Intuitive Eating

Intuitive eating is a very interesting lifestyle concept I've recently come across. For someone like me who has spent years counting calories and now tracks macros it's a very foreign but intriguing concept to wrap my head around. The whole premise of intuitive eating is to build a healthier relationship with food. A lot of people are regimented with their diets the whole work week and schedule cheat meals on the weekends. For the intuitive eating principle if you feel like having that cheeseburger you'd have Saturday night for a cheat meal on Tuesday night instead go for it! Intuitive eating teaches you to listen to your body cravings and not restrain yourself based on predetermined days you can cheat. 

Intuitive eating is meant to retrain your mind to trust its instincts when it comes to eating and what your body needs. After years of dieting and restrictive eating that most people who turn to intuitive eating have put themselves through the principles of intuitive eating help turn off all of your restrictive voices in your head when it comes to what and when you should and an eat. It seems simple enough "eat when you're hungry and eat till you're full" but years of ignoring our needs and trying to maintain the latest diet have caused a huge disconnect in so many peoples ability to tune into what their bodies need and are asking for. 

One of the principles of intuitive eating calls for you to "make peace with food". Telling yourself donuts are "bad" like so many diets will have you do creates feelings of deprivation and can lead to uncontrollable cravings and binges for the "naughty" foods. When we live with such preconceived notions in our head of what is "good" food and "bad" food we have such remorse and guilt when we cave in and eat the bad food which is bound to happen at some point or another. That's no way to live life!

Intuitive eating calls for a great sense of mindfulness when it comes to eating. Instead of day after day eating the same portions and not connecting with your food and your stomach - intuitive eating asks you to savor every bite. Intuitive eating calls for you to connect with your stomach throughout your meal and listen to its ques for when it is full. A sandwich you ate yesterday that didn't fill you might fill you after 3 bites today. But if you're not que'd into your stomach and listening to the messages your body is giving you- it's far too easy to get wrapped up in habit and eat your normal sized portions rather than the portions you really need. 

Personally intuitive eating seems a little scary but very intriguing. For me right now nursing my son is my number one priority and making sure I get enough calories and that my macros are on point is key to my success with maintaining my supply. When the time comes that I stop nursing, however I plan on trying this approach of reconnecting with my body and attempting to erase all of the expectation years of restrictive eating and diets have engrained into my head.