Let’s break down hunger cues for dancers.
Dancers can especially struggle with hunger cues and mixed signals when it comes to food. Diet culture, food rules, poor body image, disordered eating, and using food as a coping mechanism all affect our relationship to food and to our bodies. Not only do they cause us to overthink meal times and induce anxiety around situations with food, but they also alter our ability to be able to listen to our hunger and fullness cues.
It can be frustrating to feel out of control around certain foods, or unable to stop eating until you reach the point of absolute discomfort. When I found myself here, I felt defeated. I just wanted to eat like a “normal” person. I didn’t want to have to worry about eating perfectly, and feel consumed by food. I could not concentrate on my dancing because I was not giving my body enough energy, yet food and food choices were constantly on my mind.
The journey towards intuitive eating and re-establishing hunger and fullness cues can be a long and sometimes frustrating process. It’s not always straight-forward, and sometimes it feels like traveling backwards before making any progress. But working towards balance in intuitive eating provides so many little victories that fuel the process towards reconnecting your mind and body and healing your relationship with food. Read More