I am slightly in love with this weeks podcast episode, 82 which you can tune into here, with the wonderful Gillian McCollum. Gillian is an intuitive eating health coach and body positive yoga teacher based in Edinburgh. Motivated by her own 15 year struggle with dieting and binge eating and negative body image, she retrained in the very methods that helped her in her own recovery; intuitive eating and yoga. Through her private coaching practice and yoga teaching her mission is to help you find peace with food and body acceptance.
We go on a pretty special journal during this episode and I got so much out of it. Emotional eating is something I feel strongly about. I am really excited to hear your feedback about it. Let’s chat a bit more with Gillian.
Gillian thank you for an amazing podcast, you are a true leader and I am so inspired by you. You are doing great work and intuitive eating is something I want to develop and improve on. I struggle in winter and generally feel drawn to more carbs but with this my clothes get tighter. Am I doing the right thing eating more even if I am putting on weight?
It’s important to listen and respond to your body’s authentic desires, trying to control yourself around carbs will most likely only lead to you eating more carbs (the forbidden fruit effect). I’m a great believer that there’s always an equal and opposite reaction to every action, so trying to control tighter will likely lead to a more out of control state at some point. Trust that this is what your body needs right now and try not to feel guilt or shame about it (again probably leading to more carbs). Our bodies are designed to change with the cycles so trust in that and stay true to the season you’re in.
Great advice. thanks for that. I find since I have been meditating and really listening more to my body over the festive break, I am drawn to more carb veggies such as butternut, parsnips and carrots. You can’t beat a good home comfort stew and this makes me feel great too as well as the fact it’s super tasty. So tell me, what brings you joy? Joy is my word of 2020.
My two cats, Marvin & Arthur. And travelling, it feeds my soul like nothing else.
I feel you so much on the travel. It changes lives and opens up the mind in a way that not much else can. Cats give great snuggles, that’s always good for the mojo. As is great food. What is your all time fave meal?
Pad Thai. Ting Thai Caravan on Teviot Place (when I can get a seat) is fab. I’m not one for fine dining.
I love Thai food. The crispy sea bass starter at Passorn makes me groan.
How do you stay kind to yourself?
I always try to direct the same compassion I would have for someone else towards myself.
I love this and it is SO important and for me it’s a daily reminder to do so. As we get swept back into that horrible self critic mode.
Fave quote?
“Done is better than Perfect” by Sheryl Sandberg. It’s perhaps not the most profound but its the one I say to myself the most.
Simple and true.
Best piece of advice you ever had?
“Be yourself”, said by virtually everybody but really it’s the only thing we only know how to be but we often forget that.
I feel you and it takes a lot of work to unlearn the stuff we pick up from others. But it’s always worth the work. How attractive is a person when they are fully themselves? They literally shine and glow.
No to ‘Diet starts on Monday’.
Yes to food, body and life liberation!
Get in touch with Gillian here.
