In this week of self-care, I’ve been asking myself what I need. I seem to observe a slight shift in me after these 6 weeks of deep reflection. The idea of gentle eating and gentle nutrition starts to appeal to me. The idea of feeling light and satisfied most of the time, and feeding my body with nutritious, healthy and delicious foods.

Take the feeling of having eaten beyond a comfortable level. In the past, using the weight paradigm, such experience would cause a fear of gaining weight, seasoned with a dose of guilt and a pinch of shame (why can’t I just control myself?). But as I gradually reject dieting, and as I realized I do not need weight loss as badly as I thought, the way I look at such an experience is starting to change. My focus shifts on the uncomfortable feeling of being stuffed: discomfort in my stomach and belly, feeling lethargic, emotionally numb, incomplete. Speaking of self-care and needs: I need to liberate myself from the habit of eating beyond the comfort level.

I think I’m starting to get ready for some gentle practice. Some mindful eating, trying to respond to satiety signals. No rush, no pressure. No right or wrong – understanding and accepting where my current behavior is coming from, and that this is a slow, and foremost a healing process. I will use the next week’s principle “discover the satisfaction factor” to experiment with this and try to set up a workable practice that fits where I am right now. After that, there will also be the last of the 10 principles “honor your health”, promoting gentle wholesome nutrition. I catch glimpses of getting ready for that too.