Cinthia Torres, an Integrative Health and Intuitive Eating Coach, discusses passion, purpose, and her journey towards self-respect.
To learn more about Cinthia and Integrative Health and Intuitive Eating, go to coachcinthia.com or reach her at cinthia@coachcinthia.com.
We all want to know...who are you and what keeps you busy?
I’m Cinthia Torres, integrative health and intuitive eating coach. I partner with long-time dieters to help them overcome the diet-binge cycle, find freedom in food and body image, and ultimately make space for what’s most important to them.
What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about purpose. I believe everyone was put on this planet to have a meaningful life. That looks very different for everybody, and it’s our job to discover, commit to, and share that purpose.
What does self respect mean to you and how does this show up in your work?
In my opinion, self-respect is a process of discovery, discipline and commitment. Commitment to yourself, keeping your promises to yourself and to your purpose. In my work, self-respect shows up two-fold. I’m in the business of self-care, I coach clients to take better care of themselves and to prioritize the needs they have typically put last. As a coach, embodying self-respect is a must. I set specific boundaries for myself, and I let clients know about that process. An example is communicating office hours - before we commit to starting working together, I go over those guidelines. Setting specific hours to communicate with clients between sessions sends the message that they can also set boundaries in their own lives.
What does self-care mean to you?
We often think self-care is to go for massages and get pampered with manis and pedis, and while that is something we do to nourish ourselves, self-care is about telling the truth - your truth. That’s very different for everyone, which is the reason self-care is also an act of self-discovery. Self-care goes deeper than surface level pampering. Self-care implies self-parenting, self-regulation, asserting your truth, showing up for yourself, and being comfortable asking for what you need.
Do you make self-care a priority? If yes, do you have a self-care routine you can share?
I do. That doesn’t mean it happens 100% of the time. They say that the best way to learn something is to teach it. The more I work with people to help them create routines for self-care, the more I’m reminded of the areas that can continue to improve in my own life. A routine I’ve developed overtime is that of movement - the practice of embodiment (awareness of body sensations). It serves as a guiding compass to help me feel more grounded, and in charge of my daily choices. I like dancing as a form of embodiment. I dance every day, some days more than others, but even when I can only squeeze a song a day, I make sure I look in the mirror and dance like nobody’s looking (or like everybody is ;))
How do practice self-love?
I’ve gotten in the habit of repeating self-loving mantras throughout the day. When I wake up in the morning, my first thought is “I’m blessed.” When I first started using this mantra, I had to use a label on my alarm that read “I’m blessed.” Now, it’s become a habit, and one that sets my day up to a good start. Other mantras I repeat throughout the day are: “I’m whole and healthy,” and “Life loves me.” Those are particularly good when I’m feeling tired or overwhelmed. Beyond mantras, during my recovery from disordered eating, I had to learn to become friends with my body, to love and accept my body as it is today. Something I would tell myself was (and is still sometimes), “this is where my body wants to be today,” and I smile as I say that. That reminds me that I am more than a body. I see self-love as the receiving of self-care.
Can you share a story in your life that has occurred that had a profound impact to the person you are today? (In your case, perhaps a story about how you became an intuitive eating coach/your journey).
As hard as it was going through an eating disorder, the recovery process had such an impact to the person that I am today, that I made it my mission to support all men and women still fighting this battle. I decided to become an intuitive eating coach to walk the journey of recovery with those who need help the most. An eating disorder is so isolating. You often feel like nobody understands what you’re going through, so there’s the tendency to silence it. Ironically, recovery can’t happen in isolation. You need a strong support system, and that’s why I do what I do. Recovery showed me what’s possible in healing, to come out stronger, and to thrive living your purpose
What would you tell your younger self?
I would tell her to unlearn, and to BE instead. Unlearn beliefs and rules that box you and the rest of the world. To be free to choose beyond the norm... Such a rebel!
Do you use or have you used affirmations in your life? If yes, how has it benefited your life?
Yes! Whenever I need a boost of confidence, I remind myself of all the goodness that’s already happening in my life. Affirmations have worked especially well when I’m feeling stressed. They are very grounding, and have changed the course of my day many many times :)
Do you meditate? If so describe your mediation ritual - Time of day, location?
I used to meditate in the conventional sense, ei, sitting in meditation to quiet the mind. I don’t do that as often anymore. I use meditation differently now. I use my body to mediate. Practicing embodiment helps to cultivate awareness of sensations in the present moment. It integrates your sensory systems, and it helps to use the body as the single point of concentration. That’s a meditation to me. No ritual, but an active intention to practice it throughout the day when I’m sitting, when I’m getting in the car, when I’m having a strong emotion and need to reset, before going to bed, before I eat, while I eat, when I shower, when I walk, when I’m working out, etc.
List top three must-read books:
The Four Agreements, A Return to Love, The Artist Way.
Thank you, Cinthia...and you look fabulous in your Yay! Brand Affirmation Apparel, BTW! :)
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