Can You Get Fitter With Intuitive Eating?
In the previous articles, we’ve discussed different meal preparations, desserts, and dieting styles to stay fit. Some of you aspiring and current pro cheerleaders might’ve found them to your liking, others may have disagreed.
Now, here’s a nutrition plan without any restrictions. It’s called Intuitive Eating. Forget the all-fiber, all-protein, and carb-cutting diet plans you’ve made. This is an eating approach that you’re sure to love without counting the macronutrients for every meal.
What is Intuitive Eating and how does it affect the body?
Intuitive eating is a non-dieting style that relies on your body’s signals. Instead of fasting or having food restrictions, you listen to your body by eating what it needs and when it needs food. However, there is a common misconception when people think of intuitive eating as a weight-loss strategy.
Mostly think it’s a no-holds-barred food fest where one eats anything without limits. Intuitive eating is more of identifying which type of food and how much you should eat to make your body feel at its best.
A prime example of eating intuitively is noticing how a well-proportioned plate of meat, veggies, fruits, and whole-grain makes your body feel lighter, energetic, and your stomach full throughout the day. Not like eating a plate of mainly carbs which does give you a temporary energy boost then makes you hungry quicker with an energy crash.
By eating intuitively, you’re only eating what you need for fuel based on your daily activity. You don’t need to eat less which causes you to tire easily from workouts and you won’t need to eat a lot which leads to gaining excess weight.
That brings us to the question, “Can you get fitter with intuitive eating?”. Yes, it can and it’s even more effective with proper exercise and healthy food choices.
Tips on how to eat intuitively:
1. Double-check your hunger
We can feel hunger at any time of the day. It may be because we’re genuinely hungry or we’re just bored. So to make sure that you’re body is really asking for nutrition, drink a lot of water. If your stomach starts to rumble after a few minutes, eat. If it doesn’t then don’t eat.
2. Eat when you’re hungry
We’ve been talking a lot about staying to your meal schedules in the previous articles. In intuitive eating, there won’t be a need to. That is because pushing off your hunger will only cause you to overeat on your next meal and overeating causes weight gain.
The technique here is to focus on how your body feels in a state of hunger. Do you feel energetic with a rumbling stomach? That means you should munch on low-carb veggies or meat so you’ll be satisfied without ingesting excess carbs.
Are you full yet feel tired? Then eat a meal that is mainly good carbs like whole fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
3. Hands-off the electronics while eating
Being on your phone or watching the TV will distract you while eating. You’ll find it hard to feel full because of this. You might end up either satisfied with your meals or unsatisfied.
4. Divide your meals into 3 equal food class segments
To really make intuitive eating work as a weight control method, make sure you get all the nourishment you need for the day. Your plate should have:
- Good carbs like fruits and whole-grain as your fuel source.
- Protein to build and repair body tissues.
- Veggies for vitamins and minerals.
5. Go food hopping
With your plate divided into three segments, don’t focus and finish one food class first. There’s a high chance you’ll be full without having the chance to eat the others. Eat a spoonful of good carbs, then eat protein, and then eat veggies.
You can choose whatever order of food hopping you want or you can mix them all if possible. The point is to feel satisfied by eating a well-balanced meal.
6. Stop eating when you’re full
Don’t finish your meal if you feel full already. Take your plate to the sink when you’re satisfied. Or you can save it for later the next time you feel hungry again.
Remember, intuitive eating isn’t about satisfying cravings. It is nourishing your body with what it needs. Cravings are psychologically-driven. A growling stomach is a true sign of hunger.
If you feel “hungry” for an hour or two after a meal and “this hunger” makes you want a specific type of food, that’s craving. Just drink water as cravings are often associated with thirst or eat something else that’s healthier like veggies.