Intuitive Eating

While I took one for the team and drove most of the way home, I was able to squeeze in some solid reading time! As you know, I am reading a great book on Intuitive Eating. [Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD and Elyse Resch, MS, RD, FADA) Why this book? Well, to be quite honest- I am far from an intuitive eater. My girlie, Jenny, who blogs at Peanut Butter and Jenny, has recently been blogging about Intuitive Eating and she has got me thinkin’. She’s got me thinkin’ about my eating habits.

 

 

Current Eating Habits = structured

 

While at school, I fall into a rigorous eating routine. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks are eaten around the same time every day because I’ve fallen into a trap of routine. For example: When I wake up, I immediately eat breakfast not because I am ravenous for food, but because I know it takes at least 45 minutes for me to digest my breakfast before I can comfortably exercise. I eat lunch at precisely 11:45AM because I only have 15 minutes in between classes. Even if I am not all that hungry, I know I will regret not eating in about t-30 minutes when my tummy starts to grumble. Because I eat lunch so early, I get hungry for dinner early. Eating dinner at 4pm means I’m going to need Dinner #2 around 7PM, so I ignore my hunger signals and wait to eat until at least 5:30. painful. There is nothing worse than fighting a hungry tummy.

I will admit, the food I am eating is good food, whole food. BUT- am I sincerely eating what I am craving? Probably not. Sometime I fall into a routine of eating “safe foods” and food that are thought to be healthy. In my opinion this is good and bad. I know that nutrient dense foods make me feel good inside and out in comparison to processed/refined, but sometimes I could use a good piece of pie! With intuitive eating- you essentially listen to what your body is craving.

 

 

So you see- I have trained my body to eat certain amounts of food at certain times because I know what will keep me full and for how long. People- this is not intuitive eating and in my opinion not healthy relationship with food. As embarrassing as this sounds-I am also guilty of guilt. Eating too much or too little OR not following my daily eating structure, leaves me feeling shameful. Again, not intuitive eating.

Intuitive Eating

 

The authors of the book I am reading describe an Intuitive Eater as “one who listens to their hunger signals, and eats whatever they choose without experiencing guilt or an ethical dilemma.” Intuitive eating is when you are attuned with your body’s natural hunger signals, creating a healthy relationship with food through mind and body. Intuitive eating is Normal Eating.

Normal- Don’t get me started with the word normal. Everyone has their own normal, which is why eating patterns are unique to each individual intuitive eater. So then how do you strive to be “normal” if everyone is different? I’m going in circles here. *sigh*

One example they share of intuitive eating is a toddler. At two years old, young children have no recollection of societal messages or body image. They don’t eat based off of diets or only eat “safe foods.” They are spontaneous and listen to their tummies! *Oh what I’d do to be free from today’s health Mconscious society.

The book goes onto describe 10 core principles of becoming an intuitive eater to help “normalize” your relationship with food.

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating:

 

1. Reject the diet mentality
2. Honor your hunger
3. Make peace with food
4. Challenge the food police
5. Feel your fullness
6. Discover the satisfaction factor
7. Don’t use food to cope with your emotions
8. Respect your body signals
9. Exercise
10. Honor your health


Intuitive Eating- Goal Setting
Right now at this very moment, I am declaring my newest summer goal: Intuitive Eating. I want to wean my eating habits from structured and “safe” to listening to my body’s hunger signals. I want to be able to eat a wide variety of foods with no guilt and I want to be able to eat until I’m satisfied. *I think, I can. I think I can*

I’m only about 1/4 done with the book- so be prepared for some more posts on intuitive eating! Maybe some of you can relate to me and want to become intuitive eaters as well. Let’s do it together!

Are you an intuitive eater? Do you have any tips for me?


What is ONE food you could never live without?
Hands down- peanut butter. Food of the gods.