Are you ready to explore a new way to view the relationship between your mind, body, and food? To trust your body’s hunger and fullness cues and reprogram yourself to become an intuitive eater? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Through this journey, you will learn that discovering intuitive eating is about trusting your body to nourish, sustain and fulfill your needs. Read on to uncover the amazing benefits that come with this newfound relationship!
1. Uncovering Intuitive Eating: Learning to Listen to Your Body
Intuitive eating is based on the principle of listening to your body and responding to its cravings, rather than relying on diets or packages of specific nutrients. It can be hard to figure out what is good for our body and what is not, but by connecting to it, you will be able to create a relationship of trust.
One of the most important aspects of intuitive eating is being able to identify the difference between physical and emotional hungers. It can be hard to tell when you need to eat because of an emotional craving or when you’re genuinely hungry. The best way to know is to pause and take a few deep breaths. Ask yourself: What am I really feeling? Start distinguishing the subtle messages your body is sending you.
The next step is to avoid distractions while eating. Eating in front of the TV, or while having a conversation can make it difficult to listen to your body’s signals. Find a quiet place to eat and connect with your food. Kick out all the noise and distractions and just pay attention to what you are eating. You will find it easier to listen to what your body asks for.
1. Rediscover your food: Take the time to connect with your food. Spend time enjoying the flavors, textures, smells, colors, and so on. Connect with the positive feelings around enjoying your food.
2. Stay mindful: Notice your hunger signals and pay attention to how you feel while eating, what does your body tell you? Keep slowing down and don’t be afraid to pay attention to your body messages.
3. Honor your cravings: We all crave food for different reasons. It’s important to recognize and honor your cravings as part of your intuitive eating. Empower yourself to make the best decision for you and your body.
The practice of intuitive eating can seem like a challenge at first, but once you get to know your body and the signals it sends you, you will find it easier to trust and make decisions based on what your body is asking for.
2. Connecting with Your Inner Voice: Discovering Your Hunger and Satisfaction Cues
Many of us struggle to know when we are truly hungry or when we have had enough to eat. We may select certain foods in the grocery store because ‘they look good,’ or because we are ‘trying to be healthy,’ or we eat solely based on our emotions. By getting to know cues from our inner voice that tell us when we are truly hungry and when we have eaten enough, we can make more healthful choices for our bodies, and better tap into the wisdom of our natural curiosities.
Start by Tuning into Your Inner Wisdom
Begin with focusing your attention inwards – notice your breath, and notice the attitude of your thoughts. When our minds are frenzied and thoughts are running away with us, it can be difficult to hear the true inner hum of our emotions. Spend a few moments noticing the subtle sensations that your feelings have to offer. Become aware of the physical openings from which your emotions flow – notice the way your heart may beat faster, or your stomach may tighten, or your entire body may relax and soften.
When we can pause, spend time with our feelings, and listen for the truth they are trying to express, rest assured that we will know the signals our bodies send – sensations of hunger, lack of hunger, fullness or ease.
Listen for Hunger Cues
Next, take a few moments to listen for your body’s specific cues. Here are a few examples of what those may look like:
- A slight tightness or rumbling in your stomach.
- A light feeling in your body.
- A surge of energy.
- A desire to eat particular foods or flavors.
As we tap into our body’s subtle natural wisdom, we can listen to our inner voice and learn to recognize when we need food and when food is enough.
3. Reinterpreting Your Relationship with Food: Letting Go of Diet Mentality
Learning to reinterpret your relationship with food is essential for letting go of the diet mentality. It may seem difficult at first, but here are some tips to get started.
- Start paying attention to your long-term goals, and how your eating habits will help you reach them.
- Try to shift your focus away from short-term results and onto healthy, nutritious meals.
- Start with one meal at a time to make it easier.
It’s important to create an environment that’s comfortable and enjoyable, yet healthy and nutritious. That means you can start to make food choices that are enjoyable and nourishing by selecting foods you love, keeping your portions in check, and eating when you’re hungry. It’s also important to slow down and enjoy your meal.
Also important is to avoid vilifying any food. There’s no such thing as “good” or “bad” foods. Instead, strive to be mindful of your eating habits and notice how you feel after meals.
Finally, if you start to notice yourself slipping into your old diet mentality, remind yourself that there are no “quick fixes” when it comes to food and nourishing your body. Make small adjustments over time and stay consistent with your new relationship with food.
4. Developing Your Intuitive Eating Practice: Redefining Food Rules and Regulations
Obtaining a smiley relationship with food starts with a healthy understanding of nutrition and by understanding hunger cues from your body. The crucial next step is to remove unhealthy food rules and regulations and start to redefine what it means to listen to your body and honor its cues.
Incredible resources exist today to help you understand the basics of nutrition, but in the journey of intuitive eating, it’s essential to not develop ‘rules’ which can significantly impact how you view food and yourself in relation to food. Here are some steps you can take to redefine unhealthy food rules:
- Focus On Mindful Eating: In mindful eating, you eat without judgment. You allow yourself to enjoy meals and snacks and don’t focus on calories or food-related guilt. Make sure you savor each bite, reduce any distractions, and remind yourself that all foods are welcome in your diet.
- Find Your Comfort Foods: We all have foods that give us pleasure. Identify 1-2 comforting snacks that bring a little joy, like some dark chocolate or a warm cup of tea. Stocking your cupboard with snacks that you feel content with can really help shape new eating habits.
- Eat For Hunger: Intuitive eating means giving your body the ‘green light’ to eat when it wants to. Learn to distinguish between physical and emotional hunger, and don’t deny yourself nourishment when you’re legitimately hungry.
- Start Introducing Foods Again: Begin to trust yourself and explore foods that you’ve previously seen as off-limits. By gradually introducing ‘forbidden’ foods back into your diet, you can start to enjoy them again and develop a new understanding of them.
Redefining your rules can be a challenge but by treating yourself with respect and practicing awareness, you can relearn your relationship with food and reset your understanding of healthy nutrition. Experiment with different rules to find a balance that works for you, and continue to develop and revise your own approach to food.
By allowing yourself to trust your own body and inner wisdom you can create a secure and long-term relationship with food.
Discovering intuitive eating can be a life-changing experience. Tune into your body and acknowledge your body’s hunger and fullness cues. With commitment and practice, it can help you experience a more intentional and healthy relationship with food and a deeper trust in yourself.
