Emmie got me thinking this morning about what will really work best to get me and my body and mind to a place where we all feel good, energetic, and at our best. I’m definitely headed in the right direction, but I’m still struggling a lot, and it’s time to look for ways to help myself move forward. Progress is good. It’s healthy. It helps me stay positive and on track.
So, this morning, as I read through the post, I had a bit of an epiphany. I have been coming at intuitive eating from the standpoint that it must be in the moment, immediate, instantaneous food choices or I won’t truly be honoring my body. But here’s the thing. For the most part, after years of, well, eating, I know quite a bit about how my body responds to most foods. I’m learning that intuitive eating isn’t so much about what I feel like eating at a given moment, but about what response it will provoke in my body. Armed with a fairly well stocked encyclopedia of how my body responds to certain foods, I totally CAN plan ahead.
I’m stealing Emmie’s category headers, because each one provoked a response for me, and I want to talk about them.
Adjust your schedule: I really fall down on this one. Emmie points out that while we think the hardest part of a workout is the workout itself, I’ve noticed that getting there, getting up from my desk, making the time… THAT is my struggle. So I’m going to start scheduling my workouts again. I’ve made a spot in my work calendar for lunch/gym breaks, so now I need to plan specifically what will happen for those breaks. I know I’ll need to be flexible, and I’m ready for that. For sure, my workouts will now include one Pilates session, one yoga session, and one long walk every week, along with some more consistent strength training. And god, as I type that out I realize how amazing that sounds to me. Just the thought of that workout schedule makes me excited, makes my heart all aflutter. E voila, intuition…
Adjust your sleep: Under no circumstances do I get enough sleep. I’m always tired, and it’s not helping. It makes motivation harder to come by, and it makes it easier to eat foods that don’t feel good.
Adjust your stress: This one is super tough for me, since I honestly believe most of my stress comes from outside. However, I can practically hear Karen in my head, reminding me that it’s all about how I process that outside influence, whether or not I allow it to stress me out. So I’m working on slowing down in general, taking things in stride, and making plans to cope with stress. I’m also trying to intentionally add more yoga/Pilates into my schedule, which will help with stress levels for sure.
Adjust your shopping: Aaron and I just talked about this last night. I wanted to get back to cleaner eating, and I had a plan to do so, but (frankly) i ignored the plan because I was concerned about the extra costs. After talking to Aaron, we realized we’re actually eating a lot of processed foods right now, and that portion for portion they’re definitely more expensive, and less satisfying as well.
Adjust your family: This one is easier for me. Emmie says to cut back on the eating out. We eat out once a week, maximum, and we nearly always go somewhere like Panera where healthier choices are easier. Our snacks at home are incredibly healthy since Evi picks them out and leans toward healthy stuff naturally. Still, I’ll work to be more mindful.
Adjust your mind: This is a BIG one for me. I’m not sure, but I think it is going to mean a return to more regular blogging. I most certainly can’t afford therapy, so this is a pretty great substitute for me. I have to be vigilant about really thinking through what’s going on in my head. I have to be honest with myself, and with this blog. It’s a long process, but I’m ready for it. I’m also going to start trying a little harder with my fashion. I’ve fallen into a rut, telling myself it’s about ease and comfort, that doesn’t make me feel good about the way I look. I have some decent stuff, so it’s time to take a little more pride in myself.
Adjust your body: I’ve had more than my fair share of testing done lately, so I think I’m in pretty good shape in terms of understanding where my body currently is. What I need to do now is focus on keeping it that way. I need to be paying careful attention to my pain levels, to my stretches and strength building exercises, and to progress markers, no matter how small.
And so here we are. You’re four today.
