Becoming an Embodied Eater | EP.02

Chanci Dawn: 00:00:05

This show is about freedom. Freedom from your constant struggle with food and letting the size of your thighs determine your worth. Join me weekly for no whole fat, unfiltered girlfriend kind of conversations that will inspire, teach and empower you. As we tune into our own body's wisdom and tune out of the diet industry lives, we can live our most radiant, pleasurable and fulfilled lives. My name is Chanci Dawn. I'm a non diet nutritionist embodiment and mindset coach. But most importantly, I'm a woman on a mission to grow a deeply connected and conscious relationship with food and my body. And I'm here inviting you to do the same. Let's go.

Chanci Dawn: 00:00:52

Hello, welcome to today's show, oh, my goodness, I, ah, I'm feeling so freaking good. I just spent the morning drinking coffee in my hot tub reading a new novel, I made my bed extra special with new sheets and cuddled my cat. And then I sat down and wrote the notes for today's show. And I am feeling delicious and frickin inspired. So good. Ha. So today, I want to share with you what my take on embodied eating is. This is really my own version, what I've created over the years with my own experience with my training as a life coach, and also my training as a feminine embodiment coach, and as a holistic nutritionist. So there's lots of different programs, different approaches being thrown out there under the name of embodied eating, somatic eating, and obviously, intuitive eating. And all of that does come into play, right? There's a lot of different concepts and tools and approaches that are woven throughout my own approach. However, I what I do teach is unique, because like I said, it's a compilation of all of the different trainings and experiences I've had, and also what my own clients have had, so that I tweak things, right according to real life things, what are going what's actually going on for people. And in saying that, when working with me, every person's experience is different. So what might be a beautiful approach for one person needs to be tweaked for another. And that is also part of being embodied, right, knowing what is right for you, tuning into that deep wisdom, that deep trust and moving forward in a way that is like, magically, individually, yours.

Chanci Dawn: 00:03:13

So let's chat more about what embodied eating truly what embodied living is. To me, it is the most delicious thing you can ever do for yourself. When clients come to me, they always have this idea of what they think they will feel like once they lose their weight, and fit into society's warped standard of what the female body should look like. So it's really these feelings that we focus on first, how do you want to feel, and we start to create that now. So you do everything, and you don't do other things in order to feel a certain way. As humans, we're constantly being driven by our desired emotions. So again, that's where we start, we drop into that right now. And with that, knowing that losing weight fitting into a small little size, according to what society says, is not actually going to make you feel the way you want to feel. were lied to because obviously the diet industry wants to make so much money off you right way more than the $70 billion industry. It currently is. And it is smart. So it really does play on these emotions on that emotional level. So we check that out. We become so aware of this. And then like I said, we create that for you now, so frickin awesome.

Chanci Dawn: 00:05:11

Okay, so embodied eating is so much more than just paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues, and following your cravings and eating whatever you want, it's actually not that at all. Yes, it definitely is listening to your hunger and fullness cues, but it's going so much deeper than that. And when you go deep, when you learn how to trust yourself, when you learn how to communicate with your beautiful body, you will understand what these cravings are about. Okay, and this is a big part of it. I believe that the cravings that you have, are actually a beautiful opportunity to look deeper. And when you learn how to tune in to these internal felt senses, to these cues that your body is giving to you through things like cravings and other stuff. But cravings are a big one, you get to really develop this intense, beautiful, intimate, conscious relationship with your body and actually serve yourself in the way you deserve. So no, it's not about okay, I'm wanting to eat cookies. So I'm just going to sit here and eat all of these cookies, and then have a sugar high and go, You know about my life not really giving a shit, my gosh, not at all. And a lot of people actually have that idea that that what that is what embodied eating is right, it's like, I'm not going to die it anymore. So that means I'm just going to eat all the things. And when you're truly embodied, when you truly build this relationship that I'm talking about, and learn how to trust yourself. It is, it's such a different experience. It's something I can't even really explain it in words. It's something that you have to really experience for yourself. But let me just say and read it reiterate that, no, it's not eating all the things and letting yourself go, it is absolutely the opposite.

Chanci Dawn: 00:07:28

So when I am coaching a client on embodied eating, and working on this with myself, I really view it as relationship building. So I refer to my own body as the pronoun she. And that's what I really encourage you to do. Instead of looking at your body as an IT, something to control something to manipulate something to shrink. Instead, let's start looking at her as a she, she's a living, breathing animal, who you get to discover, you get to like go on this adventure with. And I want every single woman to start to feel like her body is her best friend. And this best friend of yours, it has great wisdom. And she wants you to learn how to tap into this wisdom, she wants you to trust her. Because she knows exactly how to guide you in the ways that will make you feel the most alive, the most free, the most radiant take May and magnetic. All of these juicy emotions that I was talking about before that we think we will finally feel when we shrink.

Chanci Dawn: 00:08:59

But your body knows how to make you feel this way now. And she'll show you how to eat, she'll show you how to move, how to seek the pleasure that she desires, what's the best for you even sleep, right? She'll show you what she needs to be able to have the most beautiful deep, wonderful restorative sleep. All of these different things your body is so deeply in tune with and aware of. And with embodiment, what we want to do is we want to wake that up. It's all there. And we get to wake it up and start to bubble it up so that our brains are aware and it's like this amazing relationship between your brain, your body, your spirit. Oh my goodness, I wish you were here with me right now again I just wish we could like sit across and have coffee and chat all about this, I want to know how you experience this deep wisdom right now. Even if you're incredibly, an embodied even if you are so disconnected, she's still speaking to you.

Chanci Dawn: 00:10:18

So, let's do a little exercise. Actually, I wasn't planning on this, but I think this would be a really neat thing to do right now. So if you are not driving, if you can do this safely, let's just drop into our bodies a little. And if not, if you are driving, or it's not a, you know, appropriate time, please go back and do this, because I think this is exactly what our bodies are needing in this very moment. Okay. So I invite you right now, to put one hand on your heart, and the other on your womb space. And if you don't have a womb, that is okay, energetically you do. So let's just drop into that. And believe that and welcome it. And right now, I invite you to pay attention to your breath, drawing your breath in through your mouth. And as you do expanding your heart space, allowing the space to open and expand. And awaken it to what's here for you right now. And without changing a thing with your breath, just allow it. Breathe in and out. And just notice any sensations coming up in your body, perhaps externally. Are you cold? How does your sweater or your shirt feel on your skin. Just notice that right now without changing anything. I'm moving my shoulders around to feel the beautiful softness of my sweater. I didn't even notice that until now. And now, check on what's going on inside.

Chanci Dawn: 00:12:35

Right now I can feel a little bit of anxiety feeling in my stomach a little rash. It's like butterflies. But I think it's just because this podcast is so important to me. And I always feel this way when I record and that's okay. And welcome this feeling. Breathing into it, allowing it what's coming up for you. I invite you to welcome it and breathe into it. Whatever is there. It's perfect. The goal here isn't just to feel good. It's to feel it all. And as you feel it all these emotions will move through you and you'll be able to go deeper with them. And when we feel the heart and we grow our capacity to be able to drop into the discomfort that sometimes there you will also grow your capacity on the other end to feel all those juicy, juicy emotions that are so fun to experience. And as I'm dropping into my body and feeling that swirly feeling, easing up. I'm feeling a warmth in my shoulders and in my chest. Feels good. And now I invite you to feel your left. sit bone. Wiggle your body around movement is really important. And embodiment. Allow yourself to move in whatever way your body is craving to do so right now. honor that. Let's feel into our right set bone.

Chanci Dawn: 00:14:55

Let's bring our attention to both hips left and right together. And again, moving your body, perhaps making some sounds sighing out whatever feels delicious to you. And now let's bring our attention to our womb space, our pelvic bowl, what's there for you right now? Again, without changing a thing, without any expectations or judgments, just notice. Do you feel anything? A lot of women are very numb. In this area, we are taught to disconnect from our bodies, we are taught to not trust ourselves. And if this is where you're at, that's okay. It all begins with awareness. Let's just feel it. And if you can even tap into that space right now, that's okay. I invite you just to feel what it feels like to have your hand on your stomach. And if that is too much for you, put your hand on your thigh or on your knee.

Chanci Dawn: 00:16:25

Do whatever feels right to you, and nourishing to you the start there. And if you do feel safe to have your hand on that wound space, just put it there as we drop this question into your body. How can I love you more? And without searching for an answer, or trying to think your way there, allow it to bubble up? How can I love you more? We make come as a vision. Your feeling state could even be a thought. Just allow it to show you. How can I love you more. So lovely. When you're ready, just open your eyes, come back to the show. And for me that question, my body actually just said, I need some water. I'm thirsty. And I wasn't aware of this until I did that. And that's what's so neat, right about embodiment. That was just one little exercise we call that dropping in. And that one little tool can start to really awaken your body, it can really start to just show you that she actually has a voice and hello again.

Chanci Dawn: 00:18:20

So you didn't know this. But I took a little intermission after our drop in together where my body was like I'm really thirsty. So I honored her it pushed pause and I went and had a yummy drink of water with lemon in it. And then I got to go for tea with one of my dearest friends. And it was just so fun after doing the show this morning recording it and talking about embodiment and just really dropping into it myself and reliving reliving the importance of this right as I'm teaching this to you, I'm reliving it and I'm like remembering how amazing this is. So even you know walking into the cafe felt sensual to me, I opened the door I walked in, there's a bit of a breeze, the smell of the pastries, the coffee and I saw my friends smile and I was just like, oh just so into the feeling of it all. And that is what happens. That is what happens when you become in tune with your body's internal felt senses when you become intentionally embodied when you wake up the senses. And then when you purposefully start to eat in a in an embodied way by listening to your body's wisdom for what is right for you. You will find that this pours into the rest of the areas of your life, how you dress yourself how you've move about your day, how you prepare your food, what you serve it on. How you go to bed at night like your bedtime? routines, my goodness, all of it, all of your entire life will be affected in a beautiful, tremendous way through embodied eating and living. And yes, okay, there's what else? Oh, yes, pleasure. I wrote some notes down here. And I don't want to leave without talking about this.

Chanci Dawn: 00:20:24

So in embodiment, one of the really important parts of your life that I invite you to pay very close and dear attention to and to prioritize is pleasure. I will be talking about this so much in this podcast, because it is critical, critical to embodied living. Now, true pleasure, calms your nervous system, it also helps to really satisfy you, and it deepens your intuition. So you can live in a courageous way, in a body that again, feels like home feels like your best friend. And I'm not talking about counterfeit pleasures, where it's like, okay, yes, I just want to eat that whole bag of mini eggs because I'm feeling stressed. And that'll give me a sugar high, no, feel good in a minute. Not like that at all. I'm talking about genuine pleasure. And next week, this podcast will be about that, I'm going to be diving into the difference between false and genuine pleasure. But pleasure is going to be woven in to everything that you are learning with me. Because again, it is that important. One thing that I have been incorporating more for pleasure in my life is painting. When I was a young girl, I love to draw and paint and I really let that go, I'd have judgments of myself not being good enough. So when I went, it was probably about a month ago. And I was feeling out of sorts, and I'm like, what is it that I need? And I knew, I knew intuitively that it was more creative, more creativity, for pleasure, the purpose of pleasure just to create, so I started painting again. And one night, I painted a picture of Lilith in the Garden of Eden, sucking the nectar dry from the luscious, forbidden fruit. And if you don't know the myth of Lilith definitely look it up. She is so fun, and one of my most favorite, feminine figures. So anyways, a side note coming back. So I was painting this picture, and just feeling really beautifully, like in tune with it all. And all of a sudden, I felt this download, and I had to write this out. And I was thinking about, I'm going to read this to you. And I wrote this out, you know, right after I did the painting and thinking about this actual episode, and what I was going to share and what I was going to say, and I just wrote this down, as far as the feeling state that I personally experience and want for you when it comes to your relationship with food and your body. So I haven't read this for a few weeks. So I'm going to read it to you now. And if you can close your eyes, and just take this in and see what drops as far as truth to you and what you desire here. Okay.

Chanci Dawn: 00:23:51

This is more than learning how to listen to your body's cues. It's about growing such a deep, conscious and unbreakable relationship with yourself, mind, body and spirit, that you simply can't help but honor your deepest souls desires in all things, nourishment, movement, pleasure, sex, creativity, nature, whatever calls to you. I call it your wildness. My dear sister, you are not here to spend your life trying to shrink away into some ideal that was definitely not set by your soul. You are here to flourish, to feel radiant ly alive in all the ways. I heard the saying how you do food is how you do life. We do life here. So take my hand and Let's walk together into our wild and suck all the sweet nectar from the most luscious fruits. It's here in this desire in this craving for more that we dive into all All things that you are on this earth to live and discover. Okay, my friend, there you go. Ha, that's a wrap up of this episode. Please feel please be feel so welcome. And so like, encouraged to private message me on Instagram. Let's connect there. Please private message me with your thoughts with your experiences with any questions you have about what we spoke about today. And I will answer perhaps I'll make a podcast about it and perhaps we'll just have a conversation. But please do again this is community building, I am here to support you. Thank you so much for tuning in. And we will talk next week.