I’ve spent years learning to listen to my body and eat in a way that is satisfying to me and fuels my life. It’s been a slow progression for me, though I’ve felt in a rut with it for a good long while, but I’ve had a breakthrough that I think is worth sharing:
Finding a physical activity that I really love has made eating well really easy all of a sudden, because I want to have the feel good enough and have the stamina to bike. Maybe I had it backwards before. I was waiting to feel better (meaning less under siege from IBS symptoms) to add some more physical activity in my life. I would try and try and I just couldn’t get there. Perhaps it is just hard to do nice things for yourself (like eat well) when you’re frustrated from not really living life.
What do I mean by eating well? I simply mean eating in a way that is healthy for me, is satisfying and doesn’t trigger the IBS monster. It has meant no longer force-feeding myself the vegetables that make me sick and eating more fruit that doesn’t make me sick. It has meant not being afraid to drink a 7-Up, if my tummy is acting up, even if the old eating disordered troll in my head wants to complain about the calories (“You eat so much sweet stuff already! Do you really have to drink this stuff that doesn’t taste that great to you yet still has calories, but will make you feel hugely better when you’re having a nauseous day?!?”). It means I eat cookies when I want to, but it is intuitive not to go overboard on them, because I won’t be able to go out and play if I do, because I’ll be too sick. This morning it meant carrot cake and tea for breakfast. I am finding more ways to get protein in my diet (I am mostly vegetarian and married to a man allergic to soy/nuts, so this gets complicated).
My digestive system approves. My IBS has flared up a little here and there, but not nearly as often as it has in the last five years – about once week now compared to three or four times a week before. I feel so much better and I’m having fun. Yay HAES and Fatosphere for helping to make this possible.
–AngryGrayRainbows
Yay! for finding the path that works for you!
I think many of us fall for the assumption that there is one particular order for the changes to go in, and then get frustrated when we can’t make it past the ‘first’ hurdle. It doesn’t occur to us that we could try it in a different order. After all, self-care isn’t a trip across a specific physical terrain. If I go on a trip across the US and want to pass Hawaii on my way from Virginia to New Hampshire… that’s a mighty big detour that doesn’t make sense. But if eating well to move well isn’t working for me, well, I can always try moving well to eat well instead.
Flexibility is key to finding a new way to live in the world.
Oooo.. this comment is awesome. Maybe it deserves its own blog post!
Thank you for the words of wisdom, Twistie. You captured what I said in such a helpful way… I will try never to forget it.
Thank you for this. It’s encouraging to my own recovery 🙂
Thanks for the comment! I’m glad to hear my little post could do some good.
I love this and totally sympathize! Keep on enjoying eating and activity (in whichever order you like!)
Great for you!
Thinking about that, starting with doing something you love is win-win — either the rest will follow in a feedback loop of feeling better and having more energy, and if not, you are still doing something you love.