5 Thoughts: Including IE and Being in a Larger Body

We’re still at home in Indianapolis until we fly back to Boston tomorrow night. So I’m seeing a few clients early this morning and tomorrow morning and then relaxing in the 80 degree sunshine with the fam. It’s been a really, really wonderful and relaxing weekend seeing family <3 I hope you had a restful weekend too and are settling back into the week!

Momma Coale’s Cooking

We grilled out for Mother’s Day yesterday and it was perfect. No matter how much my brother’s and I insist on helping my mom cook, the woman cannot completely step away from the kitchen. But then again, food always tastes better when she’s involved so it was a tag team effort. We baked ribs, made the cheesiest and most delicious mac and cheese, a spinach strawberry feta salad and sautéed asparagus and snap peas with lemon and parmesean cheese. And we had blueberry and apple pie for dessert. Food happiness. I could cook the exact same recipe as my mom, but her version will always taste better. Why is that?? I feel the same way when someone else makes a salad for me.

Intuitive Eating and Being in a Larger Body

I had a blog reader leave a really thoughtful comment on last Monday’s post about intuitive eating when you live in a larger body. She opened up a really good conversation on how there isn’t as much discussion around intuitive eating for women in larger bodies like there is around women in smaller bodies. First, she’s right. And I do want to contribute more to that conversation. I wrote a post a while back on intuitive eating when you’re in a larger body that I hope is a good start to this conversation. And I hope it sheds a lot of light on what the Health At Every Size and Intuitive Eating philosophies really mean. The principles of intuitive eating apply for anyone in any body size.

If you aren’t getting hunger and fullness cues, in the beginning of your journey, you have to first work on getting into a pattern with eating where you learn to eat rhythmic, balanced meals (meaning you include all the macronutrients in all your meals) so you can essentially wake back up your metabolism and digestive tract if it’s been slowed down for a while. Often, you have to lay the foundation of these basic eating skills so your body is adequately nourished before you can move on to other intuitive eating skills. That is for every person, no matter if you’re recovering from being very underweight or you’ve been living in a larger body. I know everyone living in a larger body doesn’t have a diet history or disordered relationship with food, but I do want to recognize that possiblity. Disordered eating and eating disorders don’t discriminate. I have worked with plenty of patients and clients in larger bodies who are starving themselves. So know that just because you live in a larger (or normal sized) body, that doesn’t exclude your body from the possibility of being undernourished.

Engaging in joyful movement also might look different from person to person depending on their desires, their body’s capabilities and their body size. That’s okay. That’s the beauty of HAES – exercise isn’t about following a certain set of rules or a laid out routine. It’s about finding movement that YOU enjoy and movement that enhances your health at that time. The types of movement you engage in can absolutely change as life circumstances change.

I think it’s important for me and anything else living in a culturally depicted “normal” sized body to recognize that me and you have thin privilege. And because of that, we don’t know what it’s like to be stigmatized and shamed because of our weight. With a lot of learning and self reflection I’ve come to realize that and I hope others can too. My heart completely empathizes with those of you who experience weight stigma and shame. Your journey with Health At Every Size (HAES) and intuitive eating (IE) will present more challenges than my journey because of our diet culture and fat phobic society and I hate that for you. What I do know is that I have devoted my career to the HAES mission and I’m continually advocating on your behalf.

Buffalo Sauce

Ever since I picked up a bottle of buffalo sauce to make buffalo chicken in our Instant Pot last week, I’ve been pouring it on almost everything. We eat a lot of Frank’s Red Hot and Cholula (more Frank’s because why is Cholula so $$?) but I now have a new favorite condiment. I’ve had buffalo sauce often in the past (hello buffalo chicken dip you are a dream) but I think I forget how much better it tastes to me than hot sauce. I don’t know what it is, but I’m into it. I made cheesy egg toast for breakfast a few times last week with buffalo sauce drizzled on top and it satisfied all my savory breakfast tastebuds. All I did was toast the bread, scrambled a couple eggs, then top with sharp cheddar and but the toast under the broiler for a few minutes until melty. Then drizzle on as much buffalo sauce as your heart desires.

Homemade Cold Brew

I’m talked about food a lot in these five thoughts, but that seems fitting. I’ve never made homemade cold brew before, but after being in Florida back in March and seeing my friend’s brother make it so easily, Nick and I decided this is going to be the summer we start making our own. The best part is, you actually don’t need to use super high quality beans to make high quality cold brew and cold brew experts (is that a thing?) actually suggest you save your really good beans for hot coffee. Nick got me this cold brew maker for my birthday and so far, it’s working out quite well. Highly recommend if you’re an iced coffee fan and you want to save a lot of dollas by not buying cold brew all summer long.

Goals for this Week

Each week I write down three goals for the week. Nothing is hard and fast, I’m trying to be gentler with myself and remember that it’s okay if somehow I got over ambitious and all three don’t get done. But having those three things at the front of my mind for the week, does help focus my time when I’m not seeing clients are doing blog writing. This week I’m hoping to record the first half of a new mini course I’m releasing soon on bridging the gap between medical diagnoses and the Health At Every Size/Intuitive Eating philosophies. I’m also hoping to do 5 hours of set aside time for learning/research. And lastly, I’m hoping to submit a speaking proposal. I tend to get overwhelmed and stressed with more defined goal setting than this (I know a lot of people would disagree, but that’s me) so if you do too, know that I’m with you.

What are a few things you want to accomplish this week?

Happy Monday!