The First Place to Start Eating Intuitively
Eating intuitively is going to require a lot of thinking up front. For a long term gain. What intuitive eating means is being intune with your body. Enough so that you can feel what the body needs and when. The reason that this is so hard at first is that you’re wrestling the mind. The mind has been influenced by outside expectations and unrealistic standards.
The standards for food the body sets for itself is going to be unique for every person. There’s no rulebook on how to know about intuitive eating right away. Intuitive eating is going to take doing some things that haven’t been considered. And, giving your body the grace and time to better communicate with you.
disclaimer: this is well intentioned advice, not professional experience
Set More Than One Meal Time
Let’s leave eating one meal a day in 2022. Because, your body and brain are losing it at the current pace. These meals don’t have to be big or complicated. But, please replace the idea of mindless snacking and give it more time. Make it a whole meal.
What Makes a Complete Meal
At first, make every meal as accessible and easy to look forward to. The important factor being to eat a full meal. Unfortunately for the beverage girlies (me included!). A fun and colorful little beverage does not count as a meal. There needs to be ingredients to make the meal more filling. Foods that are carbs and protein make a meal more filling. As you get better at eating more than one meal. Then, there’s space to curve the focus a bit to making it even more well rounded.
Food Misconceptions
Please drill it into your brain: There are no bad foods. There are no bad food groups. There are no cheat foods. Every food has a place and all cravings should be respected. Remove the guilt around certain foods because the fact is. You can still eat something different alongside it! Respecting cravings does not equal restricting meals. Have the cake and eat it too. There is so much of our day that is superpowered with food.
Why Breakfast is Important
Add in breakfast. When you wake up, have some food with the preferred caffeine. Even 2 pieces of toast with coffee is a good start. Our bodies aren’t fooled when we have a cup of coffee and call it there. Having a meal when you first wake up will make breakfast time easier. When there’s more breakfast in the mornings. There is more hunger in the mornings. And that’s okay! Set the alarm a little earlier! Your body will thank you! Lean into preferences. Are you a sweet breakfast gal, or a savory breakfast gal?
Eating in Silence
Slowly take away the distractions during meal time. Eating in silence leaves space to be bored. Being bored is exactly how you get the best ideas. It adds to the joy of the mental breaks meal times are for. Remember that the awkwardness will go away. And you’ll be rewarded with taking some of your time back.
What is Distracted Eating
It’s really easy and convenient to catch up on the latest episode during meal time. Or on Youtube recommended. Catching up on TV during meal time should be done in moderation. Eating with distractions often sneaks up on you. There’ll be times where you eat more or less than intended. One distracted meal out of 2 or 3 isn’t the end of the world. The thing is, more often than that it becomes an issue of avoiding food. Avoiding how you feel about what you’re eating is really closely tied to eating distracted. While not always the case, you’re not giving the meal respect.
Respecting Meal Time
Start respecting your meals because it’s trying to give back. Quiet meal times let thoughts run by. Instead of being completely overwhelmed by them, there’s a meal with you. A meal to savor and enjoy. Focusing on the meal in front of you, and switching gears into more harmless thoughts. Then, those harmless thoughts collect and overflow the others. There’s a lot of hidden joy in your own company. The best time and place to foster that company is during meal time.
Start a Food Journal in the Notes App
This is a fun one! Your notes app is the perfect place to journal about food. It doesn’t need to be detailed or complex. It’s fun to document your favorite meals at a restaurant or your latest culinary creations at home. This is the ultimate judge free food zone! With food journaling you will always get out at least what you put in. So don’t forget the food pics!
Starting a Simple Food Journal
Add in food photos, and rate them. Having a simple food journal gives a place to track and document your food journey. There’s going to be ups and downs that you discover. Once meal time slows down, you start chewing more slowly. There’s going to be lots of flavors and cuisines and experiments worth documenting!
Learning about Your Relationship with Food
You’ll discover where the disconnect with food stems from, or it’s pattern. Healing or creating a relationship to food asks you to acknowledge it. Acknowledge meals and how you want to feel after eating them. This food journal is going to be better than dieting. It’s better for you because it’s a place free from outside advice. Where you can be honest and gentle with yourself.
The Flexibility of the Food Journal
The seriousness in which you food journal is completely up to you. Some meals may be heavier than others in a lot of different ways. Being able to look back on them, shows you how far you’ve come. Or more casually, which foods you enjoy. Which ones you’ve tried to dislike and ended up loving. Food journaling helps ingredients and meals feel less moral. Food is fun and nourishing and having a food journal is a perfect place to create that space over time.
Reads to create a positive relationship with food:
Make sure to share this with your favorite people. Do you think you’re an intuitive eater? Leave me a comment.
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