Obstacle Course

While I've been doing the Intuitive Eating Thang, there have been some instances where I haven't been eating as intuitively as I would like.

Or, more commonly, other factors influence the not giving what my body wants. This is mainly to do with cost and availability - like desperately wanting raspberries when they are desperately out of season.

However, since I've been doing the Intuitive Eating Thang, there have been some very strange occurrences, where finances and availability seem to be against me, and thus I initially reject my body's cravings, but subsequently it gets laid out on a platter for me.

Confused?

First Example:
I had been wanting an nutty, grainy, fruity cookie for days. Like the oatmeal and raisin ones that you get at Subway. On a Friday, myself and a work colleague went to Subway to get our Friday team lunch, and I told myself I would finally be able to get my oatmeal and raising cookie.

However, when we arrived at the counter where the cookies are displayed, the oatmeal and raisin ones looked hideous. They were small, soggy, and looked like they were still uncooked in the middle. Meanwhile, the white chocolate and macadamia ones next to them looked like absolute perfection.

I was tempted to get the white chocolate and macadamia ones instead, because they looked so gorgeous. But I knew that wasn't what I was craving. I looked sadly at the miserably oatmeal and raisin cookies, and passed.

I told my colleague that I had to buy some bread from a neighbouring bakery. He came along with me, and as we went into the bakery, the girl at the counter straight away said to me, "Would you like a free cookie?" She handed myself and my colleague one. I looked into the paper bag that the cookies were contained within, and my jaw dropped. What sort of cookie had she given me?

A twist on an Anzac cookie - with oats, raisins, and other dried fruits. Exactly the sort of thing I had been craving. I didn't have to pay a cent for it. All I did was walk away from from some white chocolate and macadamia cookies that I didn't even want.

Second Example:
I went to the supermarket in the morning to do my weekly grocery shopping for the office. Yeah that's right, I grocery shop for the office - I eat breakfast and lunch there, which is two of the three main meals. Why shouldn't I have most of my food at the office? I really wanted a Christmas fruit mince pie. I knew that the bakery down the road sold fantastic ones. All it meant was a bit of a wander down the road to get some. Yet when I emerged from the supermarket, I was running a bit later than I would have liked. I looked in the direction of the bakery and thought, "Ah fuck it. I've got some at home. If need be, I can have them after work."

As the day went on, I wanted the Christmas mince pies more and more. I was swearing at myself for not getting one in the morning.

However, not long after, one of my colleagues walked in after having a meeting onsite. He came in and said, "Anyone want any Christmas mince pies? I got given them for free!"

Clearly, if I don't go to the pies, the pies come to me.

What's interesting to note is this seems to happen in a very timely manner when I happen to be craving something. It makes intuitive eating all the more sweeter. Rather than just being handed a couple of freebies, I instead feel like there's some divine intervention, or orchestra of fate that's playing out these events; since they seem too good to be true.

It's like someone, somewhere is trying to reward me for listening to myself, and reminding me not to give up on myself or let obstacles get in my way. And if on the odd occasion life gets the better of me and I do, that someone, somwhere? Removes the obstacles once in a while.