Intuitive Eating

Let me start off by saying that intuitive eating is ( for some silly reason) a controversial topic.  I have no clue as to why, so don't ask me.  I personally prefer eating this way and so far, within the last couple of years or so, it has worked well for me.  We all eat what we want, how we want, and when we want, so in my humble opinion, intuitive eating seems like it could be a no brainer. We all know ourselves and how our bodies work the best; therefore, I say eat food however you intend to eat it. Do I eat intuitively all the time?  Heck no.  I'm human!  I don't always stop when I actually feel full and let's call a spade a spade here, no one can eat just one thin mint. If so, I'd truly like to meet that person for coffee and chat about it. I have just found what tends to work for me on most days, and that's being in tune with my body and hunger cues and then eating something that has some filling properties to them.  

Whole foods are the way to go because they offer satiety.  Protein, carbs and fat you can bet your tush that after eating something that contains any of those nutrients, you'll feel full for a couple of hours.  Intuitive eating helps keep me from binging on salty and sweet snacks throughout the day.  Again, this isn't all the time and if I want a sweet snack or a not-so-healthy-breakfast, heck yes I'll eat that donut or indulge in a piece of dark chocolate.  Dark chocolate is healthy anyway. It all depends on the day and to be frank, eating food is so much more enjoyable when you actually feel hungry.  

The older I get, I prefer eating intuitively more.  I am also noticing that I can't eat large portions. If anything, I prefer to make dinner my biggest meal of the day and I feel it's important for everyone to eat at least one solid meal a day. But after a big bowl of pasta the other night, I didn't finish it entirely and I was starving, but even the amount I did eat made me feel very full very quickly.  I also ate three crackers with cheese while the pasta was cooking because again, I was getting hangry.

I highly recommend this book by Geneen Roth.  It's about her journey through weight loss, all of the ups and downs and dives head first into why we eat what we eat and intuitive eating.  This book opened up my eyes a bit and made me look at food differently .  That's not to say I looked at food negatively or deprived myself.  I adore food; good food and for the most part, organic and wholesome foods. I simply agree, for the most part with Geneen and her ideas about trying to simply eat when we feel hungry.  She has great tips as well.  For example, never go to a dinner party or gathering starving.  The time might say 6pm, but dinner won't actually be served until 8pm. Always be sure to have a light bite before hand. 

 How do you like to eat on the daily?  Are you in tune with your body and hunger cues every now and then? 

 I'd love to know your thoughts on this topic!