Eating More Intuitively
How to enjoy eating and make peace with your food.
Intuitive eating is a simple idea. It means that you make peace with all types of food. Unlike traditional diets that restrict certain foods or food groups, by eating intuitively you stop thinking of certain foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Instead focus on how the food you eat makes you feel - listen to your body and eat what feels right for you.
The idea is that you should eat when you’re hungry and stop then you are full - this sounds simple and easy but can be quite the opposite for many of us as we have lost the ability overtime to really listen to our bodies and the cues of hunger and fullness.
We are all born with the skill to eat, to stop when we are full, and to eat when we are hungry. But after years of consuming diet culture, the latest food trends and living busy lives, these intuitions may need to be relearnt.
You might need to relearn how to trust your body, reconnect with these signals/cues and learn the difference between physical and emotional hunger.
What is the difference between physical and emotional hunger?
Physical hunger, is when the body needs you to refuel with nutrients to keep optimally performing. It builds gradually and is satisfied when you eat any food. Signals of physical hunger include - growling stomach, fatigue, or irritability.
Emotional hunger on the other hand, is driven by an emotional need - e.g. sadness, boredom, or loneliness. These feelings create cravings for food, often comfort foods. Eating then often causes guilt or negative self perception.
Knowing the difference between these will help you to eat more intuitively and understand what your body is trying to tell you.
Research has found that intuitive eating is a great way to maintain a healthy weight and develop a healthier body image.
By eating intuitively it means that no food is off limits, you remove the rules around what ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ be eating. When a food is no longer forbidden, the food may not seem so appealing. Not allowing yourself to have a certain food, will only cause you to want it more. Therefore, people tend to find themselves making better food choices in general, knowing that it will make them feel good.
It allows you to build trust with yourself, knowing that you aren’t failing when you have something less nourishing, because you haven’t broken your diet or ruined your progress. Having rules will lead to feelings of guilt and destroy self trust when you do eat a “bad” food. Therefore, removing the rules and labels removes the negative self talk and guilt. Creating a more positive relationship and experience with food.
Sadly, eating intuitively is not something you can suddenly just become an expert at overnight and just wake up one day and start. It will take time, trail and error, unlearning old habits and thoughts, becoming aware of hunger and fullness cures and listening to them.
But the exciting and great thing is - that every meal is an opportunity to learn and experience, you will find what works for you and your body.
Some tips to start eating more intuitively;
Prepare your food - instead of reaching for a ready to go option. By actively preparing food, this begins to stimulate your body and signal that it needs to get ready for digestion.
Mindfully eat - Try not to eat in front of a screen or with other distractions.
Eat slowly - Take the time to chew and enjoy the food you are eating.
Sit down to eat - Sit down at a table or out in the sun to eat, rather than on the run or in a rush.
Stop before your plate is finished and consider if you are still hungry, its ok to not finish all the food on your plate, leftovers are great!
I hope this has been insightful or interesting, this is something I’m passionate about helping more people to discover. Relearn to eat for enjoyment and to feel good!
If you are currently struggling with feeling guilty after eating, restricted by food rules or confused and unconfident in yourself, then please feel free to get in touch (harriet@harrietwell.com), I’d love to chat and support you to find food freedom and confidence again.