Intuitive Eating Challenge: Day Five View your setbacks as learning opportunities.

I'm going to share a personal experience with you today in hopes that this resonates with some of you. Flash back to Superbowl Sunday about a year ago. I was at a friend's place for a Superbowl party, and I definitely overate...and more than just a little bit. While I was doing it, I knew it was happening, and I knew why. I was slightly hung-over, I had barely slept on Saturday night and was exhausted, and I was overwhelmed and stressed about everything I had coming up during the next week. I just felt overall crappy. In my head I knew that food would not help, but it was comforting at the time. But after about two chocolate chip cookies too many, I took a breathe, noticed what was happening, and asked myself what I needed. I needed to go home. I needed to get a good night sleep, I needed a productive day the next day, I needed time to think to myself which I hadn't had all weekend. I needed to take care of myself. So I picked myself up and left the party a little bit early and went home. For me. In the past, I would have completely binged on a night like that night. I would have felt the feelings of discomfort, overwhelm, and confusion and would have dove into food as comfort and release. I would have had eight chocolate chip cookies instead of two. And

honestly, I wouldn't have even been able to tell you what I was feeling. I was so out of touch. But now, when I notice myself overeating, I quickly see it as a sign that something is wrong, and as a potential learning opportunity. I see my moments of overeating as red flags. Red flags that say that something is going on, and I ask myself what it is that I need in that moment. I take the time to check in with myself, understand and recognize my feelings, and give myself the love and care that I need in that moment. I want you to see that this is a journey, and that I still have some moments where I use food as comfort. The difference now is that I simply view these times as a chance to learn, as a point of insight into myself, instead of bashing myself and seeing myself as a failure. I've learned how to understand my feelings and make changes in the moment in order to take care of myself, which has caused the frequency and extent of my overeating to lessen over time. Over the next few weeks, you may also have "setbacks", but I hope that you too can view your potential setbacks on this Intuitive Eating journey as learning points. As ways to learn more about yourself. What you like, what you don't like, what causes you to overeat, what you are feeling at any given time. What you need more of and less of in your life at that moment.

Share with us: • Can you relate to this story? • Can you start to think about why you are overeating? Start to identify what needs

you are trying to fill through eating?

Xo, Jamie