How to Use Intuitive Eating for Optimal Health

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If you’ve been struggling to lose weight or just feel unhealthy, intuitive eating may be the solution for you! Intuitive eating is a method of eating that focuses on listening to your body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. This can help you reach optimal health and maintain a healthy weight. In this blog post, we will discuss how to start using intuitive eating and some of the benefits that come with it!

My Personal Journey With Food

I’ve personally gone through all the “diets” both conventional and unconventional. I have to warn you that my eating was extremely disordered and I do not recommend any of the following diets to you. Click this link to skip the story and go straight to the tips..

I was a vegetarian for seven years, vegan for three, and then raw vegan for about six months before becoming a fruitarian for six months. “Fruitarians” eat only fruit, I was eating mono-meals (large quantities of one specific item at a time). Some days I was eating 25-30 bananas, other days I was 21 mangos or eating a 10-pound watermelon. I felt amazing during this time, mentally and physically. The extreme downside to this is that my oral health declined drastically from all the acids and sugars in all these fruits.

In this time I also followed intermittent fasting and water fasting. One of my water fasts was 26 days long, consisting of only distilled water and the occasional addition of pink Himalayan salt. This was over 10 years ago and following that fast, I felt the best I’d ever felt in my life. My digestion was regular, my skin was glowing, For two separate year-long periods I followed the ketogenic diet. All the time gaps in between were the Standard American Diet (SAD) probably at its worst.

During my time dieting, I thought I was doing everything “right” according to what all the “experts,” said. I thought I was conquering my health. I was so wrong. The more I restricted myself, the worse I felt. The ketogenic diet made my digestion sluggish, constipated, and uncomfortable. It also threw my hormones out of balance, screwing up my sleep and energy levels.

I’m not saying that all of these diets are bad. I’m just saying that they’re not right for me. And I’m finally starting to realize that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to health and nutrition. We’re all different, and we need to find what works for us as individuals.

So what’s a guy or gal supposed to do when s/he’s tried every diet under the sun and still doesn’t feel optimal? This is where intuitive eating comes in. Intuitive eating is an approach to nutrition that is based on listening to your body’s internal cues, rather than following a specific diet. It’s about eating what your body wants when it wants it.

If you’re thinking that intuitive eating sounds a lot like common sense, you’re not wrong. But in a world where fad diets and quick-fix solutions are the norm, common sense is often overlooked in favor of the latest and greatest “health” craze.

The great thing about intuitive eating is that there are no rules or restrictions. You don’t have to give up your favorite foods or food groups. You can eat whatever you want, whenever you want. And best of all, you’ll finally be in tune with your body’s natural cues, which is the key to optimal health.

If you’re ready to ditch the diet mentality and start feeling your best, read on for my top tips on how to intuitively eat for optimal health.

Tip # 1: Make Peace With Food

Stop labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” All foods can be part of a healthy diet. You don’t have to feel guilty for eating a piece of cake or a hamburger. Just enjoy your food and move on. When you diet, you may start to see food as the enemy. But with intuitive eating, you’ll start to see food as nourishment for your body. This can help you feel better about food and reduce any negative feelings towards it.

Tip # 2: Eat When You’re Hungry

Intuitive eating is learning to listen to your body’s hunger cues. This may sound obvious, but it’s amazing how many people go through life ignoring their hunger. If you’re hungry, eat! It’s that simple.

Tip # 3: Enjoy Your Food.

Savor each bite and pay attention to the flavors, textures, and smells of what you’re eating. This will help you feel more satisfied and prevent you from overeating.

Tip # 4: Eat What You’re Craving

If you’re craving a specific food, there’s a good chance your body is trying to tell you something. Maybe you need more of a certain nutrient or you’re simply in the mood for something specific. Either way, there’s no need to deny yourself what you’re craving. Just be sure to listen to your body’s portion cues and eat until you’re satisfied.

Tip # 5: Don’t Eat Just Because It’s “Time to Eat”

If you’re not actually hungry, don’t force yourself to eat. Just because it’s noon doesn’t mean you need to eat lunch. And just because it’s dinner time doesn’t mean you need to eat a full meal. If you’re not hungry, listen to your body and wait until you are before eating.

Tip # 6: Honor Your Fullness

When you’re eating, pay attention to your body’s fullness cues. Once you’re satisfied, stop eating. It’s okay to save food for later if you’re not hungry enough to finish it. And don’t worry about “cleaning your plate.” Your body knows how much it needs, so trust it!

Tip # 7: Trust Yourself

You know what’s best for your body. So if you’re feeling doubtful or confused about whether or not to eat something, ask yourself: “Will this help me reach my goals?”, “Will this make me feel good?”, “Do I really need this right now?”

By following these simple tips, you’ll be on your way to intuitive eating and optimal health in no time. Just remember to listen to your body and trust its cues. Your body knows best!

If you’re not sure where to start, I suggest checking out the resources below. They helped me a lot when I was first starting out on my intuitive eating journey.

Intuitive Eating Resources:

• Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach by RDN Evelyn Tribole (MS) and RDN Elyse Resch (MS) (Audible)

• Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating by Christy Harrison (Audible)

• Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, and Just Plain Fail to Understand About Weight by Linda Bacon, PhD and Lucy Aphramor, PhD RD (Audible)

• Health at Every Size by Linda Bacon (Audible)

• Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat by Michelle May (Audible)

All these titles are available in paper or hardback, you can check out all of these books for no cost with a Free 30-Day Audible Plus Trial.

enjoy the benefits that come with intuitive eating!

These include improved overall health, a balanced weight, and a more positive relationship with food. It’s not about weight loss or deprivation. It’s about finding what works for you as an individual and making peace with food.

Intuitive eating is a healthy, sustainable way to eat that can improve your physical and mental health. So why not give it a try? You might be surprised at how good you feel!

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. I’d love to hear from you! And if you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends. Thanks for reading! 🙂

Soulful Dosha Co may earn a small commission for items displayed on this page. Please see our complete Affiliate Disclosure.