Eating Intuitively
Okay, so dieting and the health world. It can be very daunting to a lot of people. There is just so much to learn. As a fitness instructor, former gym/health junkie, and someone that suffered from an eating disorder, I have faced the constant contradictions, fad diets, and extreme workout plans. You name it.
I have pretty much tried every diet you’ve ever heard of. And nothing really stuck. Diets are great short term fixes that teach you about food and bring more intention into your eating life. However, diets also have the potential to take control of one’s life.
Today, I want to highlight the importance of intuitive eating. You see, diets force you to live your life in a box with strict rules. There are restrictions on where you can or can’t eat, when you workout, sometimes counting calories, or cutting out major food groups. Then if you step out of the box it can create binge behaviors.
Because social beings don’t like being confined to a box, we are very likely to break out of it. And when we do, we may experience guilt, shame, bingeing tendencies, and defeat. Very often, dieting compliments overcompensation - whether that is facing extremes like skipping a meal, over eating when you do take a cheat day or over-working out. You become like a puppet controlled by the diet. Then are overly hard on yourself connecting your self worth to the diet if you mess up. Which can be very damaging, and unsustainable. So the solution to this? Stop living your life in a box, following someone else rules instead of listening to whats right for you. You know yourself best. When you are hungry, EAT. If you’re exhausted and feel sick, let yourself rest. Listening to your body doesn’t mean you’re lazy, but that you are intuitive.
When you nourish your body, do it with the things that make you feel good. Are you craving something savory? Choose a fresh made stir fry or something with nutritional value. Want something sweet? Eat fruit instead of Swedish fish. If your body feels weighed down or lethargic or bloated after eating heavy dairy products, push yourself to consume different alternatives. Get curious about what your cravings mean. However, in order to eat intuitively, you must take time to learn and listen to your body. Understand your cravings before defining what smart healthy decisions are.
When it comes to working out, I am personally very active. I love movement - hiking, yoga, running, hitting the gym. I never enter these spaces because I am trying to lose weight. Rather, I set these intentional practices because it makes me feel good. These moments of movement clear my mind and is ME time.
I believe that the most doable thing is to try to get 30 minutes of movement a day - whatever that means for you. Go on a walk if you aren’t feeling well. Go on a run. Clean the house (it’s a workout), dance, do yoga, or take a boxing class. Walk up and down your staircase.
Movement doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal. You don’t need to live your life in a box. You don’t need to follow strict rules of a diet plan (unless your doctor has said to). Live intuitively, make smart healthy choices, and move your body. Take back control of your life, instead of letting diet plans dictate the way you feel about yourself. Making those simple mindful choices is all it takes to change your life.