The Underlying Reason Intuitive Eating May Have Been So Challenging in the Past

There’s a really common pattern for people that are drawn to the idea of Intuitive Eating.

They buy into the concept, knowing they bring a lot of life experience and intuitive wisdom to the table- literally- but when they are told to “eat whatever they like”, it triggers a feeding frenzy causing almost immediate weight gain and regret

They think there must be something wrong with them- a defect of character or at least their hormones- or they would be able to “follow this diet”

This pushes them further away from the results they’d been hoping for while also creating distrust in their “intuition”- the one thing they need to find the freedom from the scale they desire.

This is because they are actually overlaying the same relationship framework over this new way of eating.

Just like a woman who tries to start a new relationship with a man but doesn’t realize the same triggers are still active.

She’s unknowingly using her childhood blueprint to build this relationship too and it will end up looking exactly the same as the last version until she allows her intuition- not her thinking mind- to be the key to healing.

It doesn’t mean the new guy is a “bad guy” or even wrong for her, it only means she needs tools to manage these emotions differently so she can continue to move toward happiness and the fulfillment she craves from a loving partnership.

What a woman needs to understand to be “successful” at Intuitive Eating is the relationship she has with her own inner child.

This is the younger part of her that is often running the show when it comes to her food.

This part of her is responsible for the intense cravings for sugar, the rebellion against the limits of previous diets and the attraction to a diet plan that promises to solve this ongoing problem “in 30 days”.

If she ignores “her”- the young, often scared (imagine a child lost in a store) version of herself- she will find herself binging on treats, thinking she’s just an “emotional eater”.

What she needs to do is learn how to witness the child- even in a tantrum- so this part of her can be seen and heard and begin to trust her.

This is when “food triggers” as my friend calls them (the experiences that activate the child response) begin to serve her growth.

If eating more than you’re needing is the pattern, it’s common for people to want to swap in a healthier snack.

But it doesn’t matter if it’s broccoli or pizza , what really needs your creative attention and support is the empty feeling that’s trying to be filled .

From a neutral state, you can take in the right amount and have no need to feel guilty for allowing your child to make the decisions an empowered adult needs to make.

Intuitive Eating can be used to foster emotional maturity just as much as the Keto diet but, without having a focus on loving this part within, both will be more challenging to stick to.

Imagine the “parent” within seeing the child and telling it what it needs to hear (“I’m here”, “we can figure this out together”, “there’s not a rush right now”, “let’s try it this way”, “I love you”) and notice how you respond.

Does your body relax?

Can you feel a calmness inside?

Is this overwhelming?

This is where having your own masculine energy (which is usually oriented outward for most of my clients) focusing inward creates magic.

When the child feels seen and consoled, it will go play- like any other human child would.

The more “she” trusts her parent, the more free “she” is to be present and play.

It frees up space for the more mature version of her- your intuition- to be heard.

This is the missing piece for most people who try following Intuitive Eating.

It’s counterintuitive to use any diet to facilitate emotional maturity and yet this is my area of expertise.

In my online course, Nourished, I have a whole module that will shine light on the unconscious beliefs and behaviors of the child so you know exactly how to calm “her” down and use those “food triggers” for your benefit.

The other 5 modules include everything you need to know to reparent “her” and exactly what “she” needs to hear when she’s upset.

+Practices to engage your inner parent so you have the bandwidth to hear your intuition when it comes to food choices that feel good for you.

+Fostering a new dynamic within so you can trust yourself in any situation.

+Shifting your perspective so all of your previous attempts serve you moving forward.

+And as a bonus, I’m including Meal Planning 101- all the basics and tips you need to make meal planning easier to support what you’ve learned.

The women who create the best results from this are ready to create a healthy relationship with food more than they are motivated by a number on the scale.

They have usually lost and regained the same 5-20 pounds and yet want to keep it off but find themselves sliding back into old habits when they “go off” of a diet.

They are ready to try a “natural way” of letting go of the weight and build new habits that serve their well-being long term.

They are open minded and creative and love to help others.

They are ambitious, and successful in many areas of their lives but find it difficult to put their own health/wellbeing at the top of their to do list even though they are masters at nurturing others and supporting others and their dreams.

For this reason, they usually have a strong pull toward healing and have often worked to heal deep trauma to improve their connections with others but haven't found a way to integrate it into the area of health and weight loss.

If you’re interested in learning more about my online program, Nourished, send me an email (cschandnutrition@gmail.com) subject: Nourished for more information and we’ll see if it’s a good fit for you so you can get started ASAP.