🌿 Why It’s So Hard to Trust Your Body (and How to Begin Again)

There’s a quiet grief that comes from realizing you don’t trust your own body.

In my work with patients, I hear it all the time:

“Yeah… me and my body lost touch a long time ago.”“I’ve never been able to trust my body.”

And then all the small, everyday moments widen that gap:

– The doctor who doesn’t listen or makes everything about weight

– The teacher or peer who makes a shaming comment about your lunch or your shape.

– The health messages that treat your body as a problem to be solved rather than a space to inhabit and trust.

Even the simple act of eating when we feel hungry can feel fraught — tangled in fear, guilt, or the sense that we’ve somehow failed.

If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re not alone. So many of our body stories are rooted in trauma — and the process of coming home to the body can be tender work.

🌿 The Roots of Losing Body Trust

Body distrust rarely comes from “lack of discipline.”It’s born from experiences where our body’s cues weren’t safe, welcomed, or respected.

Trauma teaches disconnection. When your nervous system has been on alert — from stress, fear, shame, or harm — tuning into your body can feel unsafe. You learned to leave instead of listen.

Diet culture reinforces the exile. It replaces body wisdom with rigid rules, turning nourishment into a math problem and pleasure into guilt.

Medical and social conditioning add layers .When you’re told your symptoms are “in your head” or your size is “a problem,” the message is clear: you can’t trust your own experience.

If you’ve ignored hunger, pushed through exhaustion, or second-guessed what feels good, it’s not because you failed — it’s because you were taught that trust wasn’t safe.

💫 Reclaiming Trust — Gently

Reconnecting with your body isn’t about perfectly “listening” to every cue. It’s about creating enough safety to begin noticing again.

Here are a few gentle ways to start:

1. Practice neutral noticing. Instead of labeling sensations as good or bad, try:

“I notice my stomach tightening.”“I notice my breath is shallow.”“I notice warmth in my chest.”Noticing without judgment builds interoceptive awareness — the foundation of body trust.

2. Rebuild consistency. Your body learns safety through predictability. Regular meals, rest, and hydration tell your nervous system, I’ll take care of you. Even if hunger feels muted, offer gentle nourishment every 3–4 hours.

3. Invite curiosity back. Ask yourself:

“What might my body need right now?”“What sensations am I ignoring?”“Where do I feel tension or ease?”Curiosity softens control.

4. Allow emotional hunger. Not every craving is physical/biological — sometimes it’s your body asking for comfort, connection, or pause. Emotional hunger isn’t wrong; it’s information.

🪷 Journaling Prompts for Reflection

– When did I first learn that my body couldn’t be trusted?

– What does safety feel like in my body?

– Where do I still hold judgment or fear?

– What small act today could rebuild trust with my body?

🍎 Gentle Nutrition Practice

Try this once a day for a week:

1. Take three slow breaths before you eat.

2. Notice one sensory detail — the smell, color, or texture of your food.

3. Halfway through, pause and ask: What do I need right now — more, less, or something different?

This isn’t a test, and there is no right or wrong way to try this. It’s an invitation to rejoin the conversation your body has been having all along.

🌿 Closing Thoughts

Your body has never stopped communicating with you — it’s simply been waiting for safety. Rebuilding trust isn’t a single decision; it’s a series of small reunions.

And every time you listen with curiosity instead of criticism, you take one step closer to home.

💛 Explore More

Ready to explore this work more deeply? Schedule an intro call with us today!

About the Author:

Rachel Caine, MS, RDN, LDN, is a registered dietitian based out of Watertown, MA, who specializes in trauma-informed nutrition care, intuitive eating, and building body trust and neutrality. Through her insurance-based private practice, Rachel helps clients reconnect with their physical selves and develop a more intuitive and compassionate relationship with food.