When I first started intuitive eating, I don’t think I even called it that.
I came to it very organically – I didn’t read the book until I had been coaching for years.
Here’s how it unfolded…
After struggling with disordered eating for nearly 10 years, I was at the end of my rope.
I remember being on 9th Street in New York, where I lived for 7 years, and having this distinct realization that yo-yo’ing with food was breaking me down, creating an acidic environment in my body.
I couldn’t restrict myself anymore – at all.
I couldn’t handle the rollercoaster of restricting then overeating.
I couldn’t handle the constant media onslaught.
I had to trust myself and allow my inner guide – my intuition – to be my teacher.
I knew the only option for me, personally – for my mental and physical health – was to eat whatever I wanted and listen to how my body responded.
Did I overeat at first?
Yes, of course, because I had been restricting and I finally had freedom to eat anything.
But then, as I got used to food freedom – vs constant cycles of restricting then overeating – it became easier to slow down, to listen, and to eat the right amount for my body.
I slowly tapered overeating until I completely stopped, because I was no longer deprived – physically or mentally.
I could eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to – nothing was scarce.
It became natural to just eat what truly felt good on all levels, in the right amount, at the right time.
When you fully and truly stop restricting food, the need to overeat (and then restrict again) disappears.
But this can be complex.
It’s very common and understandable to have big blindspots around your own food behavior.
Working with coaches and therapists helped reveal my blindspots.
While my primary guide has always been my intuition, the people I worked with were absolutely key, and I’m so grateful for them.
If you’re looking for extra support with intuitive eating and food freedom, follow me on Instagram @lulaibrown.
I’m feeling super excited and inspired to share the practice that’s changed my life the most, and that’s blown me away with its efficacy in clients.
XO,
Lula