At my first opportunity I bought "Instinctive Eating" and read it the same afternoon. The impact upon my life was immediate. It’s message was really one I had been looking for, and one I think everyone needs. "Trust yourself, listen to your instincts, follow your own wisdom, everyday is different and your body knows what it needs from day to day".

Although I knew immediately that this was the right path for me and my health, I have found that "instinctive eating" is like many things in life, (for instance breast feeding) it is natural, but it doesn’t come always come naturally. This is especially true if you have been indoctrinated in the dietary "wisdom" of our day. If you, like me, are a walking encyclopedia of information on nutrition, it can be challenging to let go of what you think is true, and find out what is really true for you.

However, as I began to listen to my body and ask myself what I really wanted, to eat when I was hungry, and try to trust my instincts wonderful things began to happen. I actually did begin to lose weight immediately, but I was even more surprised to discover a sort of contentment that was new to me. Maybe it sounds strange, but it was the first time I was really aware of what the mind, body, spirit connection feels like.

Although I have always tried to take care of myself physically, I hadn’t really followed my own intuition about my diet, because I was usually listening to the "wisdom" of others about my body. While I do think it is important to know some basics of good nutrition, to be able to make informed choices about what you put into your body, much of the current diet literature (especially the high protein craze) gives advice that is almost exactly opposite of what is healthy and good for you. I really think I knew this deep inside, but I really wanted to believe that if I followed someone’s "formula" I would lose weight. Now I know that the reason I never could follow their formula’s is because they were so wrong for me. I always thought it was some sort of lack of willpower.

Essentially this book started me on a journey that will continue throughout my life. I have since researched other books on the topic, and found that there is a small, but I hope growing, movement toward listening to your body, rather than following a specified "diet" plan. It takes time to learn your body’s language, but once you begin to speak it, the freedom is exhilarating. It truly is liberating to know that when you listen to your body, you will make the right choices for yourself at any given moment. You will no longer look to others for guidance about your body because you will be empowered from within.

I can’t say enough good things about this book. Get it, read it, get liberated from "dieting" and start eating and living "instinctively".