Hey guys! It’s been a minute since I’ve blogged! However, I am now graduated and out of school, which means I finally have the time on my hands to just sit down, write, blog, and not feel guilty about not studying- ha ha!
Intuitive Eating can seem like a daunting and confusing lifestyle switch! Here are some 3 tips you can start applying today to get your started on becoming an Intuitive Eater.
1. Don’t be afraid of hunger.
I asked a client to describe what hunger feels like to her. She paused and replied, “you know what… I’m not even sure! I don’t think I’ve ever really felt hunger. I’m just always eating I guess! What an interesting question….”
Start now by allowing yourself to feel hunger before you eat. Embrace hunger! (No- don’t go to the point of feeling famished, or starved) But allow that initial feeling of hunger. You will then start learning what foods you actually want and like.
Many of us have been taught to follow certain ways of eating, “must have this” or “this is always the better option, must eat that” or “I am suppose to eat this much protein after a workout” or “its lunch time so I better eat.” This can lead us to feeling stressed and anxious, and we find ourselves eating because we SHOULD not eating because we are HUNGRY.
Example, eating when I should eat, “it’s lunch time, better eat something! or eating what I should eat, “Having carrots and hummus because that’s the right choice.” All these rather than eating when I am hungry and filling my hunger with foods I enjoy.
2. Stop and eat! Don’t run and snack.
Eliminate the constant on the go snacking. If you’re hungry, sit down and eat. Again, sit down. No grabbing food while running out the door, or to keep you busy. Constantly snacking sky rockets our insulin levels, and we find ourselves honoring our insulin levels not necessarily our hunger levels. Also our brain doesn’t register ourselves as “already eaten” if done so in a hurry.
Try having one Power Meal a day. This will keep you satisfied and fuller longer. A Power Meal includes protein, complex carbs, a little bit of fiber and a little bit of fat. Take 10-20 minutes to eat.
If snacks (fruit snacks, granola bars, crackers, pretzels etc.) are the only thing that sounds good, maybe you’re not hungry. Don’t deny yourself snack, just save snacks for after your meal.
3. Eat to Satisfaction.
When you sit down for a meal, ask yourself, “On a scale of 1-10, how hungry am I?” When you get halfway through your meal check in with yourself. Ask, “How much more do I need to eat feel satisfied and sustained for the next 3-4 hours?”
Stop eating around a 5-6. This is a little past the point of fullness. This all sounds silly and tedious, but I promise, the more you do this, the more “intuitive” it will be. Eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re satisfied takes focus off of food and turns the focus to your body, and fueling your body energy that it needs.
Well- that’s all for now! Shortest snippet I’ve ever written about Intuitive Eating. There is so much to it, that one sentence truly can lead to a novel… However, I just wanted to keep this short and sweet and give you something to start working on and trying out now. Hope these 3 tips help!
Don’t be afraid of feeling hunger, when you do feel hunger, sit down and eat, and when you are eating, make sure it is a satisfying experience.
Did you like this post? Please leave a comment and let me know! I hope to start blogging more frequently.
Aloha,
Cara
thehealthylifeisgood 