In Intuitive Eating, obstacles are teachers

When you're dieting, any challenge that pops up is meant to be whacked like a carnival mole. Obstacles in this sense are all about overcoming, overriding, vanquishing, and emerging victorious. This seems ok, until it isn't. Once we hit an obstacle that truly challenges us - and admittedly, many of us are in a diminished state at this point from deprivation - the only option seems to be surrender.

On the Intuitive Eating path, on the other hand - much like any part of life according to Buddhist philosophy - obstacles are considered teachers. That is, what arises as a challenge is exactly what you need to work with at that moment - whether the "work" looks like navigation or simply noticing.

The reason this is so important to understand is that many of us beginning (or continuing) on the Intuitive Eating path might mistake obstacles for evidence that it's "not for me." That their worst fears are true: their bodies ARE different from everyone else's, that they CAN'T trust their bodies, that it will ALWAYS feel as uncomfortable as it does right now.

FALSE FALSE FALSE

Encountering obstacles on the Intuitive Eating path is an opportunity. An opportunity to work with difficulty, to expand our capacity to tolerate it, to soften toward ourselves, to reconnect with our values, and to discover the true nature of our bodies, minds, and hearts.

I implore you - as you embark on (or deepen) your Intuitive Eating path, regard your personal obstacles as your personal teachers - exactly what you need, right on time.

If this is too difficult to do alone, you don't have to. Take advantage of support groups, free resources such as podcasts, or individual support.You can do this.