Dealing With Weight Gain While Intuitive Eating

If you're looking to end your dieting and restricting by practicing intuitive eating, weight gain is normal. I'm not saying it's easy to deal with mentally or physically, but it is needed.

When I began intuitive eating, I gained weight. I reintroduced myself to bread, ice cream, pasta, sweet potatoes, chocolate, bagels without guilt. It wasn't easy though, guilt tended to show itself but I kept trying to ignore it. With the new food I began to eat, my body hung onto it. I finally stopped starving myself and feeling guilt for wanting a sandwich.

Understand Your Weight Will Stabilize 

It's hard to pinpoint how your body will react to intuitive eating, everyone is different. According to studies related to eating disorders, it is proved that your body will soon hit a "set point" while intuitive eating. 

Beyond The Scale stated, "Your set point weight may be higher than you’d like it to be (remember that this ideal is often shaped by diet culture) and years upon years of the dieting/binge/repeat cycle can push your natural set point up further."

After intuitive eating for a few months, it was not always sunshine and rainbows might I add, I finally hit a set point. I let my body decide what size it wanted to be and it was really incredible. I have never experienced this before because I always told it what I wanted. 

Things That Might Help While Going Through The Process

1. Avoid weighing yourself and body checking

2. Get rid of clothes that are uncomfortable

I got rid of clothes that were way too big or way too small to avoid intense body dysmorphia.

3. Unfollow/mute social media accounts that make you feel poorly about yourself

4. Surround yourself with people who are helping you grow/go in the right direction

5. Practice self-care

I'm not talking the Pinterest "bubble bath, nails done" self-care. I'm talking about quiet time alone, full night of sleep, full and balanced meals, creating/buying a meal you're excited about, putting down your phone.

An Important Reminder

If this was easy, no one would have an eating disorder. It is a process. You may revert back to a diet within days or weeks, the key is to keep going and to not give up. It is normal to feel uncomfortable and want to keep dieting. But remember that every single person who recovered from an eating disorder has NOT REGRETTED IT! Give yourself patience and love.