I have started a dialogue with my body.

We have full conversations. Now that I’m good enough and willing to listen, it has a lot to say.

For the last few day’s, I’ve been checking in right when I wake up.

Brain: Good morning!

Body: Hmmm, ‘morning. Stretch me!

I stretch and yawn as I lie there, slowly rebooting myself, getting ready for the day.

Brain: I love you!

I realize I’m hugging myself gently, and it feels nice.

Body: Mmmm, I love cuddles.

I roll over and give my husband a good morning hug too. Might as well share the love.

It’s a nice way to wake up.

Once I’m out of bed, I ask my body “Want some  breakfast right away, or just tea for the moment?”

Today all I wanted was tea for the first hour I was awake. The last few days I was ravenous the instant I was awake.

I’ve been checking in on what to eat too.  “What would you like for breakfast?”

Some granola, coconut milk and a hard-boiled egg.

That was different and unexpected. I’ve had an over medium egg with a slice of gluten-free bread spread with natural peanut butter and some blackberry jam every morning for months. I guess my body is sick of the routine.  It was pretty tasty.

We’ve been having multiple conversations like this a day, every time I go to eat something. It’s been illuminating. I think I’m making better choices because I know I’ll be running them past my body first, but my body did surprise me. Yesterday afternoon I had eaten a couple Udi’s gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. Then later, I wanted more, so I asked how that would feel, expecting a No way, Jose! response, but I got a have ‘atter! instead.  After dinner, I had this unceasing desire for the last 2 cookies. Again, I was expecting a negative when I asked my body how it felt about that, but the reply came That’s fine if you eat some protein with it as well. I mean, it’s not ideal, but it’s not gonna be terrible either. Definitely won’t be a weight loss day though. Huh. Interesting. I ate the cookies along with 12 almonds. You know, I didn’t feel terrible after, but the sixth cookie wasn’t as tasty as the first 5 that day.

Laying in bed, before falling asleep I spent some time expressing love and gratitude to my body. In a dialogue, get your mind out of the gutters, hehe. But it was a lot easier to say “Body, I love you!” and mean it knowing I wasn’t gonna be denied copious amounts of cookies if I really felt the need to eat them.