Follow your body’s healthy desire

You have read it here lots of times: my suggestion to follow your body. Only your body. Your inner truth. Nothing else. In each moment. No dogma, no rules, no expectations – neither those of others nor your own. And this applies to your food choices as well as to all other choices you need to make in your life.

Because this is the one way to happiness, to health. In the end, this is what freedom means. You, only you, deciding, what you allow in your body, what you will do, and what you won’t. And it is the only way to a truly nourishing and satisfying way of eating and living. Only what is in harmony with your real needs and you inner truth, will make you happy and content.

Today, i want to have a closer look at this. How does this work, following your own body? How can i do this, in everyday life? Doesn’t it take some discipline, strict rules, knowledge about nutrients etc, to thrive and be happy on a raw vegan diet? What do i do if my body is craving unhealthy food, fast food, – this is not healthy desire, is it?

It’s a journey. Your journey. To nourish yourself, following your body. To create your life, following your body. You are the only one you can walk this path. And it will bring you exactly where you are meant to be.

Be here

It does not take much. One thing only: the willingness, to be here. In this moment. In your body. Again and again. In each moment. To return here whenever you feel that you got lost.

Allow yourself the joy, the pleasure, the freedom to make your own decisions. To choose for yourself what you will do. Now. Only now. It is about this moment. Not about making plans for the week, the year. Not about reaching an aim at a certain date.

No matter if it is about your next meal, or about how to deal with difficult situations, about your job, the place you want to live, whatever. You choose. Only you. Out of the belly, out of your body. Let’s stick to choices around food for this article – around your challenges to transition to a more healty, more natural, raw vegan diet. Yet, you can apply all this to all other areas of your life as well.

Letting go

Okay then. Let go of all rules, all ideas, all formulas, all pressure. No meal plans, no lists of superfoods you need. No rules as to food combinations, how much fat/carbs/proteins/calories you need. No thoughts about shoulds and shouldn’ts. No feelings of guilt for “exceptions” – where there is no rule, you don’t need to name anything an exception. Remember: the way you are feeding yourself does not make you a better or worse person.

Holding still

If you are feeling fear, uncertainty, lack of plan: that’s okay. The unknown often makes us feel like this. Just notice your feelings. Feel your body. Nothing more, nothing less. No reaction needed. Just staying with it. Being you.

Sensing

Listen to your body when you are hungy.
When you feel your energy  going down, your optimism fading – you need to connect with yourself. Before you start looking for food.

Are you hungry?
Don’t stress yourself with fixed mealtimes. Eat at exactly the time when you are ready.
Listen to your body, what does it want? What are your appetites? What smells good, what tastes good, what is attracting you?
Then, listen to your body while eating.
Notice how you feel – and choose again the next time. Maybe even better.

Relax

Allow yourself to make mistakes. And to admit them. Be happy about the opportunity to choose again the next time, even more in accordance with your inner truth.

Connect

What is really nourishing you, is this deep connection with yourself. To really feel into what you need, what you want. And to give it to you, in each moment. No moment is like the other. It’s not about putting up you own new rules. It’s about becoming silent, again and again. Each day – even if it’s only for a few moments. The more often you connect with yourself, the better you will be able to hear, feel, your body and your inner truth, the more clear this inner wisdom will flow through your body. And you will easily choose exactly the kind of food that is good for you, more and more often. Your appetite, the healthy desire of your body, will show you, what you need.

And that’s what it is all about. Not about what others are telling you. You feel like you feel. Each one of us is unique. Knowing what works good for me will not tell you anything about your body’s needs. Feel free to get inspired, by me, by others – and check in with yourself, ask your body, before choosing if this is something you want to do.

Maybe you will feel that your body is desiring a big green salad, while your head is demanding a pizza. You are free. It’s your choice. No rules. Notice the feelings around this decision. Hold still. And when you feel ready: choose. Notice then – how does it taste, how does it feel in your body. While eating, after eating. And tomorrow, you will choose again. Your freedom. Your responsibility.

Silence

Whenever you need it, move away from situations or people where you lose your sense of self. Where you cannot feel your body, your inner truth anymore. Relax and hold still, until you are back with yourself. Then you will experience how easy it is to say no to whatever is not good for you in this moment.

Enjoy the journey

Most of us have been shaped for years by artificial, deliberately addictive food, and by reams of images and ideas about nutrition that have been put into our heads by advertising, by recommendations, by our family, by books and expert advice. And which have separated us from our natural inner knowledge.

Finding our way back to our own truth, on all levels, is a path. An exciting path. A path that, if you allow yourself, can be full of joy and pleasure.

Enjoy this journey! Back to yourself and your inner truth.