Mindset, Affirmations, and Intuitive Eating

“Butterflies in your stomach” is the classic example of the brain-gut connection. The mind and the feelings that go along with it have real effects on the body and wellness. 

When a psychological condition such as disordered eating is at play, feeding alone doesn’t “cure” the person. Treatment may involve re-introducing the body to food, but much of the treatment is for the mind. Some examples of psychotherapy for eating disorders are:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify and develop coping strategies for challenges in their lives. CBT works to reshape ways of thinking that will eventually shape behavior.
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) unpacks the emotions that come forth while identifying specific thoughts, usually surrounding a traumatic event.
• Interpersonal Psychotherapy addresses social relationships, which is especially relevant in persons with eating disorders because of the effect society and upbringing has on a person’s relationship with food and body.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on facing rather than denying inner emotions and being okay with the uncontrollable or unpredictable.

Nutrition counseling always includes some degree of psychotherapy because of the undeniable connection between mindset and food. 

“Ideally people should be eating to nourish themselves to make sure their body, and their brain are working appropriately, so that they can live their best life, but then if other things start influencing that that’s when I think seeking help is appropriate.” -Holly S. Peek, MD, MPH

Why do two people eat the same thing, and for one it feeds an eating disorder, and for the other, it is just food? The biggest difference is their mindset. 

Two places in the Eating Disorder Cycle where we can interrupt and change our mindset are when we are “unhappy with body weight or shape” and when we have “physical and mental feelings of deprivation.” 

Changing your mindset is not easy. Powerful changes are seldom easy.

Change your mindset about your body:

• Appreciate what your body allows you to do.
• Name an aspect of your body that you love, and find a new thing to name every day.
• Don’t beat yourself up for thinking unkind thoughts about your body (see: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). Ask yourself where these thoughts are coming from. Ask if they are factual.

Change your mindset about eating from deprivation to abundance:

• Let your hunger and satisfaction dictate your eating.
• Ignore what society or anyone else says about your plate. You know your body and what it needs best.
• No foods are off limits.

Start your Intuitive Eating journey here.

The Power of Affirmations

Just like messages from billboards, magazines, and Instagram have made us believe in one “right way” for a body to look, we can give ourselves positive messages through affirmations to change our beliefs.

Affirmation Ideas

A few ways to incorporate affirmations into your life are by reciting them out loud in a mirror, repeating them mentally in a quiet space, or writing them in a journal.

My body is worthy of respect.

My body is worthy of nourishment no matter its shape or size.

The number on the scale or the size of my jeans does not change my worth.

I am so much more than the body I reside in.

I can have this food anytime I want.

I can eat in abundance until I am satisfied.

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