The word ‘self-care’ gets thrown around a lot in intuitive eating. But in what context? Being nice to yourself in your mind? Relaxing into a deep bubble bath? These things do come under self-care, however, when it comes to intuitive eating, self-care goes a lot deeper than that. This article delves deeper into self-care and how you can go about achieving it.
What is ‘self-care?’
The World Health Organisation defines ‘self-care’ as “the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.”1 This is a very subjective definition and will mean different things to different people.
In intuitive eating, self-care is a very relevant component. For example, have you ever noticed that your appetite is all over the place after a night out with lack of sleep? How would you be able to tune in with your appetite signals if you consistently didn’t have enough sleep or eat enough food on a regular basis? It just wouldn’t be possible. The absence of self-care can cause disruptions of our interoceptive awareness within the body, making it harder to respond to our internal cues. Therefore, if you are new to intuitive eating and struggling with the concept, checking your level of self-care can be a good place to start.
There are different types of self-care; the concept of self-care for your physical body, as already touched upon, is well recognised within society. Care such as eating enough, sleeping enough, and moving the body regularly is well associated with health in society. But what about the other types of self-care?
Supportive relationships
Supportive relationships are hugely important for our self-care. As humans, we crave social connection. But not everybody has a supportive social bubble, and this can have a huge negative impact on health. For example, do you have someone you can talk to if you’re feeling low? Are the people in your life kind and loving? Do they respect you and support you in everything you do? If your answer to any of these questions is no, you could be missing something in your life. How can you increase this level of self-care? Do you need to set boundaries with any negative people in your life? Would it help to put yourself out there and find a new supportive group of friends? Do you need to schedule time out in your diary to make sure that you get to spend time with the people who matter most in your life? I personally get a huge mental boost after seeing my friends, then make a mental note to remind myself not to leave it as long to see them again next time! Does this relate?!
Mindful, non-judgemental awareness
Are you hurting yourself with your own judgmental thoughts? Do you judge yourself for your own thoughts and feelings? What about being judgmental about your body? Judgemental thoughts can stem from beliefs which could have been picked up in childhood or from others. Constantly judging yourself is tiring and can be a huge disruptor to being able to tune in with your body and being at peace with the real you. Next time you find yourself having judgmental thoughts, have an awareness of them. Recognise the judgement and put it down as it’s not serving you. Remember that it’s normal to have all sorts of thoughts and feelings.
Self-compassion and purpose
Do you ever find that it’s so much easier to have compassion for others than for yourself? The more self-compassion you have for yourself, the smoother the intuitive eating journey (and other things in life) can be. It can be very time consuming to have negative thoughts and beat yourself up over things. By recognising that you’re human and that the whole of life is a learning process, where we learn by making mistakes, then it’s easier to move onto your next task/venture and have more chance of success.
Another form of self-care is having purpose. It can sound very philosophical to ask, ‘what is your purpose in life?’ but ultimately you will be happier and more fulfilled in your day-to-day life if you’re doing something which gives you satisfaction. Do you currently wish the workday away because you hate it? Do you wish you’d trained to do something else? It’s never too late to start doing what you really want in life.
Mindful relaxation
Do you allow yourself time to relax? We’re probably all familiar with getting the feeling of ‘burn-out’ every now and again. Sometimes all we need is to schedule some relaxation time into the diary. This is one which tends to get missed if life is busy however, by fitting in even just half an hour to just relax, you could find yourself being more productive throughout the rest of your day because of it. This time could be anything from getting lost in good book, chilling with a friend, being creative, listening to a podcast, or taking a sunset stroll. What helps you slow down your mind and relax?
Personal boundaries
Have you ever felt burnt out because you wanted to be that person that says ‘yes’ to everything then find yourself running around like a crazy person trying to fit everything in?! We can all probably relate to this at some point, however, over-committing yourself could be doing more harm to yourself than good. It’s important to work out a schedule which is manageable and also be making sure that you’re getting a good balance in your life between meeting demands and doing the things which are important to you. Setting personal boundaries could include, saying no, keeping your work life separate from your home life, and making sure that you have a welcoming, comfortable home environment to come back to and relax in.
Is there anything missing?
How much do you relate to these self-care practices? Is there anything which stands out as something which has been missing from your routine? When you’re looking after yourself and feeling fulfilled in all aspects of your life, it becomes a lot easier to tune in with your body and recognise your internal cues. Intuitive eating is not just about focussing on food, it’s about your whole lifestyle.
If you’re interested in learning more about the process of intuitive eating, book your discovery call with Hattie here! Have you enjoyed reading this article? Head to the blog to find out more about intuitive eating and the harm in dieting.
References
- World Health Organisation (2021). What do we mean by self-care? Available from: WHO | What do we mean by self-care? (Accessed 1st October 2021)
