Stay Attuned ™: The E-zine for Nourishing ConnectionsYour journey to freedom from food and weight struggles presents an opportunity for not only a new relationship with food, but also a new relationship with yourself and others. Ultimately, it is a journey of nourishing connections with yourself, others--and yes--even food. Stay Attuned™ is committed to supporting you in this journey and to helping you develop nourishing connections that will last a lifetime. Remember, a journey always starts with one small step.... From fellow travelers,
Nourishing Nuggets"Hunger and satiation are the guides to natural body weight…. to feeding oneself with integrity." "Trust develops and builds when I am given a choice (and not, as in dieting, denied it). Trust develops when I choose to make myself comfortable, not miserable, to take care of myself rather than hurt myself." Reflections for Staying Attuned"Experts" advise us to control hunger, count calories, watch portion sizes. How is it that these "experts" forget that we are born with the ability to eat when we're hungry and quit when we're satisfied? Babies self regulate food intake. They eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full, resulting in adequate nutrition for their growth needs. As adults, we too can self regulate food intake. However, for many of us, this innate ability has been overridden by the external "controls" we have come to believe are needed to keep us in line. "Avoid carbs." "Eat all of your dinner before dessert." "Substitute rice cakes for bread to be more satisfied." "Don't eat after 7 o'clock at night." And, of course, the ubiquitous, "Cut back on your food to lose some weight." Over time, these external messages influence many of our eating decisions. The lack of trust inherent in these messages is clear. So is the fear of what the body will do if left to its own devices. No wonder our society believes we must control, ignore, and/or eliminate hunger. However, increasing numbers of researchers, professionals and successful ex-dieters believe that all this control is counterproductive. To argue otherwise misses one essential fact: Self-"control" can occur naturally —as we become aware, and as we become attuned eaters. Trusting and honoring our hunger are cornerstones of attuned eating. In fact, learning to honor hunger sets the stage for rebuilding trust with not only food, but also with ourselves--trust that we are capable of managing our hungers and our weight without external controls, and trust that we are capable of managing ourselves and our lives. Stay Attuned TipIt is time to reclaim your birthright to manage your own food intake. For a week, listen for "control" messages—in your own mind and in the world around you. Each time you hear one of these messages, repeat this month's affirmation (below). Remember, your body is trustworthy! Stay Attuned Affirmation "I trust my body to manage my hungers." What's New at Nourishing ConnectionsThe latest research shows that our bodies really are trustworthy! Check out the latest on intuitive eating at our Research and Such page. Feedback and ClosingWelcome to our new subscribers, and hello to current members! Stay Attuned™ exists for you. If you have ideas for topics or feedback (did you try an idea? how did it go?), please write us at dr.k@nourishingconnections.com. Spread the WordFeel free to forward this E-zine to others. We just ask that you keep the E-zine intact, including contact and copyright information. For any other use, written permission is required. And thank you for sharing Stay Attuned™! Subscribe or UnsubscribeTo subscribe (to join), email join-stayattuned@list.nourishingconnections.com. To unsubscribe (be removed from list), email leave-stayattuned@list.nourishingconnections.com. Delivery Problems If you experience delivery problems, check here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stay Attuned™ is written by Karin Kratina, PhD, RD © Copyright 2006. Dr. Karin Kratina and Amy Tuttle. All rights reserved. ~~~~~ DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to constitute a professional relationship between Karin or Amy or the reader, nor is it intended as therapy or counseling. Be sure to consult a qualified professional if you require medical or psychological services. |