If you have ever been interested in the topic of intuitive eating, you might be wondering how it is possible to start eating intuitively. Indeed, it sounds logical that the majority of us have a meal just because it is already time for dinner and having breakfast is widely recommended by doctors and dietitians while getting through a stressful situation might be more bearable with a large chocolate bar. Yet, it is not obvious what people who have had such an approach to food during their entire lives can change it.
Intuitive eating is not a diet
The very first thing you should understand is that intuitive eating is not a diet which means it Is not possible to change one’s eating habits within a day just because it is good for oneself. The idea is you are yet to discover what really good for you and what your new eating habits should be. That is why, getting into intuitive eating will require a lot of internal work which will finally lead you to the place where you will understand the needs of your body and be able to feed yourself in the most optimal way.
Focus on your body
One of the most basic things you will need to do in order to understand your physical needs when it comes to food is focusing on the process of eating. In order to do it, it will be important to learn to focus on your physical sensations. This is the first step you should take to understand your body.
It is recommended to choose a silent place where you can close your eyes and just sit for a couple of minutes listening to your physical sensations. The feeling of hunger is usually confused with the feeling of thirst or even fear. It will also allow you to understand the nature of your hunger if it is present. The real hunger is the condition in which you have an urge to eat absolutely anything whereas psychological hunger present because of various conditions such as stress, anxiety or even boredom is related to an urge to have something rather specific at the moment.
Taking a pause before eating
It is crucial to give yourself a moment before choosing the exact food to eat as well as it amount as many people tend to choose food because someone else is choosing it whether it is the friend with whom you have come to a restaurant or it is a dietician claiming this food is good for you.
Look at all of the products available to you right now and think about what you really want to have and how much of that you can have right now.
Do not rush while eating
Rush is one of the major enemies of intuitive eating as it does not allow you to concentrate on your feelings properly, does not allow you to feel real pleasure from eating and also makes it challenging to understand whether you have had enough of food or not.
Certainly, it is not always possible to have food without a rush especially if one is working under a company or organisation and has a time limit for a break to have food. Yet, even in such a situation, you should try to give yourself more time for food whenever it is possible.
Do not finish a meal if you do not want to
With time, you will be able to choose a right amount of food, however, even if you master it, sometimes there might be situations in which you feel satiation but there is still food on your plate. For example, it can take place in a restaurant. In such a case you should just allow yourself to leave the unfinished meal on the plate without forcing oneself to eat all of it.
Do not eat if you do not want to
A crucial aspect of intuitive eating is resigning from food if you are not hungry. There are many examples of such situations when people feel obliged to eat even if they actually do not want to have any food. Of you really do not feel like having breakfast because the mere image of food makes you feel nauseated, you certainly do not have to. There are also situations in which you have just had food but someone wants you to have some more because he or she is going to eat right now.
There are many possibilities, but you should never eat just because you are supposed to.