast, so I make all my smoothies in a bowl now. My son and I have so much fun adding fun toppings, like fruits, nuts, and granola. (It's also tastes great to add spinach, cocoa nibs, and so much more. Have fun with it!)

As far as juice goes...

I used to own a juicer because I wanted to be able to do juice diets and lose weight fast. Whenever I did that, I had a headache the whole day and felt terrible. Here's the thing: our bodies naturally detox, and we don't need to do cleanses to help them out.

If you love juice, go for it! Enjoy it, and pay attention to how different kinds of juices make you feel. And if not, no worries. You aren't missing out on anything that you "need".

At the end of the day, only you are you! Pay attention to your body so you can give it what feels good. If you over-drink something and don't feel great? Don't stress! Sometimes we get the best feedback by overdoing it. Once you know, you can make adjustments that let you enjoy everything you want to enjoy. Intuitive drinking is just one more tool that you get to use to feel great in your body.

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Today's guest, Michelle Grant, joins us to share about sustainable eating. She's a friend of mine from Zurich, and we've shared many great conversations about sustainability and food. Since she just published her new cookbook, this seemed like a great time to bring her on the podcast.

Sustainable eating doesn't have to feel restrictive, depressing, or miserable! How can you eat sustainably in a way that is also enjoyable and fun? Michelle has all sorts of ideas!

Food-Specific Sustainability The core of Michelle's work is as an educator. She explores making food (and living) more sustainable, and helps people understand the impact of what they eat. Having had a long-term concern for social and environmental issues, Michelle originally studied environmental engineering at university...and quickly realized that was not the path for her!

Instead, she wanted to work with people and be more hands on. Through a summer program, she learned about sustainable development, and then continued to narrow her focus to food-specific sustainability.

Michelle loves the idea of intentionally eating, living, and leading. Using sustainability, she believes we can build a better world while also improving our own lives. A win-win!

Fad Diets are Not Sustainable Fad diets are unsustainable. They don't help our bodies, and they don't help our world! In addition to being unhelpful, fad diets and food trends are also really hard on the environment.

Food trends associated with single foods, such as cashews, avocados, almonds, or other suddenly popularized foods are often not sustainable. There are massive environmental challenges in the areas these foods are produced, as well as human issues. Often the people doing the work of farming the current trending foods aren't paid fairly. Many also see their homes and land exploited for productivity.

A market that only sees profit, and consumer base that continually demands more of each new on-trend food combine to provide an unsustainable supply & demand cycle.

Some specific diets, like keto and paleo, encourage an increase in meat eating. This isn't great for the environment.

For example, with bulk grains and veggies, it's easier to bring your own bags or reusable containers. With meat, however, it's hard to avoid additional plastics and other extra packaging. The environmental impact of raising and processing meat is also high.

Following trending diets and food fads can be really self-centered. When we put our own perceived "health" or weight loss above the world we live in, we risk causing harm that can't be reversed.

What Really Matters When it Comes to Food Michelle considers diets a massive distraction from what really matters when it comes to food. Rather than deciding for ourselves what nourishes us, we end up disempowered. Dieting pulls us away from thinking about our impact on the planet, and focuses us on ourselves.

I really wanted to make sure that we didn't use this conversation to create restriction and rules though! Trying to eat a certain way can make me personally feel really stressed out, which isn't the goal. Food shouldn't be stressful and overwhelming. In the same way I don't support dieting, I don't want to support a legalistic approach to food consumption. So how can we pair sustainability and food freedom?

Michelle defines sustainability & food as eating in a way that supports your own wellbeing, the wellbeing of other people, and the wellbeing of the planet. She shares that 1 in every 5 global deaths is linked to an unhealthy diet. Over 1/3 of the world's population suffers from a diet-related health burden. And the people most likely to suffer? Those involved in producing food to make a living.

Humans and the environment are struggling to thrive in our world because of the way food is produced and distributed.

Thinking about that can feel overwhelming! It can also help us shift away from only thinking about how food impacts us. We can shift our focus to not only our own bodies and feelings, but also world impact.

This starts with intentionality!

Creating Change When we become more aware of what we're doing, and what's driving it, we can start to create change.

What impact does our consumption have on ourselves and others?

How can we approach that question (and its answers) with curiosity?

What would it mean to exercise compassion for ourselves and others when we think about food production and our own habits?

Mindfulness, common humanity, and kindness can go a long way towards helping us navigate this space in a healthy way! The ultimate goal should be to take action that is aligned with our values. This is much more helpful than overwhelming ourselves with guilt or shame.

Michelle notes that food is incredibly emotional. It connects us to our family, our culture, our religions, and our own habits of rewarding or punishing ourselves.

When we start to make changes here, we can experience a lot of blocks and internal resistant! It's important to still make an effort, however, because underneath our relationship to food is our relationship with the world. If we have the courage to face it, we can uncover patterns and beliefs in ourselves that can change our lives.

Intuitive Eating & Sustainability Intuitive eating and sustainability have lots of overlap!

Being gentle with yourself, exercising self-compassion, and having the courage to explore what's really going on is incredibly powerful. At the end of the day, doing good makes you feel good.

Being more sustainable can make you feel really good, and move you beyond yourself and your own needs. I think that we are meant to give back and be caring, which is why it has such a positive on our lives.

Michelle shares that her own experience with dieting, exercise, and her body helped her get perspective too. When she chose to notice how food impacted and nourished her, as well as how it impacted the world, she started to see positive change.

She shares that when she reaches for her favorite snacks and foods, she thinks about her body and her needs. She also thinks about the resources that go into the creation of those foods. Considering the greater global impact of her food (along with her desires) helps her make choices she feels good about!

Sustainable Eating Can be Joyful In addition to simply getting in the kitchen more, Michelle suggests you bring joy into cooking! Listen to a great podcast, put on music and do a bit of dancing, or even just let yourself mindfully engage with your ingredients.

Paying attention to what ingredients you use and where they came from can be a source of curiosity and questions. Where did these ingredients come from? What went into bringing them to your home? Were they fairly and sustainably sourced?

I've been having fun using Imperfect Produce, which delivers produce that's perfect good...but a little imperfect. Often it's a funny shape or size, and the grocery store as rejected it. Rather than let it go to waste, you can use it! (Get $10 off atImperfect Produce here.)

Try different stores, learn more about your food, and see what changes feel good for you! This isn't about restricting, limiting, or passion judgment. It's literally a chance to make the world around you a better place.

How fun!

If you'd like to learn more about my signature Quit Dieting program, head to www.caitlinball.com/quitdieting now!

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I'm recording this podcast on the bed, amidst a huge pile of laundry I need to fold! But I'm putting a pause on that for the moment, because I want to share a bit about intuitive living. So many of my clients (and myself, of course), got started with intuitive eating, and eventually find ourselves living intuitively as well.

(The women who have worked with me in the past are in a group called Intuitive Living Ladies, because it truly becomes so much more than just a way of eating. If you'd like to join the group, let's work together! I have a few options now, and another program kicking off in April. You can find out more at www.caitlinball.com/apply.

Following Your Intuition Once you start eating intuitively, you start to learn what it means to listen to your body, your gut, and your internal cues. This is really just listening to your intuition, and it's a huge part of intuitive eating!

Once you start tapping into your intuition for one area (like eating), it becomes natural to do it in other areas as well. Life becomes so much simpler when you're able to do what's right for you. As you get in tune with your OWN wants and needs (instead of other people's expectations), lots of daily decisions get so much easier!

Intuitive Movement One of the first areas that is impacted is movement. Intuitive movement is often linked with intuitive eating, partly because we connect diet and exercise in our minds. As we learn to listen to our bodies' nutritional needs, we can start to consider her movement needs as well.

I've found that what feels good to me often includes walking and yoga. Lately, it's included dance too! I've need to let go, have fun, and move joyfully, so I've found ways to work that in. My clients often do the same.

Instead of moving in ways that we think we have to do (usually because we're trying to burn calories and lose weight), we can focus on how we want to move. The mental shift makes such a difference! All of a sudden movement can be fun (and feel good). And when that's the case, we are much more likely to keep moving!

Intuitive Activities Many of my clients find themselves doing more actives that light them up! Too often as adults, we get busy and start to skip the fun parts.

In order to enjoy your life, you need fun activities that you enjoy. That means you need to make time for them. Remember - this isn't about an "approved" activity that other people will think is "cool".

This is about you doing what you love and enjoy. No one else needs to understand or approve it. You get to do what you love, for your own sake. (Fun side benefit: you tend to start finding a tribe of people who like that same thing too!)

Giving yourself the gift of time (and non-judgmentalism), and see what happens!

If you're super stuck, consider what you loved as a kid. I remember really enjoying baking as a kid, so I've been looking for ways to do more of that. As a busy mom, it can be hard to get hours alone for peaceful baking. But, I can get creative by finding ways to get my son involved with that. Since I don't always love activities that 3 year olds do...I've realized I can find fun things (like crafts and baking) to involve him in. And we both have fun!

Don't be too quick to assume you don't have time. By getting creative, you can likely find ways to incorporate activities that bring back a bit of joy.

Intuitive Communication This one is huge for your relationships!

When you are consistently working on becoming more confident in understanding and communicating your needs, it has such a positive impact on your relationships. I talked about this a bit more in depth in my recent self-love episode.

As you get to know yourself, you can better know what you need in a relationship. Often our frustration with those we are in relationship with is deeply connected to unmet needs and desires. And if we aren't honest with ourself about what our needs or desires even are...

How can we expect someone else to meet them?

By getting clear with our own selves about who we are and what we need, we can then begin sharing that information with others.

The honest truth is that there may be relationships in your life that aren't serving you. If you've been made to feel judged, unworthy, or just not great because of a relationship you're in, living intuitively may mean creating more space and distance. Your safety and sense of self-worth truly are important.

Intuitive Purchases When eating intuitively, you're encouraged to only buy foods you truly love. That also means you start thinking more about the quality of the food you're consuming.

This mindset can start to creep into other areas!

From cleaning products, beauty supplies, your favorite pens, and even the cushy pillows on your bed...

You start to think more about how each thing makes you feel, as well as the sort of quality you'd really like to have.

This doesn't have to mean you overhaul your whole life! I started to think about my personal products first. As I would finish one off, I'd shop around a bit and replace it with something that seemed like a better fit for my life.

Then I took a look at my cleaning supplies. When I thought about all the chemicals I was breathing in, I just didn't feel good about it. Again, this is an easy area to use the "replacement" method with. As you finish one product that you're just not loving, you can try replacing with something that feels better to you.

My husband and I also took on this challenge with our furniture. Slowly, we swapped out our early furniture with more expensive, quality furniture that we know would last.

In addition to the purchases we were making, there were purchases we were not making.

One big area that I've seen my purchasing decease is clothing! Instead of buying things just because they were cheap, on sale, or easily accessible, I started thinking more about quality, environmental impact, and whether I would really truly love a certain item. That doesn't mean I never snag something cute in the Target clearance section, but it does mean I'm trying to make more of an effort to invest in quality items that I truly love.

Intuitive Living Resources Over time, I ended up replacing all my body products, started using essential oils, and really noticing what things made me feel good in my body. My focus has been feeling good in mind, body, and spirit, and I realized that the things I buy and put into my life are a part of that!

I ended up loving one product line so much (Beauty Counter), that I became a partner with them! They are working to change ingredient laws so that toxic ingredients will no longer be allowed in our products. As they take that on, they are also providing amazing, quality products that we can use now to safely care for our bodies.

I've been working on updating my Resources page for those who are interested in learning more about my recommendations. (It's still a work in progress!)

With all of those areas that we can practice intuitive living, I want to remind you that this isn't about judgement! It's really important that you don't start beating yourself up and forcing yourself to be "better" because you aren't "good enough".

All of this work is about self-love, self-care, and listening to yourself. Take your time, explore what feels right for you, and don't make rules for what you are (or are not) allowed to purchase or use. That's not the purpose here!

Intuitive Living + Eco Friendly Living Finally, intuitive eating has led me towards wanting to be more environmentally friendly. For me, that means making more active decisions about what I do in my life.

Some of my concern is for the greater good of the whole world. And some of it's a little bit selfish - I personally want to drink clean water, breathe clean air, and appreciate clean oceans.

Just like the story about the man picking up starfish one by one, I believe in the power of doing small things. Just because I can't change everything, I can make a little difference.

Some little things I do?

I bring my reusable bags to the store when I go shopping. When eating out, I put my restaurant leftovers in my own tupperware (when I remember to bring one), and I've been getting reusable snack bags (and beeswax wraps) too. I'm trying to purchase more clothing that's been fairly sourced, and to shop locally more often. Recently, I joined a "buy nothing" FB group for my town. It's a group to give away things you no longer need (and to potentially get a few things too). Try going to FB and searching "buy nothing ____" and adding your town's name in the end!

No matter what intuitive living looks like for you, give yourself grace and remember to have fun with it! This is a chance to get to know yourself better, to honor your needs, and to tune in to your intuition.

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Farah is a body activist and certified exercise nutrition coach. She helps women embrace their curves and master their health through body positivity, wellness, and nutrition. She encourages women to love themselves in bold & healthy ways.

Health and wellness have been a huge passion for Farah for a long time. She's on a mission to end generational curses from diet-related chronic diseases that have been rampant in both her own family, and in those around her. This passion for wellness only grew after going through her own journey with depression, which made Farah realize that she was absolutely consumed with the number on the scale, and with her physical appearance.

She also recognized that she was not the only woman dealing with those struggles. As she came out of her depression, she realized she wanted to create a shame-free platform for women to be curvy AND healthy. As her journey with body positivity has continued, she's grown in her ability to embrace ALL body types with love and compassion.

Bold & Healthy Body Positivity Some people believe that body positivity promotes obesity. Let's stop that idea in its tracks!

When lean trainers, nutritionists, or professionals normalize being extremely thin and fit, we start to think that we have to look like that to be "healthy". Farah reminds us that this isn't the case!

She cites a recent study that shows only 5% of what the media portrays is considered an accurate representation of American women. We all come in different shapes and sizes, and we shouldn't be confined by the media's narrow representations of women's bodies. These media representations have also played a role in perpetuating the myth that body positivity promotes an unhealthy lifestyle in general.

Farah shares that when she speaks at schools, she frequently asks young women what sorts of things people say that make them feel uncomfortable with their bodies.

Lot's of girls share they are often told they are "too thin" or need "more meat on their bones".

People need to understand that body positivity is for ALL women, of ALL sizes. It's not just a celebration of women with curves, but a celebration of every single woman and the body she is in.

True body positivity embraces healthy habits and all sizes. Those habits are not tied to the scale, or even to nutrition. Emotional, mental, physical, and even financial wellness can be considered.

Ultimately, self-love and self-care are powerful tools that promote wellness and wellbeing.

Accept the Skin You're In The media may make you feel that there is a "right" size to be...

but there isn't!

Whatever size you are, whatever shape your body takes, is exactly perfect. You can love yourself, accept yourself, and choose to embrace every dimple and curve that makes you "you".

Recently, bigger brands like Nike and Adidas are starting to shift towards showing women of different body types. These new perspectives can help clear up misconceptions and shame surrounding body love and they way we think about ourselves.

Hopefully, media representation will become more inclusive of all women, but even if it doesn't...

We can still choose to see ourselves as right and good, exactly as we are.

When we automatically think our bodies are "wrong", we can easily spiral into depression, anxiety, unhealthy emotional eating, and unhealthy food restrictions. Dieting and exercise that is being driven by these toxic emotions are not "healthy", even it means we are losing weight. Getting closer to an unhealthy standard doesn't make you healthier!

The health risks of living a life of shame and body hatred are so high! When we can release that tendency to shame ourselves for being "too" fat or "too" skinny and choose to love ourselves...

THAT is where the power (and true health) lies!

Daily Affirmations for Bold & Healthy Living Look in the mirror and choose to speak LOVE over yourself.

I love my stretch marks.

My thighs.

My cellulite.

You're more likely to eat better, do better, and feel better when you speak powerful, positive affirmations over yourself and your life.

Rather than a spiral of shame and guilt, you can create a domino effect of love and self-compassion. This change in thinking isn't just for people who are in the midst of a traumatic experience.

Anyone can benefit from the bold & healthy choice to love themselves.

What underlying issues are stopping you from practicing a healthy lifestyle? What prevents you from feeling better in your body?

Whether you're a busy working professional, an overwhelmed mom, a college student with a packed schedule: you don't necessarily need a deep trauma to recognize that change would be healthy for you.

Everyone could benefit from upping their daily dose of self-love!

The 12 Steps to Your Body of Gold Farah's new book is out now! It's the ultimate guide to embracing self-love and mastering your health.

She shares that the inspiration for her book originally came from her podcast of the same name. Her listeners had been so excited about her podcast's topic, and she realized how necessary the message was.

A huge part of her heart for the book was to provide more than just an outline or guide. She didn't want it to just be another health and wellness book that people read and don't benefit from.

When it comes to internal healing, Farah created the 12 steps to help women address the issues that are stopping them from becoming the women they ultimately want to become. In addition, she provides assignments after each step to make them actionable. She encourages women to journal, respond, and really think about what they want their future to look like, especially when it comes to their health.

By the end of the book, you'll have created your own health and wellness plan that is ready to implement. It's not one-size-fits-all because it is YOUR plan that fits YOUR lifestyle - and you created it yourself!

Instead of trying to force you to follow someone else's plan, you get to build your own customized version that fits your own needs.

The First 3 Steps The first 3 steps Farah implements in her book are designed to help women work towards acceptance and self-love.

1. Start with admitting. Part of the process of creating change includes admitting that something is wrong. What does it mean to admit that something needs to change? What is there in your current situation that is not serving you?
2. Once you've admitted that you want (and need) something to change, you get to start seeking clarity. What do you need to do day-by-day to really reach the clarity you need?
3. The power is in the pen! 80% of people who write down their goals and aspirations tend to reach them (or come pretty close)! When you take the time to write down what you want and how you're going to pursue it, you're much likely to actually achieve those things.

Don't Forget to Breathe Sometimes we get so concerned about other's wellbeing that we forget about our own. Farah encourages you to take a deep breath and consider:

• Where am I going next?
• Where will I be 6 months from now?
• 12 months from now?

Don't be afraid to lean and really listen for the answers. The first step can be scary, but it's the beginning of meaningful change. It's time to start loving yourself in bold & healthy ways!

You can connect with Farah on either of her IG accounts: @farahmgreen or @thickboldandhealthy

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Since it’s Valentine’s day tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to talk about the most important kind of love – loving yourself! You are the most important person in your life that needs to be loved. When you love yourself, you have more capacity to truly love others, and to spread that love into the world. All too often, we forget how to practice self-love, or we think that loving ourselves isn't important. (Or worse - that self-love is a bad thing!)

I'm here to remind you: it’s most definitely not selfish! I probably need to do a whole episode on that, because so many women feel selfish taking care of themselves first! In reality, it’s selfless and smart, because it’s going to help everyone in your life.

Self-Care vs. Self-Love You might be confused about the difference between self-love and self-care so let’s talk about it.

Self-care is an act of self-love – so self-love is all encompassing.

Think about your child – you take care of them by feeding them, bathing them, helping them with their homework which is also a way to show them you love them. But you also love them by talking kindly to them, smiling at them, hugging them, giving them gifts, doing nice things for them, encouraging them when they're down, and the list goes on.

Today, I’m going to give you 6 things to focus on while learning how to practice self-love.

First, I want you to start practicing noticing what you do love. If you don’t currently love yourself, it’s easy to be in a state where you don’t really love much about your life. So, I find it a bit easier to notice what you do love, and get yourself in a more positive mindset before you dive into some of deeper practices surrounding self-love.

This can look like noticing what you love about different people in your life. It can be noticing what physical things you love that you surround yourself with in your home and office. You can start noticing what you love about the different activities you do in your day.

Once you start noticing what you love, take the time to appreciate what you do have. This is a start of a gratitude practice, and the more you can be grateful for what you have, the more you are going to enjoy your life. So start with the awareness and appreciation of the lovely aspects of your current life to get you in the more positive, loving state of mind. And that is the first step towards being able to practice self-love.

Second, I want you to figure out how you love to be loved (and start practicing self-love). Have you heard about the five love languages? Do you know your top two love languages? I learned mine about two years ago and it’s been a game-changer for me in the relationship with myself and others.

In the book, it separates the love languages into five categories: acts of service, gifts, quality time, physical touch, and words of affirmation.

You can take the test over at 5lovelanguages.com. (But really, you don’t even have to take the test – you can just start thinking about and noticing what others do that make you feel loved.)

Try taking out the trash for yourself, or telling yourself how great of a job you did on your work project. You could give yourself a beautiful bouquet of flowers too. Try making a long list of things that make you feel loved and appreciated. Then notice the commonalities!

For me, my top two love languages are quality time and acts of service. If my husband does the dishes without me asking, I feel loved. If we have a good conversation while making dinner, I feel loved.

Once you know how you love to be loved, start practicing those ways to love yourself! It’s no wonder how I feel so recharged and more like myself when I have some good quality alone time with myself. Journaling, taking myself to a meal, or just going on a nice walk.

And for acts of service - I prepare beautiful and delicious meals for myself. I also make regular health appointments for myself, I give myself a nice face mask, or get dressed up in a way that makes me feel my best. All of these small things are ways I can practice self-love.

If yours is words of affirmation – you need to be telling yourself “good job” and “you are strong” and “I am worth it”.

For gifts – that could be consistently buying yourself things that bring you so much joy. I just bought myself a subscription to a magazine to feel like I get a little gift in the mail each month.

For physical touch – that could be spending extra time on your skincare routine, using some really nice lotion to rub into your body, give yourself a hug when you are having a bad day, do a self-massage your hands and feet.

Figure out how to practice self-love in a way that feeds your soul. Also, share this info with your loved ones so they can know how to best love you. Ask them how they want to be loved as well, so you can love them how they want to be loved.

Third, quiet the inner mean voice in a loving way. That inner mean voice gets nasty sometimes. Telling you things like “You have no willpower – why did you eat that?” or “You aren’t strong enough to do this” or “If you only lost 20x, you would look way better ”Yikes, she can be ugly!

But you know how when people and children act out, they are usually just wanted to feel seen and heard? Often there is something else going on that’s making them act in such a way.

As you maybe know from watching movies and TV shows where kids act out in school – they just need more attention and love.

So tell your inner mean voice you hear her and see her and everything is going to be ok. Tell her how it’s going to be ok, and why she is actually wrong about her negative feedback.

So if she says, “If you could just lose the weight, you’d finally look good.”, you can remind her, “I'm so sorry you feel that way. But the truth is that you look great at any size, and the only thing that matters is your attitude. So let’s work on being more loving and taking care of yourself, and that will make all the difference.”

Give her some love and guidance on how you are going to move on from here, just like she is a young girl that needs a big hug.

Fourth, make sure your mindset it in the right place while you take care of yourself. Taking care of yourself is a big part of loving yourself.

And going to the gym can be a great act of self-love! But if you are going to the gym to burn off the big lunch you had that you feel really guilty about – that’s self-punishment. So anything you are doing to take care of yourself, make sure it’s done because you want to take care of yourself.

Just like if you feel you need to lose weight: doing a diet to try to shrink yourself is not self-love.

Creating a new habit of eating salads at lunch because you have more energy in the afternoons: that is an act of self-love.

Make sure the mind is in the right place, my friends, or else the habit is not going to stick. And when you do reach your goal, it’s not going to feel nearly as satisfying as you thought it would, because on the inside, you still hate yourself.

Fifth, keep moving forward, even when life gets in the way. You are always going to hit roadblocks or have setbacks. It is just a partof life. But if you make it mean something bigger than it has to and get stuck in the “why me” phase, you are going to stay stuck and self-sabotage yourself.

For example, your coffee was made wrong at the coffee shop. The train got stuck. Your child threw a tantrum. You could tell yourself “This is going to be a horrible day!” and continue to see every negative thing. Or you can realize these things happen, and take a few minutes to do something to reset. Maybe a meditation or a nice chat with a friend. Then keep moving on.

There will be setbacks. You can always take a quick rest if you need it. But then keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Lastly – number 6 – you have to learn to accept the things you do not love. Acceptance is a hard one, but it's an important piece in loving yourself. (So ironic that the best way to practice self-love is to accept what you might not really love!)

You aren’t going to LOVE every single part of yourself. The more you can accept it and embody all the different things that make you, you – the better your life will be.

Something simple you can do is say it out loud. A nice phrase that I learned from the emotional freedom technique is:

Even though I have bigger arms than I want, I fully and completely love and accept myself.

Although I’m not as outgoing as I’d like, I fully and completely love and accept myself.

Even though I don’t make as much money as I’d like, I fully and completely love and accept myself.

Just like people you love in your life. You probably don’t love every single little thing about them. But you fully and completely love and accept them anyways.

I talked about this in an email recently and called out my husband. He most likely would never have read the email, except a mutual friend told him about it! It was pretty funny.

He always takes off his socks when he puts a blanket on, like when he’s on the couch. So socks are strewn about the house quite often! So no, I don’t love that he leaves he socks strewn about the house. But does that make a difference in how much love him? Nope, not at all.

On the flip side, he has to deal with my multiple tea mugs I leave strewn about the house. So I guess it’s kinda even. And he loves me anyways too.

Practicing Self-Love is Healing Bringing awareness to those things you may never love is a healing moment. You can take a minute to acknowledge that you may never love this piece about yourself. However, you are consciously going to accept and practice self-love anyways.

Ok, friends! Now it’s time to go love yourself (and others) tomorrow! It’s going to be weird having a Valentines day in the states for the first time in 7 years! As a holiday, it wasn’t really celebrated in Switzerland. But I’m looking forward to it. It’s fun to have these holidays feel new and exciting again.

I hope you have an amazing holiday for those that celebrate, and a lovely week. I’ll be back next week with an amazing guest!

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I was so excited to talk with Emily this week! Her message about being enough is so powerful, and she really opened up about her own struggles in this area during our interview. We also talk about what it means to listen to your body, and how to become more aware of what our bodies are telling us. And if you only take away one thing from this episode, let it be this: You are enough.

Emily is a health coach who currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. Her goal is to empower her clients to live their lives in a way that feels really good for them. This means that she often helps with a bit of business coaching as well (many of her clients are aspiring entrepreneurs). They cover both emotional & practical elements of living a life that makes sense for you.

Energy is Real Emily shares that she strongly believes that energy (and the vibrations you put out into the world) are real. As she works with others who want to give back via service-based businesses (and as she desires to serve others herself), she's seen again and again that you need to be taking care of yourself if you want to show up for others.

I've experienced this in my own life! My worst business-related launch occurred when I honestly wasn't really practicing the kind of self-care that I teach others. As Emily shares, the vibration of honoring your own needs can absolutely be felt.

There is so much "noise" in the world about who are supposed to be, and what we are supposed to be doing. When we're trying to operate from a place of chasing after perfection, our energy reflects that. Emily shares that self-acceptance, and a belief that "this too shall pass", help her feel connected to herself. This connection is what allows her to continue operating from a place of self-compassion and self-care.

Living from such an amazing energy has a huge impact on how she's able to show up for both herself and those she cares about!

A Winding Path Emily went to business school, then studied to be a CPA. She wasn't ever super excited about that career, but it felt safe and that made it seem like a good decision. A few years in, however, she started to feel an "itch" for change.

At the same time, she was exploring her own health and wellness. Digestive issues that had started in college had caused her to dive into nutrition and holistic wellness in her own life. She realized that when she had a chance to share about her food choices and yoga practice, she lit up.

While continuing her corporate career, she started researching alternative options. Eventually she came across the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It was here that she learned about health coaching, and she knew she wanted to pursue it. She completed the program, and left her corporate job. She

Although she still identifies as a health coach, Emily is playing with the title of "empowerment coach". She's come to realize that health is not just about the food, or just about the yoga. Those things in and of themselves are not "health". Pursuing true health is really about the bigger picture, and about being empowered in your own life.

Part of that journey?

Struggling with not being "enough". She feels that this has gone hand in hand with the pressure of being perfect.

Perfection Seeking is Not Empowering From a young age, Emily can see how the influence of striving to be perfect has impacted her life. Whether she was trying to get straight A's, or was eating the perfect foods, she's felt the pressure to be the "best". And that often means reaching perfection, which is an elusive place to ever find yourself. (And an impossible place to stay for any length of time.)

Having recognized this tendency within herself, she's done lots of internal work around self-care, as well as in loving and accepting herself as she is.

And yet, she recently realized that she was slipping into perfection seeking habits that were leaving her feeling anything but empowered.

After experiencing a flare up with her digestive symptoms, Emily started to pursue a few treatment modalities. At first they were helpful and positive, but she realized that eventually the journey had segued into something stressful. She was feeling a lot of pressure to "fix" herself and her gut. She noticed her eating was becoming more restrictive, and knew that she was pushing herself to "heal" her body. It wasn't about wellness; it was about perfection.

She also recognized that this pressure was leading her into feeling that she was not enough.

Showing Up For Yourself She chose to take a step back, and in doing so realized that she wasn't showing up for herself the way she wanted to.

Once she recognized this, she chose to shift into a reality in which "perfectly healed" didn't need to exist.

Instead, she embraced the idea that her digestive issue might just be something that she needed to be aware of and take care of throughout her life. There was nothing she needed to change, and there was freedom to be herself, regardless of struggles.

I loved that she shared this, because I see so many clients who have put weight on this same sort of pedestal! They think that if only the scale will say a certain number, THEN they will be enough. And until then....they experience so much stress, pressure, and harmful perfectionistic tendencies.

When we choose to release the idea that we are responsible for reaching perfection, and instead allow ourselves to just be as we are....

Powerful healing has the chance to occur!

This principle is one of the things I love about intuitive eating: there is no "right" or "wrong". There is just information that can guide us towards what feels best for us.

And the reality always is: You are enough!

Listen to Your Body First of all...

What does it even MEAN to listen to your body?

Emily shares that, as a former accountant, she definitely brings practicality into the "woo" of manifesting, listening to your body, or tapping into less tangible areas of health.

Some tools that she really enjoys: meditation, deep breathing, yoga, journaling, tarot cards, and even just putting her hands on her own body and asking how she really is. These have been transformative, and have allowed her to learn to listen to her own body.

For example, she shares that just sitting with herself and taking some breaths in the morning feels really good for her. After a few breaths, she asks, "What do I need right now?" or even just "Where am I at today?"

It's not unusual for us to be so busy that we don't even ask those simple questions of ourselves very often!

She also shares that she sees tarot cards as a way of connecting with her own intuition. Rather than trying to predict the future, she uses the cards to connect to the present. We've both found that sometimes more comes out than you'd have ever guessed was inside!

Reclaim Your Power: You Are Enough When you diet, you hand over your power.

You start to believe that some outside authority has to tell you what is good for you, and what is good for your body. And if that's the case...

You might start to think that your own thoughts or feelings about what would be good for you don't mean anything.

However, you can choose to reprogram your mindset and TRUST your body and yourself.

After years of treating yourself and your body as if they couldn't possibly "know" anything about what is good for you, it feels phenomenal to let go of all the rules and finally trust yourself.

And along the way, you might even come to truly understand this core truth: You Are Enough.

You can find Emily at www.emilynachazel.com.

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Today's guest is Jenna Free, who is one of the two lovely ladies behind The Body Love Society! Listen in as we discuss thoughts on diet culture, intuitive eating when you want to lose weight, and how to accept your body!

Jenna is passionate about body love, and uses the terms "un-dieting" as she shares about her passion for self-love and self-acceptance on this wonderful episode. (Be sure to check out IG to learn more about The Body Love Society's free challenge too!)

Wellness Without Obsession The Body Love Society works with women who are interested in intuitive eating and un-dieting. Usually, their clients have struggled with social messaging that tends to lead to obsessions around food, which includes eating, dieting, and body image. At The Body Love Society, they're passionate about living a life of wellness without obsession. Jenna also clarifies that intuitive eating and un-dieting are not code words for "just give up" or "quit caring". Choosing to eat intuitively is a way of honoring and caring for yourself, and is not about just throwing in the towel!

Jenna and her partner desire to live an abundant, vibrant, and energetic life....but without restricting or obsessing about it! They've found that women are often fearful about letting go of control of their food. This seems to be connected to the idea that we can achieve some sort of "ideal state" when focus on our weight. The reality is, however, that there is no connection between losing weight/controlling food intake and being abundant, energetic, and feeling great!

Dieting isn't saving you from food obsessions. It is CREATING your food obsession. And as you've probably experienced for yourself, dieting never "ends" with you feeling wonderful and being free to live your life. Instead, it constantly requires more, more, more. It's never ending, exhausting, and. completely unnecessary!

The BIG Question Everyone Has "Is intuitive eating just eat whatever you want, whenever you want?"

Well....yes and no.

If you've had a dieting mindset for most of your life, you've internalized so many messages about what you can and can't eat, what foods are "good" and "bad", and how you can control your food intake. You've also gotten used to constantly restricting and binging. A lot of obsession and control are involved!

If you move from that dieting mindset straight into intuitive eating, sometimes you do start eating everything...but you miss the whole "listening to your body" part. Instead, you're in "rebellion mode". (That can be part of the process, but it's not where you'll stay!)

As you do the mindset work and recalibrate yourself, you begin to experience the freedom of eating anything you want as a part of listening to your body and its needs.

So YES -- once you've done the mindset work, intuitive eating does mean eating whatever you want. It's just that the way you understand that (and practice it) is significantly different once you get out of your "dieter's brain".

The next most common question is often: Is intuitive eating healthy?

Intense, Restrictive, Consuming Jenna describes herself as the "cute chubby one" as a 16 year old. Looking back she can see just how cute she was...but at the time she decided she needed to get on a diet and start exercising. And if eating more veggies and moving more was where it stopped, it would have been fine! However, weight loss and dieting lends itself to a "never enough" mentality.

In her life, this led to food regimens and workout routines that became more intense, more restrictive, and more consuming. (Can you resonate?)

Jenna became all too familiar with the dieting lifestyle, and experienced falling off the wagon (and climbing back on) over and over again. She found that her world was her body, and she was consumed with thoughts about food and eating. During this time she would have "cheat days" and binge on huge amounts of food, then not eat anything for the rest of the week.

As an intuitive eater, she's been able to move towards mindfulness, creativity, and awareness of the present moment instead. Rather than obsessing about food consumption and rule following, she is able to release all that in favor of practices that actually make her feel good!

Reaching a Place of Peace While trying on her bathing suit years ago, Jenna realized that her preoccupation was with the 5 pounds she needed to lose so that everything would be "perfect". Rather than focusing on how fun her upcoming vacation would be, she was devising ways to lose weight. It was an "aha" moment to recognize that every moment seemed to be marked with what she needed to fix or change before she could fully enjoy her life.

After a few of these "aha" moments in a row, she decided that her body looking a certain way wasn't going to "fix" her life in the ways she kept thinking it would. As she journeyed through this process towards becoming and intuitive eater and un-dieting once and for all, she realized that she had suffered through the dieting lifestyle for nothing!

Dieting is like holding on to a ledge SO tightly, with extreme fear about falling or losing control. And then when you finally let go...

the ground is 3 feet away.

All that fear, control, and obsessing are unnecessary.

When you're engaged in the dieting mindset, what you're searching for (weight loss) isn't the answer you need. What you truly desire is usually something like: worthiness, love, acceptance, energy, wellness, confidence, and more. And you can have ALL of those things without having to diet or be a certain size.

Weight Gain Fears Sharing about intuitive eating and un-dieting isn't as simple as showing before and after pictures that show weight loss! After all, that's not the point of this lifestyle. So what attracts people to it, and what fears threaten to hold them back?

Well, many women express lots of fears about possibly gaining weight if they give intuitive eating a try.

Jenna shares that The Body Love Society approach is to remove the hyper-focused attention on weight. After all, many women have lived in that weight-based mindset for 10, 15, 25 years. Years! So if your biggest concern is weight gain, the first question for you to consider is...

What has your obsession with weight given you so far?

When you can recognize that it hasn't provided anything desirable so far, you're free to choose somewhere else to focus your time and energy. And remember: You're not just giving something up. You're gaining something too!

With intuitive eating, your body may lose weight, gain weight, or stay the same. However, that is the LEAST interesting part of this journey. The newfound sense of freedom (and the dieting baggage you leave behind) is where the fun is!

It can be scary to STOP focusing on something you've obsessed over for years...

but it feels SO good once you finally let go.

Consciously Make the Choice At some point, you can decide to change your mindset and refocus your life. Every single day you can shift your thoughts from control, restriction, fear, and obsession. Instead, you can choose to embrace freedom, self-love, courage, and acceptance of your body exactly as it is.

Just a reminder - this is not about giving up on taking care of yourself.

When intuitive eating, you still get to think about feeling good, and you're still taking care of yourself. You're just doing it from a place of self-care and compassionate listening, rather than pursuing weight loss as the magic cure.

When you stop dieting, you might experience changes in your body. That's to be expected! Coming off of years worth of dieting is going to involve some shifting and recalibration. That's normal, and nothing to stress over! Let your body find its groove, and prioritize balance and self-care. Expect ups and down, and learn to listen to your body's needs through the process.

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Would you say that investing in your dream life comes easily to you? Today you'll hear from Emily King, a wealth and abundance coach who teaches women (including me!) how to have the right money mindsets. Something I've noticed about the mindset work I've done with Emily is that it really applies across a wide spectrum. Replace "money" with food, overeating, or any other struggle and you can really do the same sort of work.

Listen in for tangible tips on how to get rid of limiting beliefs and chase your dreams. We'll also talk about finally going after the feeling that you want (rather than a number on the scale or in the bank).

Quick note: I have a few 1-1 on intuitive eating coaching spots open right now! If you don't think a group program is ideal for you, or you're really craving that personalized attention, this might be the perfect fit! You can apply at: www.caitlinball.com/apply.

Emily's Money & Manifestation Journey

Emily shares that her passion for her work seems to come from a lifelong love of entrepreneurship. When she was a kid, she remembers being at a family gathering where a family member mentioned loving her hair. She was about 6 years old, and immediately offered to SELL him a piece for $1. (She then went around to everyone else, offering them the same deal.) From day one she's been an entrepreneur! Even then money fascinated her, and as she grew up she found she valued its ability to give you experiences that weren't available to everyone.

After completing the traditional college path that she though would lead into a career, she graduated with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and no job. At a complete low point, she moved home and found herself struggling. Around this time she also happened to come across a low-cost coaching program, where she enrolled and learned about the law of attraction, vision boards, and manifestation. In short order she paid off her debt and manifested her dream home, which started her down the path to her current career.

Interestingly, when she later asked her mom and sister what they thought she would grow up to be, they both shared they didn't know. However, they expected she would make a lot of money! As she moved into the coaching space, realizing that we can identify HOW we feel about money, and then actually take action to shift that feeling and create a new one, was intriguing to Emily. This process also began to open her eyes to the blocks we all encounter along the way.

Money Blocks & Limiting Beliefs

Just like food blocks, we can have money blocks!

Emily shares that beliefs start as decisions we made at some point in our lives. Whether we make these decisions as toddlers, teens, or some other point, decisions are being made all the time! Often, this is something we do unconsciously, which means it can be hard to even know that we've done it. Once we've made a decision, however, it becomes a filter that we are constantly looking through.

Are you thinking that your beliefs are real and true because you have evidence to back them up? Well, the "evidence" for our beliefs comes from the filters that we are looking through. We can create a self-fulfilling cycle in which we are constantly affirming our own beliefs. The good news is, we can CHANGE our filters and get new beliefs that will better serve us. The key? Awareness!

(Listen to the full episode for a great mini-exercise on filters!)

Start playing with your limiting beliefs, and try asking yourself: Is this 100% true and factual? Most of the time, it's not! This means you can try some "imagine if" scenarios and start to break free!

Imagine if....

...carbs aren't evil.

...your weight doesn't define you.

...you can have a lot of money and not be evil.

...you don't have to just "get by" your whole life.

The imagination space is a great starting point for examining your beliefs in a non-threatening way. In no time, you'll start to more easily recognize old beliefs and ideas that might not actually be true. (Side note: sometimes we do amazing work...and then the old issues come back around! That's okay, it's normal. Don't give up!)

Keep Doing the Work

It's okay to start small! You may be completely broke, or have a lot of body image issues, or some other struggle that plagues you. What is one SMALL way you can make a bit of progress towards breaking free from your old ideas around this problem?

Does it feel like a big stretch to say:
I feel beautiful?

Start with something small. Maybe, "I feel beautiful in this dress." or "I really love my eyelashes today."

Leave judgement out of this process, and be okay with taking two steps forward and one step back! Another great tip from Emily is to honor your feelings.

Whether they seem bad, good, or neutral, try honoring them. What if you allow yourself just to feel what you feel and not get sucked into a downward spiral? You don't need to feel guilty or ashamed about anything you feel. In fact, truly feeling your feelings sets you up to able to actually release them and move forward.

Finding What You Truly Want

Sometimes we think we want one thing (like losing 20 pounds), when in reality what we want is something different (like feeling confident in our bodies). It's important to tap into your actual desire, and to think about what you want to FEEL. Often, the tangible thing we are focusing on isn't going to create the feeling we're actually chasing.

For example, if you don't love and respect yourself enough to feel confident in your body today, waking up 20 pounds smaller isn't going to change that.

So what happens if you name how you want to FEEL, rather than what you think you want?

For example, wanting money might be about feeling free, having choices, being generous, or something else. Those feelings that you want to feel "there" (free, generous, etc) need to be something you're working on feeling "here".

Emily remembers sitting in her living room and looking at $100,000 in her bank account (what she thought she wanted), and feeling intense stress and fear. In that moment, she recognized that having what she wanted hadn't created what she had expected to feel. Now, she works with clients on actually creating their desired feelings as they work towards their larger goals.

Pick something you want to feel, and work on feeling it today.

Want more freedom? How can you create a sense of freedom in your life today? It might feel awkward in the beginning, but don't worry about it! Feel awkward if you need to, but understand that you are literally breaking a pattern that's been in your life a long time. Shifting into something new is big work! You're doing a great job; just keep on showing up.

Follow the Joy

Do things that you love to get into the energy you want to be in. The goal here is to move towards a desired feeling, rather than just the "thing" itself (like weight loss, money, etc). After all, the thing you think you need or want may not even be the best thing for you.

One way to approach this is to use the "thing" as a symbol for the energy and feeling you're moving towards. That way, you have a specific goal, but you're also remaining open to receiving something even better than the original thing you thought you wanted.

You know when you look back on your life and recognize that you are WAY better off where you are now....even if it isn't something you would have never imagined or expected?

Same principal here! Be willing to attach to the feeling you most desire, but also be wiling to detach from a highly specific outcome.

Investing in Your Dream Life

Sometimes we think that if we think about or desire something long enough, that it's going to happen. It does NOT work that way!

"Mindset without action is bullsh*t." If you're talking the talk but not walking the walk, then sit down. You are not "manifesting", and no amount of vision board making or journaling is going to make up for your lack of action!

Emily shares that her coaching business had a really slow take off. In 6 months she had sold approximately ONE coaching session (for $97). Even going to Tony Robbin's seminar and coming home completely fired up didn't change anything. Nothing was happening.

So she sat down with herself and created an ultimatum. If she did not sign a new client by the end of the month, she would close her business. Her heart desperately did NOT want to shut down, but she knew that something had to change if she was going to ever achieve success.

Shortly after this meeting with herself, she hired a coach and SHOWED UP. In each consequent month for the following three months, she made $5,000. At the end of that? She did her first launch for over $20,000. What she boils her success down to? Showing up.

She advises others to make the decisions that needs to be made, and to trust that the rest will come together. Take the leap, stretch yourself, and get uncomfortable. That is what you need to do if you want to create lasting change! Don't be afraid of investing in your dream life.

What Bad Could Come From Doing This?

Exploring that question can help you get to the root of why you may not be succeeding. Emily's answers to that question showed her that she was afraid of what success might mean. Her responses included things like:

What if...

...signing on a bunch of clients is really stressful?

...I mess up my taxes?

...there is no longer time for my friends and family?

...someone sues me?

By answering those questions, she was able to recognize that she was truly safe to step forward. She realized that there was no need to fear the unknown. With that, she knew it was her time to step into her strength and finally live out the fullness of her dreams.

When it comes to investing in your dream life, Emily reminds us that the universe absolutely is supporting us. We don't have to create "rules" around it, and we don't need to get overly attached to a specific outcome. Focus on how you want to feel, and start creating that for yourself today!

You can find Emily on IG @emilykingco or on her website, www.therichwoman.ca.

You can leave a review of the show by clicking HERE https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quit-dieting-for-good/id1440034531, opening the show in Apple Podcasts, and then choosing the 5 stars!

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Hopefully you enjoyed getting a sneak peak into my life last week, and learning how I intuitively eat and live. That episode might have also gotten you wondering what success looks like when you quit dieting.

Your Own Version of Success Today, I want to go a little deeper into what it’s like to eat and live intuitively. I also want to address what “success” could look like in YOUR life. Keep in mind that success looks so different for so many people. As you saw last week when we took a look into what my daily life is like, every day is unique. In your own practice there will be some similarities, but success might be totally different for you. Embrace it!

In dieting, "success" tends to be very quantifiable because numbers are attached to it. For example, you can determine success using categories like body measurements, how much you weigh, and your body fat percentage. Those tangible success markers can be motivating – but they can also be really detrimental to your health. Since you are so focused on a number, you often aren’t realizing how great you DO feel in your body. You're also blind to some healthy habits you may have created, especially if the number aren't what you hoped for. It’s easy to get down on yourself, start to feel like a failure, and eventually just get into a nasty spiral.

Rather than getting hung up on these external numbers, I love to focus on listening to my body, actively care for myself, and learn to love who I am.

So this conversation about success, or a look at results that will start happening when you eat intuitively and take care of yourself, has to come from a place of love. Agreed? Remember that not every single one of these things will happen to you, because you are an individual. However, I will list some common occurrences that have happened to me and my clients, each of which we would call a personal success.

Also, as you guys know, my Quit Dieting for Good group program is currently open for enrollment until January 22nd. This is most likely the only time I will run this program this year. Since I’ve turned it into a 6-month course, I want you to be supported for 6 whole months and feel so confident when you go out into the world on your own, and use all the tools that we’ve been practicing. If you want to know more about my Quit Dieting for Good program, I encourage you to check it out now before it closes at caitlinball.com/quitdieting.

The Powerful Six Module Program My program, Quit Dieting for Good, has six modules. I thought I would break down the successes by module (keeping in mind that your own experience will be unique to you!).

Letting Go of Restrictions The first module is learning how to let go of restrictions. (Just so you know, each of my modules has audio to listen to, videos to watch, journal prompts, worksheets, special guests, and a meditation. Plus, you get a new module weekly for the first 6 weeks, along with a group coaching call where you get to ask all your personal questions).

One of the very first things that happens to my clients when they start learning about intuitive eating is one of two things: they throw away a food they don’t really like OR they stop eating something (even though it’s really good) because they are full.

I've had a couple clients tell me about throwing away "just OK" cookies. While dieting they wouldn’t have thrown them away because they didn’t know when they would allow themselves cookies again. Because of this, they had to eat whatever it was they were "allowing" themselves in each moment. (And then often binging on anything in arm's reach!)

Food Availability is Freeing! With intuitive eating, all food is always available. That means that if a cookie is not that good, it’s not worth wasting time on. I had a giant bag of Hershey’s kisses in my house recently, and I didn’t touch them because I like other chocolate so much better. Therefore, the kisses simply aren’t worth it. (Except when they are on a pretzel with an M&M or a peanut butter blossom cookie. Then I love them!) The point is, my clients and I can leave food that is just OK, since we know that what we really want is available to us.

The other part is stopping when you are full, even when something tastes really good. I did this just yesterday. I bought a brownie because I really had a hankering for one, and I noticed one when we walked past a bakery. It was so good, but it was huge!

Back when dieting, I would have eaten the whole thing! With the mindset of "I'll start dieting on Monday", I would know that soon, a brownie like this wouldn’t be allowed. If that's the case, I better have my fill (and even eat more than is comfortable) right now!

As an intuitive eater, now I don’t diet ever, Mondays or otherwise. Since that's the case, I stopped halfway through my delicious brownie once I felt full. I was thinking that the rest of this would taste so good tomorrow, and I knew I would savor it then. If I had had the whole thing right in that moment, I knew I was probably going to get a headache (because that’s too much sugar at once for my body to handle).

What Success Looks Like Those are two huge successes! As you start to eat more foods that you truly love, and that you know will satisfy you, you aren’t overeating because of the "last-supper" effect of a diet. (AKA: Eat it all now before it’s all gone tomorrow). No more "OK cookies" in the place of decadent brownies!

Another big success is just eating and enjoying food without guilt.

Once food loses it’s labels and stigmas...it just becomes food again. And once you can enjoy food without guilt, it’s easier to be fully satisfied. You'll often find that you can then stop obsessing about (and feeling crazy around) food. When we intuitively eat, we feel free!

I personally felt so free once I realized I didn’t have to diet for the rest of my life (and my clients often feel the same). Even after just a few weeks of letting go of restrictions around food, there is an impact! This podcast would be 2 hours long if I talked about every potential success, but I hope these give you a really good idea of Module 1 successes!

The next module is Body Love. Usually the first thing that happens in Module 2 is that clients start feeling so grateful for the things that their bodies do for them on a regular basis. Often these things occur without much effort on our part. For instance, sleeping, eating, digesting, walking – all those things are a gift!

Spending so much time and energy hating our bodies, which are actually really awesome, is wasted energy. Clients also get to the root of their body confidence issues in this module. They tend to realize that they can do everything they’ve held back doing – at any size or weight.

I have multiple clients that had started a business or side business, and through this process finally became proud to be the face of it. Others finally went swimming, or wore their swimsuit with confidence. Some purchase beautiful clothes for themselves that fit well and feel good (no more squeezing into too-small sizes or painful clothing!). Many find they can start dressing up for themselves rather than only for other people.

The third module is all about hunger and fullness. I find that once my clients start practicing eating when they are truly hungry (but not too hungry), they get more satisfaction out of their meals. In addition, they are able to make choices that make their body and tastebuds feel satisfied. When they let themselves get too hungry, they choose foods for quick energy. Those choices don’t always allow them to feel their best. Plus, if eating when too hungry, you feel like a bottomless pit! This means you'll likely end up eating more than you actually need.

Clients in this module also learn to listen to their body instead of the clock.

One of my clients hated breakfast...but she always was told she was supposed to eat it, so she did! When she finally listened, she realized her body didn’t want to eat until late morning or lunchtime.

Other clients have figured out they like having snacks throughout the day, and other clients like to eat bigger meals without snacks. Regardless of preference, they all figure out how to listen to their bodies and learn when they need to eat based on their body!

Why would we eat the same when we are all different? My husband eats two big meals, and a snack at 12, 6, and 9pm. I eat at 7, 10, 12, 3, and 7, and that works much better for me.

My clients also share that they begin to eat more mindfully. They practice taking some time with their food instead of stuffing it down. In addition, they stop hiding while eating, which can be an unconscious habit. They truly get enjoyment and pleasure from the eating experience!

The fourth module covers emotional eating. My clients learn about the common emotions that cause them to overeat.

They also start to associate different self-care activities with emotions rather than food. They can decipher when eating emotionally will be productive, and when it will make things worse (which is so important to recognize!). Knowing when it’s a physical craving and when it’s emotional is essential!

The fifth module addresses self-care. I love this module! We cover movement that each individual can actually enjoy!

Dance, swimming, walking, or enjoyable hobbies are awesome. I've had clients start (or re-start) things like sewing, craft projects, reading, cooking, and even just attending more social events. We also step up our regular self-care routines, which might include journaling, meditation, and other kinds of movement.

Success in this module varies widely, but always involves more self-care, self-love, and movement that feels good for each individual. It's hard to go wrong with that!

The sixth module covers gentle nutrition & finding the right foods for your individual body. My clients find out that eating too much of "this" food group or "that" food group doesn’t work for their bodies. They are able to make changes because of respect for their body, not because anyone is telling them to do so.

My clients CHOOSE to eat a certain way. There choices are not based on “I can’t eat that", or "I shouldn’t eat this”. All food becomes a choice that they are making for themselves. This is super empowering, and allows them to be more confident!

Intuitive eating is AMAZING. I see the impact it has each and every day, and I can tell you that it's about far more than food. Really, it's about respecting and honoring your needs. Success results in feeling empowered in your body and your choices, and being FREE to love yourself and your life.

This is your invitation to join me on the intuitive eating journey. Let's go! www.caitlinball.com/quitdieting.

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Happy 2020! I hope everyone is off to a great start. Today's episode is a little bit different than usual. It's a quick look at a day in the life of an intuitive eater, and encompasses what it looks like to eat intuitively for a 3-day period in my own life.

The days I cover include one where I got up and headed to my co-working space, one where I worked from home, and then a weekend day that included family time and going out to eat.

Before we dive in, I want to remind you about the Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge. It might be the ONLY time I run the challenge this year, and it includes a LIVE workshop, Facebook community, and practical steps you can easily implement at home. Ready? Head over to www.caitlinball.com/challenge to sign up!

Day 1 - A Day In the Life: At the Office This was Thursday, Jan 2, so right after celebrating New Years! Due to all the holiday festivities, we didn't have much in the fridge. However, I do like packing a lunch when I work from the office, so I knew I wanted to bring something with me. (Technically my intuitive eating journey for Thursday started Wednesday night, as I thought about what the next day would hold.)

When we got home from celebrating, I was feeling a little blah from the extra food and alcohol I had on New Years. My body was asking for veggies! I found some quinoa in the pantry, plus some leftover guacamole, a cucumber, and tuna. I was able to whip that together into an easy-to-pack lunch the night before, and I was ready to go!

Quick Tip: Lots of times intuitive eating asks you to think about how you feel now, as well as how you might feel the next day.

I knew I was going to want veggies and food that would really fuel my brain and give me energy so I could be fully present at work. Knowing that gave me the motivation I needed to create a lunch that would fit the bill!

Packing the night before is wise, because my little guy gets up early! Often he'll watch a show as he wakes up, and I take advantage of that time to do a bit of journaling. I prefer journaling first thing in the morning (especially since the alternative to journaling seems to be immediately getting on my phone). I'd rather journal first, so I let go of the "mom guilt" I sometimes feel about him watching TV and take that time to start my day in a way that feels good. (He enjoys it too!)

Once we're done with that, we eat breakfast together. Since the pantry and fridge were running a little low, we had oats (about the only option left!), and then we threw in some frozen berries. I also had nuts and seeds on hand.

Quick Tip: A huge part of my intuitive practice includes the habit of keeping foods around that will fuel me and my family. Things like frozen berries, nuts and seeds, and, of course, oats, are pretty easy to keep stocked. They can be converted into breakfasts, snacks, or add-ons to other meals, and they're tasty too!

On that particular Thursday, I had woken up feeling SO bloated. We had just spent four days with my family, which had included tons of eating out, and more alcohol than usual. I was feeling it! On days like that, I ask myself, "What do I need today?"

For me, the answer was to eat more veggies and home cooked meals. I could tell my system was feeling sluggish, and baked goods tend to exacerbate that feeling for me. Since I wasn't feeling quite as good as I wanted to feel, I decided to opt out of the baked sweets. Instead, I packed a bit of dark chocolate, which is one of my favorite snacks!

I also pulled a frozen family meal out of the freezer so it could thaw during the day. We had rice that I knew I could add to it later as well.

Since movement sounded nice, I decided to walk to BART (public transit). My husband could have dropped me off, but I felt like the 20 minute walk would feel good for my body, and be a nice start to the day. It wasn't a formal workout, but I didn't need to force that into being.

Quick Tip: Intuitive movement is just as important as intuitive eating, and can be easy and enjoyable. As you're checking in with your body and thinking about you need, movement will naturally present itself as an option!

On my walk, I realized I really wanted a chai latte, so I got one. When I have writing to do (which I did), I really like having a nice drink to go with it.

By the time 10:30 hit, I had a chocolate craving, so I enjoyed somme chocolate. Often my chocolate cravings come in the morning, and I consume most of my chocolate between 10-1 ever day.

Quick Tip: There's not a "wrong" time for chocolate (or any dessert), and you don't need to follow rules about when you're "allowed" to have a snack.

At 12:15 there was an exercise class at my co-working space that I really love. It's like a yoga/pilates fusion, and it's so fun. I had a client call scheduled for 1:00, so I knew I wasn't going to be able to the whole class. That's alright! I enjoyed doing 30 minutes of a class I enjoy, and I didn't feel bad about leaving early.

I ate lunch on my call, since I knew it was fine to do so. It definitely wasn't a drawn out (or exciting) affair where I was really in tune with my food. So glad I had packed my lunch the night before, though, because it made me feel good to eat a homemade lunch and fuel my body.

Once work was done, I made a little tea for the afternoon. I headed home, and once I was off BART I decided to walk back to the house. I truly love walking; it feels so good, and is just a nice way to move my body. At home, I cut up some apples and carrots for my husband, son, and I to snack on while the rest of dinner was cooking.

I knew I'd be shopping the next day, so no stress about not having many veggies with that dinner. Afterwards, I enjoyed a bit of chocolate, put my son to bed, and then did a bit of meditation. I know lots of people say you should meditate in the morning, but that's not what works for me, so that's not what I do.

Finally, I end the day with my gratitude journal (which has been such a great practice), and then read a bit of fiction. Reading something that is 100% just for fun is the perfect way to end the day.

I was in bed with the lights off before 10pm, which is usually my goal. (Early mornings and body that really needs a full 8 hours mean bedtime comes quickly for me!)

Day 2 - A Day in the Life: Working From Home On work from homes days, I have a similar start to the day as office days. Cooper and I get up, and he usually watches a show while I journal. On this day...not so much. He wanted to play and cuddle, so we did that instead. I don't stress about missing a day of journaling, and I find it works best if I just go with the flow. As a mom, that's part of my personal self-care! Some days I can do the things, and other days it doesn't happen, and that's fine.

I was able to drink my morning warm water. I just let the water warm up, and use that as a way to rehydrate in the morning. I've tried lemon water in the past, but it wasn't my favorite. The warm water? It feels really good lately!

We had picked up a few basic groceries the other day, so we were able to make smoothie bowls for breakfast. We used bananas, and added granola to the top.

Quick Tip: Back in my dieting days, I would have never added granola to a smoothie, because I made the green ones that were all about following my diet. Now that I eat smoothies because I LIKE them, I prefer to add a bit of crunch. We throw in some spinach too, and everyone wins!

Most days we head over to daycare after this. If I have classes or clients scheduled I sometimes drive him, but if my morning is open I prefer to walk. It takes about 20 minutes each way, and is a great 40 minutes of movement, which I really enjoy. Sometimes I call a friend I want to catch up with, which is always fun.

I did 15 minutes of yoga once I was back home. This often feels good, but since we had had a surprise wake up to a fire alarm going off in the middle of the night, it was extra nice to do something calming and help bring me out of that stress response mode that the alarm had triggered for me.

Definitely a nice way to start my day! After I showered, I started my work day. There were a few back to back calls coming up, and I knew I was already feeling a little hungry, so I grabbed a nut butter bar so I could eat quickly. The hunger was there, and I had a snack on hand that would keep me from getting hangry and ravenous!

Quick Tip: When you're feeling super hungry, your body wants to be fed NOW, which often leads to eating whatever is in arm's reach. That doesn't always make your body feel super great, even though it technically takes away the hunger. As part of my intuitive eating journey, I've learned to pay close attention to hunger signals, and also keep food around that I can enjoy and get fueled by.

For lunch, I ate leftovers from the night before, which I wanted. Sometimes we crave leftovers because they are great (or because they are so easy), and that's awesome! You don't have to spend a lot of time planning or prepping to do intuitive eating.

Due to the poor night's sleep, I took a nap. Pushing through and forcing myself to do more work was an option, but I don't tend to produce my best results that way. One of the plus sides of working from home is that you CAN honor your body's needs in that way. Woohoo!

I woke up and had a bit of chocolate, because I really wanted it. Usually I have some sort of dessert every day. I don't question it, and I truly enjoy it.

Then I headed out for a full grocery run. Since one of my goals is to be more sustainable, I had fun using my reusable grocery bags and shopping from a store with bulk bins!

We had dinner at my in-laws, and it was so nice!

Quick Tip: As an intuitive eater, I didn't have to stress about what they would be serving. I'm a busy mom, and this meal was made for me and required no prep! Definitely enjoyed that, and didn't have to stress about anything.

Came home and mediated, did my journaling, and ended things with my book once again.

Day 3 - A Day in the Life: Weekend Fun Times Once a year my mom's friends meet for a brunch. As my mom has passed away, I'm invited every year. It's such a blessing to be able to attend this now that we're back from Switzerland.

This particular venue is known for it's Irish coffee, but I'm not a coffee fan. I usually get a peppermint Schnapps hot chocolate instead, but this time around I've been decreasing my milk consumption. I've realize that when I consume milk my body is not a fan. A little here or there works out for me, but a whole cup full wasn't going to feel great.

Instead, I got a mimosa. I'm not usually a big fan of drinking during the day, but I got it because I wanted to feel a part of the group. In one way I stood up for my own needs (not getting a drink I don't like) and in another I compromised a bit (ordering a drink during the day, even though I normally wouldn't).

Quick Tip: Part of intuitive eating is learning when to take action for yourself and your needs, and when it might feel good to make a decision that's more about joining in or being a part of something. No guilt is necessary, and you can make decisions like this on a case-by-case basis. (There are no "rules" to break!)

Everyone else got egg's Benedict, but I don't do eggs. Instead, I got a sandwich. It was good, but it was also really big, so I didn't eat all of it.

Quick Tip: In years past, if I was eating something heavy and filling and "off-diet", I would have eaten as much as possible because I would have known I was going to compensate for it later by restricting even more foods. That leads to overeating and later restricting, which is a rough cycle! When I know I don't have to "pay" for eating good food that I enjoy, I don't feel like I have to gorge while I have the chance.

I enjoyed the sandwich because it was really good, and I didn't feel guilty about a single bite. And when I was full, I didn't feel obligated to keep eating either.

During brunch, botox came up, and there was a lot of conversation about how many women are doing it. It seems crazy to me how accpeted it is! It's been normalized because diet culture and the beauty industry has shown that we are "supposed" to make an effort to look a certain way.

Quick Tip: You don't need to follow those rules! Aging gracefully is beautiful, and you don't have to inject yourself with chemicals to conform to a certain standard. Ask yourself what YOU truly want, rather than just accepting what you've been conditioned to want.

Afterwards we did a bit of walking around, and even got to sample some great chocolate. Once I get home I took a quick nap, then enjoyed the afternoon with my son.

As dinner rolled around, I was planning to make pasta, but Cooper did not want that. We had tuna casserole in the fridge, which seemed easy and quick. However, I had to ask myself if I actually wanted that casserole for dinner.

Quick Tip: Sometimes when we choose food just because it is available or easy, we end up feeling less than satisfied, which then leads us to keep eating so that we can get the satisfaction we desired. Rather than snack the rest of the night because I had chosen an easy dinner I didn't really want, I wanted to be sure that the casserole would satisfy me.

How? Well, I took a bite and really considered it. If I could tell it wasn't going to satisfy me, I would have let Cooper have that and still made the pasta I had planned on making. My sample bite was enough to let me know that I would enjoy the tuna, however!

Quick Tip: It's just about checking in and being sure you actually want the food you're sitting down to eat.

After dinner Cooper and I each shared a piece of chocolate, then we headed to bed.

Over the rest of the weekend I did some meal prep and prepared freezer meals, opted out of yoga because I knew I was going to be on my feet a lot, and did a bit more grazing (due to the meal prepping) rather than full sit down meals. It felt good, and I had lots of fun!

A few big themes that characterized my days: Checking in with myself a lot about what I want to eat.

Thinking about how I want to move my body every day.

Prioritizing mediation, journaling, gratitude, and self-care every day.

Join the Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge and learn what intuitive eating could look like for you!

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Today's special guest has actually already been with us once! (You can check out Episode 21 here. We dug into all sorts of great information about stress and self-care). Sandra Mikhail has so much to share about why you don't need to start a new diet to kick off 2020. She specifically shares about the ketogenic diet, and why she often finds herself telling clients, "Don't go keto!"

If you've been considering Paleo, keto, calorie counting or some other trendy diet, this one is for you!

The Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge is starting January 12. We'll kick off with an intuitive eating workshop, then launch into a 4 day challenge where we actually get to practice each of the four steps of intuitive eating. (And there are prizes!) Head to www.caitlinball.com/challenge to join us!

As a clinical dietician, Sandra shares that she primarily works with gut health and sports nutrition. As a mom and business owner, she stays busy! In addition, her own diet struggles and personal health journey has had a huge impact on how she thinks about health and nutrition.

The Keto Diet The ketogenic diet has been a huge trend in 2019. Essentially, this is a low carb, high protein, high fat diet. Whether you've tried it or not, you've likely heard of it!

Sandra shares that she first encountered keto over a decade ago. At that time it was being used as a therapeutic diet to potentially address epilepsy symptoms in children. In the last decade, it has transitioned into a phenom that many many people have tried (or are thinking about trying).

Keto is extremely low carb (your "carb allowance" is usually around 20-50 grams, or about a slice of bread). Carbohydrates are our bodies' main sources of energy, as carbs break down into sugar. Typically, they make up our first line of energy. Ketogenic diets attempt to disrupt that pattern by pushing your body to break down fat instead of carbs. Using fat as the first line of energy may sound like a great way to lose weight, but it's really not how our bodies were designed to work.

Most people's extreme initial weight loss when they first start keto is really just water weight. As more and more studies are being done, they're also starting to show that keto diets are not superior to other diets. In fact, you can achieve the same or similar results with a more moderate food plan. Other findings include that fact that muscle mass tends to decrease while on keto as well.

Even most keto advocates don't recommend going complete keto for more than 3-6 months, which means it's not a long-term, sustainable plan.

There has been some positive research indicating keto may have some positive impacts on some mental health disorders or conditions, or even some chronic diagnoses. However, it's important to note that this use of keto is not about weight loss (and these studies are in very early stages!).

The Misunderstood Nutrient Carbs tend to pop up as "fear foods" quite often!

In fact, you don't even have to be in a dietary field to hear people talk about how they are "cutting carbs", going "carb free" or avoiding carbs. This is common language, and has become a bit of an obsession.

When working with patients experiencing eating disorders, Sandra has found that many of these clients have a lot of fear about carbs as well. She believes they've been demonized for their impact on weight for far too long!

When you think about it, many nutrient dense foods that are filled with nutrients, such as fruits, yogurt, legumes, and vegetables, are also filled with carbs! When you start cutting out carbs, you also tend to cut out many foods that you body loves. One example? Fiber, which is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and way of eating.

What happens when we don't get enough fiber? We tend to struggle with constipation and high cholesterol. These are side effects Sandra says she has seen quite a few times when taking on clients who have been following a ketogenic diet.

Long Term Sustainability Don't do keto if you're hoping for a long-term, lifestyle based way of eating!

Many people find that the aversion to carbs they develop while dieting tends to stick around even when they come off the latest diet. This leads to continued cycles of restricting (often followed by binging and guilt), which can last for a life time. Certainly not an attitude you want to live with forever!

In addition, you'll want to consider other impacts of keto. For instance, because of its emphasis on fat and protein, ketogenic diets tend to place a great deal of emphasis on consuming meat and dairy. The environmental toll this takes shouldn't be ignored.

Not only is keto not personally sustainable, it doesn't seem globally sustainable either. If you want to eat sustainably for your health and for the environment, don't go keto.

Consider what your body actually needs, and what makes it feel good.

Weight Loss Isn't an End Goal When people come to Sandra's practice for weight loss, she strives to understand what the number on the scale means to them.

She also asks, "What would decreasing that number actually change?"

Usually, it's much healthier to focus on the results you're seeking (more energy, lower cholesterol, better health) and put your energy into achieving them rather than losing weight.

If weight loss occurs in the course of pursuing those deeper goals, that's fine. If not, it doesn't really matter. When improving your health is the end goal, you'll be surprised at how little the numbers on the scale really mean.

Sandra finds that often, those using the BMI scale have a distorted sense of what they "should" weigh. In addition, often women have unrealistic ideas about what the number on the scale "should" be. These misunderstandings often lead to unhealthy ideas about the need to lose weight in the first place.

Rather than implement a diet, Sandra prefers to focus on what behaviors could be changed to bring a client to a more balanced stage. She also wants clients to understand that weight naturally fluctuates throughout our lives. Deciding that you want to weigh what you weighed 15 years ago may not be healthy or sustainable for your current stage in life.

By moving away from numbers, you can get more in tune with your actual body cues. How hungry are you before meals? After meals? What movement feels good? How much stress are you experiencing?

As people begin to have more energy, sleep better, or feel stronger, the topic of weight often begins to dissipate. They naturally being to feel more comfortable with the idea of listening to their bodies for indicators of health (rather than judging it by the number on the scale).

New Year Health Goals Instead of setting a goal to lose weight (or any other health related goal), try asking this instead:
What have I done for myself today?

By making an effort to put yourself first and practice self-care every single day, you can create incremental changes in your life. And isn't feeling good the best indicator of health?

Best of all? No dieting required!

You can find Sandra Mikhail at her site, www.nutrition-az.com.

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The fresh new year is coming SO soon. This is such a fun part of the year. With a new year, we all have a clean slate and an exciting new future. Most of us are leaning forward in anticipation!

As I prepare to teach even more women about how to kick dieting to the curb and embrace intuitive eating, I'd love to take a chance to respond to the two biggest (and most common) questions I get asked.

Ready? Here they are:

"Is intuitive eating healthy?" and its companion question, "How can I eat whatever I want and still be healthy?"

Have you ever wondered these things?

If so, you're in good company! These are good questions, and it's worth taking the time to explore the answers. As I share more, I hope you're able to consider whether intuitive makes sense for your life and needs!

But FIRST...

Have you signed up for the Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge? It starts with a workshop that covers the 4 simple steps of intuitive eating, and then follows up with 4 easy, daily challenges that give you a chance to practice intuitive eating. (You'll find out just how fun and easy it is!)

It's free, it's fun, and you can sign up today at:

www.caitlinball.com/challenge

Back to the two big questions!

Before we can determine if intuitive eating is healthy, we have to define what "healthy" even is. And honestly -- true health is about your WHOLE being. It's not just vital signs, numbers on a scale, or your level of physical stamina. In fact, the World Health Organization shares that:

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

Wow! Too often, when people talk about health they're only taking a limited amount of data into account. Ultimately they are often talking about (and promoting) some form of diet or exercise that will impact your physical body, but not much else. (Or worse...will have a negative impact on your emotional or social wellbeing.)

Intuitive eating, on the other hand, covers the WHOLE picture! Rather than just focusing on calories, workouts, or lists of food that you're "allowed" and "not allowed" to eat, intuitive eating considers your whole being. You learn about meeting your needs, what makes you feel good, and how you can best care for yourself.

My clients are often shocked but just how comprehensive intuitive eating work is!

So...is intuitive eating healthy?

According to the World Health Organizations definition, it IS! In fact, it's likely healthier than any diet or regimented plan you've attempted in the past.

The second question gets at the root of how intuitive eating can be healthy for you, since it literally means you can eat anything. So many people voice the concern that they'll only ever eat donuts or candy if they try to eat intuitively. After all, isn't that what we all really want?!

I go more in-depth on releasing restrictions around food in this episode (https://caitlinball.com/2019/09/intuitive-eating-101-letting-go-restrictions/), but I still want to touch on this here. Its a hot topic!

Here's the truth of the matter: You will NOT want chips and cookies all day, every day.

Yes, you might eat quite a few of them at first. But that part of the process is for your mental wellbeing. Giving yourself freedom physically helps you release the rules, stress, and tension you're mentally holding.

As you release stress around food (and being to eat the foods you've formally restricted), you'll eventually get to point where you recognize that those foods truly ARE allowed. And as you accept that, you're able to take those foods off their pedestal and simply accept them.

Again -- think of health as being physical, mental, AND social. Some steps you take in intuitive eating may emphasize one area (like mental health) first, but they come full circle and have a positive impact in other areas as well.

Another big positive mental impact of practicing intuitive eating? Improved body image!

If you're constantly berating your body, that is NOT healthy.

Think of criticizing, shaming, or otherwise critiquing the body of a child in your life. That would be awful, and the child would suffer. You're surely not doing that to a child, but you're often doing it to yourself.

And in the same way a child would suffer under that treatment, you do too! Your mental and emotional wellbeing is compromised, and that often comes through in the way you treat your physical body as well. You might overexercise, overeat, under-eat, or do other things that don't express love towards your body.

Intuitive eating allows you to begin treating your body with respect. Your body deserves to eat food that allows it to feel good, it deserves to have fun with movement, and to be dressed comfortably. Movement can feel good, and clothes can fit right when you practice eating intuitively!

And back to our big question of health: Learning to respect your body is healthy for your mind, body, AND physical self.

Intuitive eating also addresses your emotional wellbeing. If you tend to deal with stress or emotions by practicing emotional overeating, you're not helping your emotional or physical health. Although emotional eating is a coping mechanism, when taken too far it can take a negative toll on our wellbeing.

Learning to address your emotions without the use of food (or in a more productive way with food) is a powerful step towards living a more holistically healthy life! (I dig into this here: https://caitlinball.com/2019/03/episode-22-feel-your-feelings-instead-of-eating-them/.)

Another amazing tool that intuitive eating brings to the table is the chance to begin caring for yourself with love.

Self-care is a huge part of intuitive eating, and can encompass a whole variety of things. Journaling, reaching out to professionals who can help with your specific needs, and moving in ways that feel good all count. So does making time for yourself, practicing small acts of self-care, and more. As these things come together, they form one of the biggest pieces of the intuitive eating puzzle!

Many of my clients are surprised at how much self-care and self-love work takes place in intuitive eating.

Many of them return to old beloved hobbies, begin practicing new forms of movement, and otherwise reconnect with themselves from a place of love and care. This often has a ripple effect. They find they want to do things that make them feel good. Instead forcing themselves to go to the gym from a place of body hatred or anger, they find joy in choosing to perform some form of exercise that genuinely feels good.

They find themselves dressing in ways that make them feel wonderful. They start choosing food from a place of self-care, rather than stuffing emotions or "punishing" themselves or their bodies. Self-hatred or loathing will never create a strong foundation for true health. Intuitive eating addresses that, and helps you learn to make healthy decisions from a place of self-care and compassion.

Finally, intuitive eating helps you get back in touch with your own body's wants and needs.

You'll learn what foods feel good for you, and which foods you may want to eat less of. These choices don't come from a place of restriction or diet rules, but from a place of checking in with yourself. Your body knows, and it will let you know, if a certain food or menu item isn't going to make it feel that great. Maybe you'll decide to skip it all together, maybe you'll just have a bit, but you'll be able to do so from a place of self-love and self-care. That makes all the difference!

Now, I would say that when I was dieting, there were diets that helped me discover things about what my body likes or doesn't like. For example, years ago when I had done Whole 30, I learned that less processed foods and more vegetables made me feel really good.

When I started my intuitive eating journey, I was eventually able to use that knowledge to inform what made me feel good.

The difference? When I was dieting, I was following rules from a place of needing to make myself "better". As an intuitive eater, I was able to use self-care and self-love to determine what would make me feel my best. It's an important shift!

If you've been a dieter in the past, you can take what you've learned and utilize it! It's incredible how making food choices that are about self-love (rather than weight loss or physical appearance), feels completely different.

Most diets address only one element of health, and often even have a negative impact on other areas! In my opinion, intuitive eating is truly the healthiest way to eat and live. It positively touches ALL elements of your health, and it helps you approach your relationship to yourself (and eating!) from a place of love.

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This interview was so fun! Claire Chewning is a registered dietitian, and she also helps women with intuitive eating. She has some great tips for intuitive eating over the holidays, how to handle comments from family and friends, and even some thoughts on the so-called "sugar addiction". Let's dive in!

Just a reminder - this month I'm donating 10% of December's profits to The Breasties, an amazing non-profit that is dedicated to supporting young women impacted by breast and reproductive cancers. This cause is near and dear to my heart, as my own mom passed away from breast cancer.

How did she start?

Claire shares that she knew very early on what she wanted to do. Her own family was very positively food-centered, and she attributes that to her own interest in pursuing a food-based career. Because of her personality, and her own desire to start a family one day, she ruled out being a chef pretty quickly. Instead, she elected to pursue a role as a dietician.

Her nutrition coursework, along with her desire to create a "perfect" meal plan and be a "perfect" eater, started to create a rules-based mindset. Food began to be either "good" or "bad". Claire realized that her dietician training was causing her to lose her own positive relationship with food. All the joy was seeping away! Around this time she discovered The Intuitive Eating Book. With the realization that a food relationship could be joyous, fun, and intuitive (just like the one she grew up with), she knew she needed to pursue intuitive eating as a career.

Intuitive Holiday Eating Hacks

1. Reframe Your Thinking

The decisions you make around the holidays really depend on who you are, how long you've been eating intuitively, and what your own goals are.

The holidays can be a great season to learn more about who you are and what you might want to work on next in your food relationship. Rather than focusing on food as a "temptation", or trying to increase your "will power"...what if you celebrated with joy and had fun? Reframe your thinking!

Rather than "Oh no, there will be so much food around", what about "Oh wow, there will be so much amazing food around. I might learn more about what area of my food journey I still want to work on". Feeling a lot of stress and anxiety about certain foods can be a sign that you aren't actually giving yourself full permission to eat intuitively.

2. Stop "Saving" Your Calories

When you try to "save" calories for a big meal, event, or party, you tend to go into them feeling super hungry. Which leads to overeating or binging...because you are hungry! Your body needs food, and making yourself ravenous before an event doesn't help at all!

When you ditch this mindset and give yourself permission to fuel your body throughout the day, you'll find you feel much better. Restricting and then binging doesn't help anyone, yourself included.

When you're in the presence of a large amount of food, you absolutely have permission to eat it. It's not going anywhere, and you can enjoy it. If you're nearing the end of an eating experience because you feel really full, why not pack a plate for later? Or bring some leftovers home? Rather than creating a feast or famine mentality, remind yourself that you can enjoy these foods at any time.

3. The Sugar Addiction Myth (No need for a cleanse!)

The holiday season tends to prompt a wave of "cleansing". People often insist their systems are overloaded with sugar, or that they have a "sugar addiction", and their go to system for "fixing" this problem is to do a cleanse.

Our bodies are equipped with a natural detoxification system (the liver and kidneys!). We don't need to hop on the detox bandwagon or purchase a cleanse in order to clean toxins or sugar from our system.

Actually, when it comes to sugar addictions, it's normal to feel like you might have one because of the messaging we're all inundated with daily. However, you aren't going to be addicted to something necessary for survival. Sugar breaks down to glucose in the body, which is the most readily available source of energy out there. Our bodies love it!

When we do a cleanse or detox, we ultimately become MORE fixated on sugary foods. Why? Because we just removed a source of energy that our body wants for survival. There is no need to "cut out" sugar (or anything else) in an attempt to detox.

4. Dealing with Family Comments & Diet Talk

At some point, commenting on other people's bodies became commonplace. In what world is that okay?

First things first - make sure you aren't the one promoting body criticism or conversations.

Making comments about someone else or their body isn't necessary. Honestly, it just doesn't concern you! The only comments helpful are those that can be fixed in less than five seconds (You have spinach in your tooth, a tag on your shirt, etc). If it's anything else, it's not really your business. So why comment? It's not helpful or uplifting.

But what if someone makes comments to you?

If you feel safe having this conversation, you can let them know that your body isn't a topic for conversation. You can 100% let people know that your body isn't up for discussion.

However, if you don't feel comfortable having that conversation (or it's someone you don't feel you can gently confront), try the validation route. If Aunt Karen is pushing her new keto diet on you, try "I'm so happy you found something you're enjoying. I don't think that's something that will be beneficial for me right now." And then pivot the conversation into a new vein!

By steering the conversation away, you can communicate that you don't have a desire to talk about the topic of weight/appearance/diets.

1. Holiday Self-Care

The holiday season can be depleting on our energies. Many of us are already pretty busy, and adding in all the holiday elements can start to make you feel that you're being pulled SO many different directions.

That's okay. Different seasons require different things. Sometimes priorities just need to shift a bit for a time. However, if you've shifted so much that you're no longer caring for yourself, you need to reevaluate.

Hit "Pause", take a step back, and ask yourself what one thing you could do for yourself in that moment. Maybe you need to fill up your water bottle, make a healthy snack, taking a 10 minute nap, or something else that would feel good. The goal is to communicate to your body "I see you, I hear you, I'm listening."

Sign up to work with me this month, and 10% of my profits will be donated to The Breasties!
https://hello.dubsado.com/public/form/view/5de69dfe993ccb16c45257aa

Want to connect with Claire?

Instagram: @clairechewning

www.instagram.com/clairechewning
Podcast: The Yours Chewly Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-yours-chewly-podcast/id1416761009
Her Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1933119400043415/

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Happy Holidays!

As a really neat way of giving back, this month I'm featuring an amazing group called The Breasties. Some of you may know that my own mom passed away from breast cancer. While I was being tested for the BRCA gene (which I don't have), I had to consider what action I would take if my results were positive. That process (along with watching my mom's journey) really showed me why support & community is so vital! That's why I was so excited to come across The Breasties. This month, I'm donating a portion of every sale to this organization!

Thanks for supporting me AND this amazing group.

My first year in business (four years ago!), I created this fun spin on the 12 Days of Christmas song.

Recently I haven't been loving this word "healthy". I find that many people use it to designate foods that are "good" or "bad", and that isn't helpful! In my opinion, "healthy" doesn't have to refer to nutrient density. Something can be healthy for your heart, soul, mind, emotions, OR body, which means any food could be considered healthy.

And now, without further ado...

Welcome to the 12 Days of Healthy Christmas!

On the first day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

a partridge and a pear salad!

Make sure you're eating this month! We all tend to get pretty busy during the holidays, and sometimes we push ourselves to keep going with no food. (Or we tell ourselves we can wait until some big meal later in the day.)

Think ahead and consider your schedule. If you know there are going to be some jam packed days, think about how you'll eat well. Can you pack a lunch? I recommend trying something like a pear salad. (Recipe links at the end of the show notes!) You can make it once, and then have leftovers for a few days. When you take a bit of extra time to get the nutrients you need, you always feel better!

On the second day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

two loving turtle doves.

Turtle doves signify devoted love. During the holidays we're often thinking of loving other people. And while that is wonderful, I'd recommend you don't forget about yourself either. Try to take time to give yourself some true love. How do you need to be cared for? How can you make sure those needs are met?

Remember to come back to yourself, check in, and be sure you're meeting your own needs. A hot bath, an amazing candle, a gratitude practice, a movie in bed -- do what you need to do to uncharge and unwind.

On the third day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me....

three tips from French hens.

1. Something I really admire in French culture is their overall ability to take pleasure in their food. In France, meals tend to be long and leisurely. There is a sense of true enjoyment while people are eating. It's wonderful! As you enjoy holiday dinners, try to find moments to slow down savor.

2. I read the book French Women Don't Get Fat some time ago. Although I can't endorse everything, there were some things I really enjoyed. The author pointed out that French women rarely go to the gym. Instead, they work movement in throughout the day. Try to take the stairs, walk around the block, or do some stretching. Take the moments that you can to fit in a bit of movement.

3. Work in nutrient dense food early in the day. This is especially helpful when you know you'll be enjoying a large dinner or night out for the holidays. This isn't about creating rules and restrictions! It's a way of thinking about yourself and making sure you're feeling your best.

On the fourth day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me....

four phone calls to friends.

Holidays can be really emotional. I know I have lots of emotions! It's easy to want to turn to food for comfort during this season. Although emotional eating can be perfectly fine, emotionally overeating can make you feel worse.

Instead of snacking, who can you call?

On the fifth day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

five golden lemon rings in warm water.

First thing in the morning, I find it feels really good to drink some warm water. In addition, you can add in a few lemon slices. This can be really good for your stomach. It feels good, keeps you hydrated, and can even help improve digestion.

When you've been more active than usual, eating richer foods than normal, and just generally been doing more, even little things like an extra class of warm water in the mornings can make a difference you can feel!

It's an easy way to keep yourself feeling good this season!

On the sixth day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

six geese a'layin in bed.

Take the time to rest. When you have a chance, slip in a mediation, a nap, or an early bedtime. It's so necessary to give our bodies a chance to recharge.

In addition, you're less likely to overeat on sugary foods when you're energized from sleep.

On the seventh day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

seven graceful swans swimming.

Swans are upright, graceful, and they appear to glide across the water. Imagine yourself as a swan. Stand up straight, and don't hunch over. (That means putting your phone away too!)

Having upright posture increases your confidence. And the more you're visiting, mingling, dancing, and feeling good about yourself - the less time you feel compelled to browse the buffet (when you know aren't hungry) or head for the bar.

And that makes you feel good!

On the eight day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

eight maids of dairy free milking.

This can be quite a dairy consumption month! From desserts, creamy drinks & soups, cheese plates, and more - I can always feel it when I eat lots of dairy products. Even though I don't restrict foods, I do consider how I can reduce dairy. After all, I know that I feel better when I don't take in so much dairy. A lot of people feel like it takes a toll on their system too, and it just seems to slow everything down. (This isn't a rule! Just something to try.)

On the ninth day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

9 ladies dancing.

Let loose! Have fun! The more you enjoy your life, the more flow you'll have day to day.

On the tenth day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

ten lords leaping of faith.

Trust yourself. Trust your instincts.

It's one thing to plan to get back to normal once the holidays are over, and another to trust that it WILL happen. But it will. I know I might gain a few pounds this month, because I'm eating more than normal. That's okay! As I get back to my normal routines, my body will naturally readjust.

Rather than stressing about it, enjoy your present moment. Know that this schedule (and these eating patterns) aren't permanent.

On the eleventh day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

eleven pipers piping frosting on cookies.

Making cookies is such a fun holiday pastime. Have fun with it! Last weekend I took a holiday baking and decorating class, and it was so enjoyable. Getting to enjoy cookie baking is one of my favorite parts of Christmas! I hope diets and food restrictions don't tempt you to skip fun traditions and holiday opportunities this year.

Let yourself be present in the moment, and allow yourself to enjoy each day.

On the twelfth day of healthy Christmas, my true love gave to me...

twelve drummers drumming on your head.

Have you ever tried intuitively drinking alcohol?

I suggest asking yourself why you want to drink, and what you actually want to drink. (If the point is to make a certain activity fun...maybe you could try a different activity!) In addition, you can consider how a drink makes you feel. Personally, I try to avoid sugary drinks because I never feel good when I drink them. Hydration helps too - take in lots of water if you plan to drink.

I hope you try some of these out. And if you do? Come tell us all about it! We'd love to hear what you tried and how it worked over in the Facebook Community. You can find us here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/realfoodfirstcommunity/

And if you're ready for food freedom and body confidence, and you know you're ready to dive in...do it now! Part of your investment will go straight to an amazing organization that benefits women.

Fill out this form to work with me (and part of the proceeds automatically go to a good cause):
https://hello.dubsado.com/public/form/view/5de69dfe993ccb16c45257aa

PS - Interested in those pear recipes?

Slow Cooker Chai Spiced Poached Pears
https://caitlinball.com/2014/12/slow-cooker-chai-spiced-poached-pears/

Balsamic Chicken & Pear Salad https://caitlinball.com/2016/12/balsamic-chicken-pear-salad/

Pear & Squash Quinoa Salad https://caitlinball.com/2015/12/pear-squash-quinoa-salad/

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It's my birthday week! Since we probably can't get together for cake, maybe you could send a few stars my way? I'd be honored to receive a review on the podcast, because I would love to know that more women are receiving the gift of intuitive eating! 

Thoughts on My Own Mom

Usually November is a really hard month for me, but this year hasn't been quite as difficult as usual. I think that has a lot to do with being so much closer to my family.

As some of you know, my mom passed away from breast cancer on my birthday, 13 years ago. As hard as that was, it was a miracle that she was able to be there for my 21st birthday. We celebrated with a party in the hospital, a memory I'll always cherish.

This year, my dad and brother will be taking me out on my actual birthday, I have a massage booked, we have fun dinner plans, and I'm feeling excited. (Pro Tip: When you want something to happen, ask for it! Don't hope the people in your life will read your mind.)

Intuitive Eating as a Mother

I know that intuitive eating has truly made me a better mother. (I'm not saying women who diet are not good mothers, so don't hear that! My mom dieted, and she was amazing.)This episode is really just me talking about my personal journey. It's a chance for me to share how the intuitive eating mindset has enhanced my own motherhood experience.

Here are the top five ways intuitive eating has impacted my parenting:

1. I'm better at going with the flow.

This isn't the easiest for me, and I am definitely still a planner. However, intuitive eating has made it much easier for me to go with the "food flow". I don't need to measure my portions, "only" eat at certain places, or stress over exactly when I'll get my meals. That is wonderful!

Recently my son woke up and wanted to make waffles. I was able to enjoy the process of cooking those and eating them together. It was fun, playful, and free. Back in my dieting days that would have never worked, because Tuesday would have been a "good day" and I wouldn't have been wiling to "cheat", even though my son wanted to spend time with me and enjoy a tasty waffle.

I recently had a client tell me her daughter baked her a cake. Not that long ago she would have been incredibly stressed, and maybe even turned the cake down! Now, however, she was able to appreciate her daughter's efforts and eat the cake, savoring every moment.

1. I love eating with my son!

I know many women who won't eat meals with their kids, or who only eat small portions of something different than the family is eating. My son and I eat breakfast and dinner together every day, and lunch together on the weekends. That is special time to me, and it's so wonderful. (He is a toddler, so that does come with it's own complications!) I love that our meals together are enjoyable and fun, and I'm not running calorie counts or "rules" through my mind the whole time.

1. Intuitive eating causes me to take care of myself first and foremost.

This is a hard one, and it took me a while to get into this rhythm. A huge part of intuitive eating is practicing self-care. And a huge part of being the best parent you can be? Self-care! Now, my routine as a mom doesn't look like my routine as a childless woman (no more leisurely morning journal time!). But I find ways to implement journaling, gratitude, movement, and work in ways that work alongside and within my parenting journey.

1. I practice gratitude more frequently.

My intuitive eating journey has really instilled a sense of true gratitude and thankfulness in my life. And the more I find to be grateful for, the more thankful I feel. Even when things are hard and stressful, or the days feel long and my patience feels short, coming back to a place of gratitude and self-love can change my whole day.

1. No diet culture!

Intuitive eating has given me the clarity and courage to understand that I don't want dieting in our home. We don't restrict food, and we don't purchase diet foods. I'm also very conscious about not talking about losing weight. I don't criticize my body, or give others body-related compliments. 

More Fun, Less Stress

By bringing intuitive eating into my parenting journey, I'm able to stress less and enjoy more.

I've found that intuitive eating has really helped me intuitively determine my needs in all areas of my life. As I learn to notice my needs, I've also learned to communicate them. And guess what? When I started verbalizing my needs, I realized that the only one really judging those needs was...me. By recognizing my needs and sharing them with people who could help me meet them, I am able to parent with so much more peace and joy.

We are all born intuitive eaters. We can trust our bodies, and we can teach our children to trust their bodies as well. Intuitive eating has enabled me to share something really beautiful with my son, and that is priceless.

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Happy Thanksgiving! Even if it's just a regular Thursday for you, I hope all is well. And whether you celebrate or not, I hope we can all embrace the spirit of maintaining an ongoing gratitude practice and learning to giving thanks.

Thank You Listeners!

If you're listening today - thank you. Whether you're a current client, a friend, or someone I haven't met {yet}, I value your presence! I have so much gratitude for each and every person who listens, shares, and reaches out to connect.

Also, I believe that the more women prioritize themselves and their self-care, the better the world will be. Thank you for every act of love you've shown yourself today, this year, and in your lifetime. It all matters!

And if you'd like to give the show a little love, I would be so grateful if you left a review on Apple podcasts. Or, take a screen shot and share the show on social media channels! (Tag me @caitlinballhealth if you do!) I truly want to help as many women as possible get this message, and every share matters!

Favorite Thanksgiving Gratitude Traditions

In my family, we go around the table and have each person share what they're thankful for. It is SO much fun every year.

The past few years I've celebrated with friends in Switzerland (instead of family), and it was fun to get a different perspective on what people outside my family share.

Want to hear my dinner table preview?

The opportunity to live abroad and meet so many amazing people is a huge part of my list. I know that experience helped shape me into the woman I am today.

In addition, I'm really grateful to be back in the states! Being surrounded by family and friends has been a huge boost in support.

I'm so grateful for this business I've created, the clients who have entrusted me to be part of their journeys. Also, super thankful for this podcast, which gives me a platform to spread the message of food freedom and body confidence all over the world. (Plus, I've connected with amazing women throughout the interview process, which has been incredible!)

This stage of parenting is a huge joy for me as well. Getting to do that alongside my amazing husband is a huge source of inspiration and encouragement too.

Your Gratitude Practice

Your turn! Are you actually practicing gratitude?

You've probably heard that you should...but implementing is another story for many of us!

There are lots of options, and I'd like to share a few with you that might work. My first experience with intentionally thinking about gratitude was connected to Oprah! She encouraged listeners to write down three things they were grateful for every day. I know that works for some people (and it's a great idea!), but for whatever reason, it didn't "stick" for me.

Thankfully, the concept did though! Since then I have found something that works for me. In fact, it works so well I've stuck to it for over 2 years now!

I found a 365 day journal in a little shop, and every night before bed I write down what I was grateful for that day. I'm currently using a one-line-a-day journal that's designed to last for 5 years! I'm really excited about being able to look back on previous years as I note the current day's gratitude.

I practice gratitude because...

It reminds me how much good there is in the world!

Practicing gratitude helps me to more quickly notice the good around me. When great things happen during the day, I often make a mental note that I want to journal it. That little mental note helps me really SEE the good things, even when they are kind of small and would be so easy to miss.

I have my clients practice gratitude because I want them to see those good things too. (Even in the midst of all the bummer stuff!) We also focus specifically on body gratitude. Often we are so busy criticizing our bodies that we forget all the good stuff about them. Having a gratitude practice helps us gain perspective!

Ideas for Your Gratitude Practice

1. The point is that YOU like your gratitude practice. Just because someone else does something (and loves it), doesn't mean it will work for you! Try a dedicated journal, a single line journal, an app on your phone, or whatever else strikes your fancy.

It is so empowering to realize that no matter how bad your day was, you CAN find good things about it.

1. Choose one time every day to dedicate to "gratitude time". Maybe it's the moment you wake up, on your commute, or right before bed. Pick a time that will allow gratitude to become a regular part of your day, and make it an ongoing habit.

2. Try morning journaling, and see if that will help your gratitude practice. Especially if you already journal, it's really easy to add a gratitude practice in with just a few extra minutes. This doesn't tend to work for me, but some people love it! (And remember...it only works if it feels good to you!)

3. Set an intention to search for things to be grateful for throughout the day. When you choose to be on the lookout for amazing things that are happening...you tend to find them! Whether they actually happen more often or not, when you start making an effort to find the good things, you usually do. If we tend to see what we are looking for, why not choose to look for the best?

Whether you try one and love it, take turns giving them a go until one feels good, or you give them all a try, it doesn't matter. Just commit to taking some sort of action! Once you've chosen what you'll do (trial and error is great!), commit to practicing gratitude every single day for 30 days!

Need accountability?

Join the Intuitive Foodies Facebook Community and let us know what gratitude practice you've chosen! We'll all support one another.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/realfoodfirstcommunity/

"When you are grateful, the fear disappears and abundance appears." Tony Robbins

Final Gratitude Moment

Hold your hand on your heart, take a deep breath, and think of one thing you are grateful for right now, in this moment.

If you want to learn more about how to quit dieting for good, you can find me at www.caitlinball.com/quitdieting.

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Kersten has so much passion for self-care and body love! During our interview, she shared vital information about what over-exercising can do to your health and self-image. As a personal trainer and previous over-trainer herself, Kersten understands the pressures that can cause you to push your body beyond its limits in the name of weight loss.

At the age of 21, Kersten joined Weight Watchers and dove headfirst into her weight loss journey. She also started working out heavily. From her own routines in the gym, to joining Crossfit, she pushed herself hard.

10 years later, she visited an acupuncturist who expressed concern about the fact that she hadn't had a period for a decade. She realized that her extreme work out programs, coupled with restrictive diets, had had a profound impact on her body.

Many of Kersten's clients initially reach out to her because they've lost their periods as well. The physical key is often to eat more and exercise less, but the real work is connected to mindset. By helping her clients consider their behaviors and self-image, she's able to help them release arbitrary food rules and begin to love themselves.

Releasing these old beliefs is a vital part of learning to break free from unhealthy patterns, like over-exercising or creating rigid food "rules".

At the end of 2016, Kersten started the healing process. She wasn't excited to start gaining weight (which she had realized she needed to do), but she was excited to finally rest. She could feel that her body was getting burned out, and the ability to simply walk, instead of run, was a relief.

Going from being the fittest person in the room, to releasing that role was hard. She had to adjust to listening to her body, and to allowing herself to rest. Sometimes that meant yoga instead of a hard workout, and sometimes that meant staying home and relaxing on the couch.

Having been a long-distance runner, Kersten had struggled with sleep for some time. Her running routines had caused her body to release too much cortisol. All those extra stress hormones had been sleep difficult. A fun side-effect of easing back on her over-exercising habits was the ability to finally sleep well. (Now, she shares that taking naps is one of her favorite forms of self-care!)

Kersten realized that working out and training others, while also putting on weight and scaling back on her own personal fitness routines, was a new challenge. She had to accept that her body may look different, but that that was a good thing! The physical changes she was experiencing were signs that she was healing, not that she was failing.

Rather than focusing on the weight, Kersten found positive things to focus on.

Her hair got thicker, she calmed down, and she started sleeping better.

Instead of obsessing over workouts or food restrictions, she started to celebrate the fact that she could go out for frozen yogurt and actually have fun doing it! She didn't need to limit herself to once a week, or low fat only.

In her current routine, Kersten is able to honor her needs. She can choose to do some form of eating or movement, and not to do others. Rather than forcing herself to constantly pursue intense physical routines, she could trust her intution.

One of her big take aways: Your intuition is really nice to you. When you actually check in with yourself and listen, you'll find that your body will you. Whether that means running sprints or doing yoga, there is a time and place for every form of movement.

Kersten also realized that she had created a lot of rules around food. For instance, she wouldn't allow herself to eat before working out. She would push her body hard, and then drink huge amounts of water and coffee.

Even when she was eating "normal" amounts of food, she would create rules around when and how much. She also realized that she would do mini-workouts between meals, creating a sense of "earning" her meals or calorie counts.

This connected back to her Weight Watcher days. She remembered vividly the 21 points she was allowed to eat each day, and the exercises you could do "earn" points. Rather than eating the extra points, she would try to store them up in order to lose more weight more quickly.

Even at what was considered a healthy BMI, Kersten lost her period.

Compared against a standard measure, Kersten was perfectly healthy. Her body told a different story though. Losing her period, not sleeping well, and pushing her body to its breaking point was not serving her well. Even if the medical establishment wasn't concerned about her weight (since she was considered medically "healthy"), Kersten understood that for her body, the numbers weren't a good measurement of health.

She got some amazing advice from her chiropractor during this time as well. During her appointment, she had been stressing because she wasn't able to do all the things she used to do. She also felt she wasn't comparing as well to other people's fitness levels. Her chiropractor pointed out the only fitness level and exercise standards that mattered were her own. Instead of over-exercising to prove she was still at a certain level, she could relax and enjoy her body just as it was.

Rather than hold herself against someone else's physical standards, she could tune in to her own intuition and honor her own needs.

Connect with Kersten:

Her program:
https://kersten-kimura.teachable.com/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kerstenkimura/

--- Ready to have the best holiday yet? You're invited to join the Food Freedom Holiday Workshop, where we'll talk about preparing for holiday stressors (buffets, in-laws, parties, food focused traditions, and more). Register before Sunday if you want to get in live (or plan to attend the replay if that works better for you!).
http://www.caitlinball.com/holidayworkshop

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What do you know about intuitive movement? I would be honored to share some ways I'm currently exploring (and experimenting with) intuitive movement in my own life lately! This includes differentiating between movement and exercise, as well as some of the struggles I've personally encountered in this area.

Movement vs. Exercise

Personally, I feel like "exercise" has a lot of attachments. We think of changing our appearance, reducing our size, working up a sweat, or burning calories. Movement, however, is just about...moving! You can do anything active that you enjoy, you can do simple things (like taking the stairs), and it's all considered movement.

Doesn't that sound so much less stressful?

Instead of stressing about appearance (and how my workouts are going to "change me"), now I show up fully and trust that taking part in healthy movement is going to feel good. And at the end of the day, it's the feeling good that I genuinely value.

An exercise mindset can also push us into moving way too much. We exhaust or overwhelm our bodies, then compensate by consuming a lot of food just to keep ourselves moving. I have a number of clients that end up discovering that less "working out" and more intuitive movement that actually feels GOOD makes a huge difference in their lives.

A Big Waste of Time

I would never have gone to a "slow" yoga class when I was in my workout phase. After all, if I wasn't vigorously moving, exhausted, dripping with sweat, or feeling sore afterwards...I hadn't really done anything. I thought it was just a big waste of time.

Thank goodness I finally realized that my perceptions couldn't be more wrong!

Even before I started intuitive eating, I started to realize that I could actually enjoy moving my body. When I started yoga, I loved that it didn't have to be about changing how I looked. It cleared my mind, it made me feel good, and it eventually brought me into yoga teacher training and body awareness.

Movement is what brought me to intuitive eating, and now I move intuitively as well. It is seriously the best feeling.

Another note - just because it's not a huge block of "exercise" time doesn't mean it's a waste of time.

Some of my perfectionist clients have a lot of trouble embracing movement for the simple enjoyment factor. It can be hard to embrace 5-10 minutes of enjoyable movement when you've grown up feeling like you have to dedicate an hour if you want it to really "count".

Community Movement

Lately I've been attending a Zumba workout in my community center. It has been so much fun, and an amazing way

Saturdays I found a momma workout class -- mom's workout, and our toddlers run around, ride bikes, and enjoy the sunshine. Afterwards, my son and I have a little date together at a local shop.

When I was doing intense exercise workouts, I tended to dread them. I would drag myself there, do the work, and then go home and collapse on the coach.

Now I get excited about interacting with my community, I love heading out the door to class, and I come home feeling energetic and good. Practicing intuitive movement in my community is so much better for me than punishing myself with exercise.

Flexible Planning

I like to set a plan for the week...and then wake up and determine if that feels right for me. Somedays it isn't wise to push yourself physically, emotionally, or mentally, and if there is a way to reorganize your schedule, you should!

Movement can fall into this category as well. If I thought I was going to go to Zumba, and I realize what I really need is some quiet introspective time, I might decide to take a walk instead. Or if I had intended to go for a bike ride but the weather isn't suitable, I can switch it up and head to a yoga class. Rather than making a rigid plan and forcing my mind and body to make it happen, I leave room so I can make decisions that will help me feel my best, whatever that looks like. (Remember - there is no wrong way!)

Do What Feels Good

If you could move your body in any way, with NO worries about appearance or weight, what would you do?

I had a client who loved swimming...but she didn't allow herself to go because it meant wearing a swimsuit in front of others. When she released that fear and just did it, she loved it!

What kind of movement have you held yourself back from that you could you do today?

If you haven't been moving much lately, you might look for small ways to start! Look for 5-10 minutes that you could do something - take quick walk, do some gentle yoga stretches, work in your garden, or do something that would be quick, easy, and enjoyable.

If you're on the verge of exercise burnout, ask yourself what you can release this week. How can you start to scale back a bit and honor your body's needs?

My Challenge to You

Choose ONE thing that you're going to change this week, and then do it! If you need some accountability, head on over to the private Facebook group and share it with us! We'd love to help hold you accountable.

(https://www.facebook.com/groups/realfoodfirstcommunity/)

Remember that this is meant to be intuitive - make a plan, but be flexible with it. And if there is a type of movement that is hard in the moment, but makes you feel really good afterwards (burpees are mine!), don't be afraid to do them! Just be sure to check in with yourself so you can make decisions about what you want and what will feel right on any given day.

AND....

You requested another Food Freedom Holiday Workshop, and it's coming on Nov. 24th!

You can sign up at caitlinball.com/holidayworkshop. (Can't make it? The replay will available whenever you have the time!) Rather than stuffing yourself silly with food, cookies, and alcohol (then feeling gross and crabby all day), learn how to relax and ENJOY the holidays!

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In this episode, I interviewed Susie Garden. She helps women with stress, anxiety, and fatigue find their way back to a clear mind, healthy, body, and a life that lights them up. Susie is fascinated with the mind body connection and how it influences mental and physical health. She's also a big proponent of the non-restrictive approach. This makes her a wonderful supporter of intuitive eating as well!

While traveling, Susie realized she was constantly eating in airports, missing out on sleep, and pushing herself too hard. Basically, she wasn't really practicing any form of self-care.

Eventually she hit a breaking point and was forced to stop. Although it was hard, it was also a gift. The time of rest gave her a chance to consider what she actually wanted in life. She didn't have to think too long to realize that the life she was living was not the life she wanted.

After being laid off from her corporate career, Susie pursued education and yoga! Having experienced working herself into the ground while having an extremely unhealthy work/life balance, Susie loves helping women who want to experience something different.

And speaking of self-care...

Dealing with food intolerances (and eliminating certain foods) is something to do with a clear mind and a healthy relationship with food! Personally, I utilize elimination strategies as the final phase of my program. This helps you keep a healthy perspective. It also saves you from the "diet mindset" that can creep in when dealing with intolerances and elimination!

I found Susie after listening to an episode on healing your seasonal allergies naturally. Perfect timing, as I was suffering from them at the time. She also talked about healing food allergies and intolerances. I also saw that she has a very non-restrictive and holistic approach to health. That's why I wanted her to teach us about how to deal with food intolerances in a loving and non-restrictive way.

This non-restrictive approach is especially important, as there are lots of diets popping up that are connected to food intolerances. Sometimes people feel that a restrictive diet is the only way to handle an intolerance, but this simply isn't true! You can absolutely use a non-restrictive approach.

Susie also shares how food intolerances don't have to "just" manifest in the gut. For example, she experienced joint pain in her hand as a result of her intolerance. Once she realized that she could greatly improve her own life by recognizing intolerances, she wanted to share that with others as well.

Another tip: even if it's hard to imagine giving a food up, you might end up loving it. Once your body starts to heal and you feel better, you might find that you don't want to go back to eating a particular food! Focusing on how you want to feel (rather than what you want to eat) can help you feel great about the change. If this is the case for you, you'll find that abstaining from certain foods can easily be a non-restrictive approach to eating in a way that complements your body!

The goal isn't to create a regimented or legalistic approach. You're not creating rules for yourself! Instead, you're genuinely checking in and noticing how you feel. Once you find what makes you feel good, you get to do that!

An allergy is not the same as an intolerance! We aren't talking about those today, and you do need medical management for those. Allergies tend to have very specific symptoms, such as hives, breathing/airway restrictions, or other immediate physical responses.

An intolerance is a low-level inflammation that tends towards a host of generalized symptoms. For instance: brain fog, joint pain, bloating, or other digestive discomfort. As you continue to eat foods that you have an intolerance to, you fuel the low grade inflammation that the food creates within your body. This leaves you in a constant state of inflammation, which doesn't feel good!

If you believe you may have an actual food allergy (or already know you have one!), don't attempt to reincorporate that food. That's not what I'm talking about here. Also, if you plan to be tested for celiacs disease, you should not be midway through an elimination process prior to testing. Doing that will reduce the accuracy of the test results.

When you stop eating a food that you have an intolerance towards, you can allow the gut to heal. It only takes 6-8 weeks to reach a baseline of no inflammation. At that point, you can attempt to reintroduce the food/food group and see what happens. Many people find that, once they've healed, they can consume the food at a later point without issue.

Susie shares that she often starts her clients on a dairy elimination, as that tends to be a common issue for many. Rather than attempting to remove dozens of major food items, you can start with a single food group. Try it out, and see what the impact on your health is. It takes about 2 weeks to know if the elimination is making a difference. If you aren't seeing a result, you can continue to eliminate other food options until you find the food or group that's impacting you.

Remember that the way your body FEELS is the indicator of whether an elimination has been successful. Pay attention to subtle changes in your mental clarity, joints, digestive function, energy level, and more!

It's important to remember that mindset is really important here! Elimination is not meant to be an exercise that creates a dieting mindset. It's also not meant to be a weight loss tool. Rather, it's a way to help your body feel really good. (And the wonderful news is, the elimination is often temporary! Once you've healed your gut and gotten in tune with what food is creating problems for you, you can often find ways to reincorporate it.)

Susie gives great tips on the mindset you need to approach food intolerances, as well as some scientific reasoning to practice self-care.

Taking a moment to look at your food, smell your food, and otherwise get your body excited for what your about to eat can do wonders as well! Do your best to eat mindfully, and to pay attention to how the food you eat impacts the way that you feel.

It was such a joy to talk with Susie and hear her unique perspective on taking care of the mind and body as one. I would love to connect you with her. Below, you'll find a few important links to her Facebook group, program, and podcast!

Join Susie's 'The Wellness Glow' Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/GlowGroup

Check out her program, The Anxiety Taming Method: https://www.susiegarden.com/the-anxiety-taming-method

Listen to Caitlin interviewed on Susie's Podcast: https://www.susiegarden.com/thewellnessglowpodcast/episode33-caitlinball

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If you know me, you know my husband and I spent the last six years living in Switzerland. Now that we're back...everyone wants to know how it's going. Here are some of my top take aways as I consider the transition from Switzerland to California. (Prepare for some real talk!)

Real Talk on Home Ownership

After a bit of shuffling around & vacationing we were able to purchase a home, and we've started moving in. Technically we live there now, but there are still boxes here, there, and everywhere!

A few thoughts on home ownership - I get why people DON'T go that route! It's a lot of work to keep up with everything when there is never a landlord to call. It's also tempting to fill your house with so much stuff, and we're trying to fight that bug. All that aside, however, it's so fun to have a home that is ours!

Europe showed us that you can live in a smaller space, with less stuff, and fully relish every moment. We intend to keep doing just that!

I have lots of renovations I would love to do (especially in the kitchen), but I'm so grateful to live in our new home, with all it's quirks and funny little characteristics.

Real Talk on So Many (Loud) Messages

Everything from my son's daycare to Target to the grocery store seem to be selling the message of more, More, MORE! (More toys, more stuff, more food and diet options.)

I've been finding that I definitely need to be checking in with myself to make sure that I don't get sucked in. And then, of course, there are the commercials and media that are always sharing about diets, losing weight, and "fixing" your body!

On top of all that, America is kind of loud. I think I feel that way for two reasons:

American's typically talk louder in public places than people in European countries.

When we lived in Switzerland I didn't understand the language so it was easier for me to treat it a bit like white noise. I definitely know English, and I'm seriously having trouble tuning it out!

Real Talk on Serving Sizes

Wow! In the US it's more affordable to eat out, and the portion sizes are so much larger! I find it really hard to finish the portions I'm being served. I also feel bad when I'm not able to bring it home (if I'm not headed straight home or the food won't pack well).

In Switzerland, restaurant portion sizes were usually around the amount I actually wanted to eat. I'm definitely understanding why so many of my American clients would bring up eating out as a struggle.

I've been trying to split meals, order lunch sized portions, and find other creative ways to enjoy my meals out. I don't want to feel overwhelmed with the size or obligated to try and actually eat it all.

The access to so many baked goods has been super fun too. It's also brought me back to the need to release restrictions and enjoy things. (Back to step one!)

At first I was eating multiple bagels a week (I love them and didn't have as much access), and now that's starting to taper off a bit. I know I can get them any time, and I trust that my body will let me know when I actually want a bagel. It will also tell me when I'd rather have a smoothie or something that will energize me in a different way.

Real Talk on Sports & Transportation

America has so many sports! I'm more of an out-and-about person, especially on Sundays, but I've been having to adapt a bit to my husband and friends who want to celebrate their favorite teams.

It's one more area I think I'll be working to find a happy balance!

And speaking of being out and about...

Public transportation in Europe was so CLEAN and easy to use. BART...not so much.

It's been a bit of an adjustment to get used to streets that need to be repaired, public transportation that's less than ideal, and the general level of dirtiness. I've heard a number of people who have spent time in Europe comment on these differences, and I'd have to say they may be one of the more noticeable (and difficult) day to day challenges of coming back to America.

Real Talk on Simple Exchanges with Family & Friends

I hadn't realized how much I missed simple, easy interactions with people.

Those things just didn't happen as much in Switzerland (a combination of the culture and the language barrier). I love that I can chat with people at the store or on the street, and that people really do notice you and enjoy chatting about their day.

I already have a "Starbucks guy" and he knows my order when I walk in! Those little things have brought me so much joy, and I love it!

And in addition to all those fun little exchanges, we're closer to family too. Seeing Cooper with real family has been phenomenal - he can sense the deep love they have for him and it just lights him up. As a mom, that is absolutely priceless. In fact, I was able to go to New York last week and enjoy every moment, because I know that between his dad and all his family, he was well taken care of. It's so different than using a childcare service or nanny!

The biggest reason we came back home was this - the ability to be near our family and be blessed by their presence.

Next week is going to be all about dealing with food intolerances, and I can't wait for you to hear from our amazing guest, Susie Garden! If you want to be sure you don't miss it, you can join the Intuitive Foodies Community -- I'll post an audiogram and link to the episode when it goes live!

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Isabelle moved to Zurich right as I was coming back the USA! Even though we didn't share any time in Switzerland, I had so much fun connecting with her on the podcast.

During this interview, she actually shares a breathwork activity with me. I'd encourage you to take some time with the episode and try it yourself! It really calmed me down and helped me release tension.

(After the 5 min. exercise we debrief and I talk about the experience!)

Isabelle also shares parts of her own food journey. She realized that she used food as a coping mechanism, and also attached it to self-worth. She received lots of messaging from her family that left her confused, fearful, and ashamed in her food relationship. This resulted in a binge eating struggle that she later had to work through. She describes this as a journey of coming home to her body.

I love hearing other people's intuitive eating journeys, and I hope you enjoy it as well!

As Isabelle shares: Getting IN to you body is the best place to be, and it's the most important thing you can do for yourself.

Listen in to hear Isabelle's self-care tips and try out this amazing breathing exercise for yourself.

You can find her website here: https://fullofjoy.co or connect with Isabelle on Instagram @fullofjoy

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Our last two episodes featured some amazing guests in the midst of their journeys.

Today...I'm prepared for a bit of controversy. I've wanted to do this episode for a while, but I've had some fear about bringing up this topic. I still feel the fear, but you know what? I'm doing it anyways!

So here it is: YOU are worthy of investing in yourself.

I've been on a journey of slowly but surely learning my own worth, as well as growing my ability to invest in myself. Investment refers to time, energy, and money!

A few years later I invested in a health course in order to become an intuitive eater. I had spent a LOT in the past on cleanses and diets...but never money on a course. It felt a little strange, and was definitely different. It was uncomfortable to make the decision to spend the money, but it paid off as I grew as a person. In my heart, I knew this was right for me, and I was so glad I had trusted myself to make the investment.

Listen in to hear more about the various investments I've made over the years. Whether the money went towards a treat, a personal development or growth opportunity, a mental health boost, or something entirely different - these investments have made me feel like a better version of myself.

One of my biggest ever personal investments involves a guest I featured way back on Episode 5 of the podcast!

Nothing in life is free - it always cost time or money (or both!). You ARE worth investing in, and I'd encourage you to consider ways you can invest in yourself.

Which leads us to a few other questions...

What funky relationships do you have with food and weight?

What kind of time and energy do you put into "fitting in" or following some sort of diet plan or health regimen?

What do you miss out on by obsessing over food intake?

If you knew you were worthy of your dream life (without attaching it to something external like your pants size), you could do all sorts of amazing things!

So...I want to call you out a little bit!

What actions are you taking to treat yourself like a worthy woman who deserves to achieve your dreams?

Listening to this podcast is a good thing, but listening is not enough! What actions are you taking, and how are investing in yourself?

If you're ready for a transformation in the way you feel in your body or act around food, I have an amazing offer for you. The Quit Dieting for Good Course is open for enrollment right now, and it is an investment that will be worth every single penny.

We start October 21st, so if you're interested in you need to sign up now!

www.caitlinball.com/quitdieting

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Today I interview Ashley Conway, a former client of mine in my Quit Dieting for Good program, and the blogger behind DefeatingBusy.com.

Ashley thought she had a food problem when she came to me, but was so exhausted by the thought of attempting and failing at one more diet. She knew there must be a better way, and was ready to try out intuitive eating.

Through her journey, she realized she didn't have a food problem - food was just a coping mechanism from some deeper issues that she is now addressing. Now she can enjoy food to the fullest without guilt and without being tempted by diets.

We also talk about her mission with her blog which ties into letting go of dieting -- and that's to prioritize what matters most. Once you take time to figure out what's most important in your life, you can then figure out how to prioritize and how to set boundaries.

Ashley is passionate and loveable and has so many good tips to share - so go take a listen!

Do you want to Quit Dieting for Good like Ashley and release the mental load of dieting? Today is the first day to sign up for my Quit Dieting for Good program -- and in the first 24 hours, I'm offering a special bonus! Go ahead and sign up now!
https://caitlinball.podia.com/quit-dieting-for-good

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This episode is different from the rest - you get to listen in on a real life health coaching call with a member of my Intuitive Foodies Facebook Community, Katrina!

Katrina has tried all the diets, and has recently been trying the Keto diet with some of her friends. But she is a mom of two, a wife, and a full-time teacher and is too tired to deal with tracking and weighing her food!

In this episode, I help Katrina figure out how to ditch all the food guilt after so many years of dieting, how to stop being tempted by diets when her friends are doing them, and how to start letting go of the restrictions of her diet while still feeling confident she is doing the best thing for her body.

This was my first time coaching Katrina and after our call she said she already felt "free" because she was given personalized direction on how to get started with her intuitive eating journey. If you are like Katrina, and are ready to get off the dieting roller coaster but not sure how to get started, I'd love for you to join my upcoming Quit Dieting for Good program, starting on October 21st.*

But first, to test out my program and have the opportunity for additional bonuses, join my free Food Freedom & Body Confidence Challenge that starts on the 7th!

caitlinball.com/challenge

It's time to turn the inspiration into action and I'd love to help you do just that!

*This date has been changed since I recorded the original podcast. Oct. 21st is the correct date!

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Welcome back!

This is the final episode in our Intuitive Eating 101 series, and it is last for reason! Gentle nutrition is amazing, but it can also be turned into a "diet" pretty quickly if you aren't in the right place. That's why I encourage you to consider releasing restrictionsand practicing some body loveand self careFIRST.

Most of my clients don't reach this phase till about 6 months into their practice (and that's while working with a coach), so you shouldn't force yourself to move too quickly here.

"Gentle" is the key concept!

I would advise taking a small step forward to start. For instance, try adding another vegetable or a new grain into your daily consumption. Maybe make it your goal to add it into your dinner. (Don't force it, and don't restrict anything else. Just add a grain or veggie you might enjoy!)

Next step: check in with yourself. How do you feel? What impact has the change had on you? How is your body responding?

There isn't a single way of eating that serves every person in the world in the same way. Our bodies are unique, and we want to honor that with intuitive eating. Again - we aren't forcing anything here. We're going to ease our way in and try out some gentle nutrition!

No matter what you find out, try to stay away from language like:

"I can't eat that." or "That food is bad for me."

You might notice you don't love how you feel after you eat something, or that your body doesn't handle a certain food very well. That's normal! Try incorporation this: "I choose...". When you understand that what you eat (or don't eat) is about your own choices, you can feel empowered rather than feel restricted.

(And don't forget -- you can join the FREE Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge here-- it kicks off October 7th!)

P.S. Food allergies and sensitive should always be approached with the help of a doctor or nutritionist. I don't want to downplay any of those!

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Welcome to the third installment of Intuitive Eating 101! This whole month is dedicated to the basics of Intuitive Eating, and we're diving deep into self-care this week.

If you missed the first two podcasts in this series, I'd encourage you to check out Letting go of Restrictions and Body Love while you're here.

Also -- if you're sick of taking in information but never actually doing anything about it, I have a super fun challenge for you! You can sign up for the Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge today!

Self-care about taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional being every day.

Let's start with movement. Your body loves to move, and you can show it respect by giving yourself opportunities to get up and get the blood flowing! However, you shouldn't be using physical movement as a way to punish yourself. Take the time to find a form of movement that actually feels GOOD for your body - it makes a difference!

I find that I love walking and yoga.

Not sure what you like? Try something like ClassPass, which gives you access to a variety of classes so you can find out what you do like!

Mediation can be a great practice to help improve your mental health. I have a friend that does a "brain dump" every night, and she finds that extremely helpful. Journaling can be a really helpful mental processing tool as well.

Emotional care is a MUST! When I watch my son throw tantrums, he gets everything all out, and then moves on with his day. Sometimes we all need a piece of that -- working through emotions and finding outlets for our stress or hard emotions might do wonders for our overall health and wellness!

Finally, take a moment to consider the things in life you really, truly enjoy. What makes your life better? Who and what do you love? When you can start adding those people and things in, the better off you'll be!

If you'd like a few more self-care tips, check out my guest interviews! The final request I make to each guest is for them to provide us with a self-care tip, and there are all sorts of unique and amazing ones!

Like what you heard? I'd LOVE your feedback, reviews, and ratings!

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First things first -- if you haven't listened to Episode #45yet, start there!

This week we're talking all about body love.

Often we get into the whole dieting mess as result of wanting to change our bodies. We start to believe our bodies are somehow inadequate or "wrong". In intuitive eating, we move away from these harmful ways of thinking. One way we do that is by practicing body love.

Quick Tip: Body love doesn't have to mean that you think you're hotter than hot and have a totally perfect body.

When I say body love, I'm talking specifically about loving your body as a companion. Think of her as your best friend.

With a friend, you enjoy being with them, but they don't fill every thought or waking moment. They also don't have to be perfect for you to accept and love them, just the way they are.

What if your relationship with your body could be like that?

Have you ever tried thanking your body for all she does for you?

Gratitude is a powerful way of beginning to love and appreciate yourself and your body. Think of all that she does for you - your tummy digests your food; your arms reach and touch and lift; your legs and feet power you through the world. Instead of being upset about something being sore or not working properly, what if you tried being grateful for everything that your wonderful, amazing, incredible body does do?

Your body deserves clothes that fit her well (not too big or too small).

She deserves food that makes her feel good (for both fuel and fun!).

She deserves to move, not sit all day long. (Don't use exercise as "punishment" though!).

She deserves to be talked to kindly (treat her like a friend you care about).

This is a tiny snippet of what you can do to start loving you body.

Choose one thing I talked about here and give it a try. And once you have, head on over to the Intuitive Foodies Community and let us know what you did and how it made you feel!

I would also be THRILLED for you to join the Food Freedom and Body Confidence Challenge! It's all about taking what you're learning from Intuitive Eating 101 and actually applying it. Nothing changes if you don't take action, so we're going to dig in and start creating change together.

Join us next week to learn about caring for the WHOLE self!

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Welcome back!

This month I'm launching a series called Intuitive Eating 101 - we'll be covering the process of letting go of food restrictions, being confident in your body, fully caring for yourself, and finding the right foods for your body.

First up: let's dive in to letting go of food restrictions. This means you have to let go of dieting. This is hard to do, unless you 100% understand and believe that diets do not work. (Seriously - they just don't work!)

I want you to have the facts and information you need so you can confidently leave diets in the past and embrace food freedom!

Reminder: the natural reaction to restricting (dieting) is to binge. Intuitive eating helps us end this crazy cycle by allowing us to stop restricting. When we quit restricting, we're much less likely to binge.

When you let go of restrictions, you get to be FREE. Free to eat the foods you love, free to fuel your body in a way that feels really good. As you walk into this freedom, you'll find you can actually trust yourself and your body.

Intuitive Eating 101 is going to encourage and empower you - I hope you join me next week to continue this learning journey.

In the meantime, be sure to grab your 7-Step Guide to Kick Dieting to the Curb:

bit.ly/tlquitdieting

And join the Intuitive Foodies Community and tell us what yummy foods you are eating:

caitlinball.com/community

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In today's episode, I talk with Rahel Papis about her work in hypnotherapy and kinesiology.

Rahel explains how hypnotherapy and kinesiology work to bring your subconscious thoughts to the surface, so they can be healed. She explains that often your subconscious can effect so many things, including why you eat the way you eat.

Hypnotherapy is so much more than what you see on shows, and is really more of a guided deep meditation - which anyone can do! Rahel gives some great advice on how you can work with your subconscious thoughts, and why it's important if you want to change your habits.

I personally had a session with Rahel and found it to be healing and so interesting, so I can't wait for you to listen in and hear more about her work.

Learn more about Rahel here:
Website: https://www.rahelpapis.com/
Instagram: @rahelpapis.therapy

Have you downloaded your free 7-Step Guide to Kick Dieting to the Curb so you can get started on your intuitive eating journey? Go do it now!
bit.ly/kickdietingtothecurb

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In today's episode, I talk with Julie Duffy-Dillon, who is a registered dietician helping women find food peace, an author, and the podcast host of Love, Food.

Julie not only teaches about intuitive eating, she also helps women navigate PCOS with a non-diet approach. She gives us an overview of PCOS and explains that it is way more common than you might think!

There are plenty of lists out there with what to eat and not eat for PCOS, but Julie gives many reasons why these restrictive diets are not the answer. She shares with us a variety of ways you can test out to heal yourself - but the key is to always check in to see if it works for you personally, as there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Julie also talks about how to respect your body with a health condition, the importance of sleep especially with PCOS, and more on this episode.

Whether you have PCOS, may have PCOS, or are living with a health condition, this is a great listen for applying a non-diet approach to your healing journey!

Learn more about Julie here:
Website: http://www.juliedillonrd.com/
Instagram: @foodpeacedietician

Have you downloaded your free 7-Step Guide to Kick Dieting to the Curb so you can get started on your intuitive eating journey? Go do it now!
bit.ly/kickdietingtothecurb

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In today's episode, I talk with Simi Botic, a health coach helping women with their food and body relationship while also letting go of perfectionism.

Simi was a dieter and perfectionist herself for one too many years, until she finally realized that enough was enough. She sought out support and healed her relationship with food, her body, and the desire to be perfect.

Simi gives awesome advice on how to accept yourself as you let go of the need to appear perfect and please everyone else. She also talks about the idea that when you do accept yourself, your relationships with others will become deeper and more meaningful.

We talked about how many dieters like to "perfect" intuitive eating - but this is no perfect way to eat intuitively! Instead, she tells us that there is no failure in intuitive eating, just feedback.

Finally, she gives us an amazing tip for taking care of your mind - a top that is free to try and super easy to implement! Enjoy this episode with Simi - she is fun and authentic and it's a great conversation.

Learn more about Simi here:
Website: https://www.simibotic.com/
Instagram: @simibotic
Grab a copy of her book: https://www.simibotic.com/book/

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In today's solocast, I answer a question that I've heard more than once recently, "What do I do when I can't stop eating my favorite food?!".

Whether it's Nutella, chips, dessert, or (fill in the blank), it's not fun to feel so out of control around food. There are many reasons why you might not be able to stop eating any food item, but taking time to find the specific reason for your overeating will be what truly helps you fix the real problem -- as it is often not about the food at all!

Find out what might be causing you to overeat your favorite food, and learn what to do about it in this episode.

Mentioned emotional eating podcast episode:
https://caitlinball.com/2019/03/episode-22-feel-your-feelings-instead-of-eating-them/

To watch the unedited video version of this podcast, please join us in the free Intuitive Foodies Community:
caitlinball.com/community

To help you eat more consciously and confidently, make sure to download the 7-Step Guide to Kick Dieting to the Curb if you haven't already!
bit.ly/tlquitdieting

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In today's episode, I talk with Stefanie Jung, a holistic health coach helping women heal their relationship with food and body.

Stefanie openly shares her struggles with her body image and eating disorder and how she finally healed herself with journaling and working with a health coach. She also tells us the good and bad of going through this healing process while in a relationship.

One thing I appreciate about Stefanie is her honesty with her community about what she is currently working on - because this work to have a healthy relationship with food and body is never done! She explains how some days are easier than others, but she tells us how she now knows her triggers and how to deal with them.

Lastly, we talk about how she intuitively moves her body and the differences between diet culture in different countries and continents.

Learn more about Stefanie here:
Website: https://www.wholesomestef.com/
Instagram: @wholesomestef

Have you grabbed your free 7-Step Guide to Kick Dieting to the Curb? Do it now and get started with an intuitive eating practice at your very next meal!
bit.ly/tlquitdieting

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In today's episode, I talk with Arden Cartrette who is an infertility blogger trying to normalize and raise awareness around infertility and pregnancy loss.

Arden is still in the midst of her infertility journey and shares openly and honestly about struggles she's had with food and her body along the way, and what she is currently doing to have a healthy relationship with both.

I also wanted to hear first hand her experience with an infertility diet, which she tried for 3 months. Ultimately, she saw more negative than positive effects, because of the stress it caused, and went back to eating everything so she can enjoy herself and keep her mental health in tact.

Arden shares how she stays positive during this difficult period in her life, but also how she just lets the emotions come and be there, which is such an important part to healing.

If you are struggling with infertility, or want to know how to support a loved one who is, this is an episode for you.

Learn more about Arden here:
Website: https://hello-warrior.com/
Instagram: @ardenmcartrette

Have you downloaded your free 7-Step Guide to Kick Dieting to the Curb so you can get started on your intuitive eating journey? Go do it now!
bit.ly/kickdietingtothecurb

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In today's episode, I talk with Emma Wright, who is a family body confidence consultant based in New Zealand.

Emma shares with us her own story of growing up in a diet household and the negative effects it had on her. Later, becoming a mom herself, she saw that she was parenting in the same way, and realized she could not continue this cycle all over again, so she learned how to make a positive impact in a thin ideal world.

Emma give us practical tools that we can start doing today to help our children - specifically with the language we use to talk about bodies and food. These tools are super simple, but go against the norms we have in our head, so we have to do some reprogramming in our brains.

If we want to get rid of diet culture and all that comes with it, a great way to start is with our children. But Emma also reminds us that actions speak louder than words, and parents have to do be open to working on the way they treat their own body and their personal relationship with food so kids can follow their example.

Emma is currently writing a book, giving ten principles to raise body confident children, and you can pre-order her book through her Kickstarter Campaign that's going on this month!

Whether you are a parent, or simply have kids in your life, you will definitely want to learn from Emma on how you can best help your children learn to love their bodies and trust their food choices.

Learn more about Emma here:
Website: https://www.emmawright.co.nz/
Instagram: @emmawrightbodyblossom
Kickstarter Book Campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/body-confidence/raising-body-confident-kids

Have you grabbed your free 7-Step Guide to Kick Dieting to the Curb? Do it now and get started with an intuitive eating practice at your very next meal!
bit.ly/tlquitdieting

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In today's episode, I talk with Alessandra Patti, an assertiveness coach based in Zurich, Switzerland. Alessandra is originally from Italy, and in the last five years has changed her career to become a coach and consultant who works with clients on assertiveness and learning to speak up. She says this new career is one of the loves of her life, right up there with reading and salsa dancing.

Having come from a giving culture that didn’t prioritize speaking up, she knew she wanted to be someone who could speak her mind and set her own strong boundaries. Having learned and practiced assertiveness and boundaries herself, she created a methodology and began coaching others.

Alessandra says, “You can use your assertiveness to choose your own health and to prioritize your own wellbeing.”

Something that can help anyone seeking to be more assertive is to put a stop to their own negative self-talk. Create boundaries for negative thoughts, and refuse to allow them to dominate your mental life. After all, freedom can only be gained if you believe you truly deserve it.

Alessandra also shares the fundamental belief that you are unique and special; even if you have something you want to change about yourself or your body. Believing in your sense of worth is vital for being able to achieve what you desire.

Alessandra provides so many practical exercises you can do to change your mindset and your actions, and I can't wait for you to try them out!

If you’d like to connect with Alessandra, you’ll find her here:
Website: www.findyourway.company
Instagram: @findyourwaycoach
Facebook: How to Say No Coaching

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In today's solocast, I'm talking all about what to do when you are tempted to try a diet.

My answer: Don't do it!!

But I know that's easier said than done, especially when you aren't feeling the best in your body. Which is why I give you three steps you can take to start feeling better in your body as soon as possible, without ever restricting a single food.

This is an especially good listen pre and post-vacation and in the new year when diet temptation is at an all-time high.

If you wanted to be surrounded by fellow non-dieters and be inspired to eat intuitively, be confident in your body, and take care of yourself lovingly, then go join my free community!
www.caitlinball.com/community

If you liked this episode, I'd be so appreciative if you could leave a review and help more women like yourself realize that dieting is not the answer.

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In today’s episode, I talk with Melanie Watkins, the owner of a wellness events company - hosting, catering, and teaching yoga at different events in Zurich, Switzerland.

Melanie shares that her goal is to inspire people to move, eat and live from a place of self-love rather than self-loathing. She believes that people are enough just as they are, and that eating well can be a celebration of health rather than the result of restrictions or fear.

According to Melanie, her own self-care is more mental than physical; allowing herself to be unapologetically who she is is a form of self-care and self-love. Instead of trying to behave in a certain way in order to be loved or accepted, she’s chosen to be herself and to be free within that. She wants to enjoy guilt-free living, and to enjoy all of what life has to offer.

She says, "I weigh more now than I’ve ever weighed, I eat more than I’ve ever eaten, and I’m happier now than I’ve ever been."

While sharing about her endometriosis, she shares that chronic pain alters the nervous system, adrenals, mental health, sleep and more. So much of your life is impacted, including even your body’s ability to digest food. She finds that yoga has given her the most relief, of all the things that she has tried. But also one of the most important things she does for herself when pain takes over is to let herself rest and feel the all the feelings, knowing that it's not doing any good to pretend.

Melanie shared so much wonderful insight with us, but she shared a particular gold nugget about forgiveness and I'm excited for you to hear more and start practicing it today after you listen.

If you’d like to connect with Melanie, you can find her here:
Website: www.melaniewatkinswellness.com
Instagram: @melaniewatkinswellness

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In today's solocast, I talk all about how to use your intuition to help you make big decisions.

Making big decisions about life - the relationships you are in, where you live, what career is best for you - is not easy! And pro and con lists don't always help.

Which is why I'm going to explain the process of making a big decision while using your intuition as a guide, all while telling you about a big decision I made recently and all that went into it.

(hint: we are moving!)

Whether you have a big decision you need to make soon, or just want to hear about why we are leaving Switzerland and moving to California, it's worth a listen!

Want to follow along my move and summer travel adventures, while eating intuitively and taking care of myself in a new situation? Find me on Instagram and say hi! @caitlinballhealth

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In today's episode, I talk with Health & Beauty Coach, Martina Fink, all about how to create the life that you want.

Martina explains how important it is to heal past wounds so you can create space for the life you want. She teaches us about the chakra system and how to clear blocks to let energy flow freely, and how to increase your self-worth so you feel worthy of your dreams.

Once you've healed, Martina talks about how to start visualizing and manifesting your dream life, and some action steps on how you can take steps towards your dreamy, glowing life today!

If you know you want more for your life, then I encourage you to listen in to my chat with Martina and learn how to make it happen!

Learn more about Martina here:
Website: https://www.martinafink.com/
Instagram: @martinaglows

Are you ready to Quit Dieting & Grow Your Business?

Sign up for my free workshop coming soon!
bit.ly/quitdietinggrowyourbiz

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In today's solocast, I answered your questions live! The women in my free facebook community, the Intuitive Foodies Community, asked some great questions and I answered them live within the community and decided to let you hear it too in podcast form.

My first question was about knowing if intuitive eating is right for you. It's not for everyone! But there are a few ways to know if it's right for you and I help you decide.

You will also hear my answer to getting rid of the "good" and "bad" labels on food, as well as how to differentiate between unhealthy restriction and positive nutritional choices.

Do you have a question you want answered? Head to the Intuitive Foodies Community and ask it there!
caitlinball.com/community

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In today's episode, I talk with my former business coach, otherwise known as a human sparkler, Libby Crow. Libby is a global mentor for entrepreneurs, helping them grow their businesses and their minds, and I can personally say she helped me do just that!

Libby tells us about her own personal struggles with food and her body, and after losing the weight and realizing she still wasn't happy, she decided to let go of restrictions and learn how to work on her inner self.

Her healing has led her to love herself inside and out, let go of beauty standards that don't fit her beautiful curvy body type, and has given her mind space to focus on bigger and better things - like growing a business that changes lives!

Libby tells us how this mindset work she practices can help your business and how to use your intuition to keep you in alignment with your true needs and desires in all aspects of life.

This episode is not to be missed - by those that want to hear about going from dieting to intuitive eating, and also those that want to learn the self-care needed to be a successful entrepreneur!

Learn more about Libby here:
Website: https://libbycrow.com/
Instagram: @libbycrow
Podcast & Facebook Community: Behind the Dream

Do you want to learn how intuitive eating can help your business?
Join my Quit Dieting and Grow your Business workshop on June 4th:
http://bit.ly/quitdietinggrowyourbiz

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In today's solocast, I answer a question that might be on your mind ---

Can you meal plan as an intuitive eater?

The answer is YES! You most definitely can meal plan intuitively, but you have to make sure you are not using your meal plan as a diet plan.

In the episode, I'm going to explain how to meal plan as an intuitive eater, and also some general tips on meal planning to help make your life a little easier.

Do you want to work on meal planning alongside intuitive eating, as well as body confidence, self-care, and generally feeling better in your body and mind?

Check out my 1:1 health & lifestyle coaching program as I'm currently accepting new clients!
https://caitlinball.com/1-1-coaching/

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In today's episode, I talk with a good friend and Ayurvedic doctor, Janna Scharfenberg. Janna gives us an overview of Ayurveda, the doshas, and how to apply these ancient principles into our modern world.

Many people hear about ayurveda and immediately want to know what their dosha is (a.k.a. their constitution) and how to balance themselves perfectly. And this can sometimes be turned into a diet! But Janna assures us that was never the intention of ayurveda and ayurveda actually has many parallels to intuitive eating.

Listen in on how you can start adding Ayurvedic practices into your everyday life, and even how you can be using your cell phone more ayurvedically!

Follow along Janna's work:
Website: https://drjannascharfenberg.com/
Instagram: dr_janna_scharfenberg/