Week 2- Intuitive Eating

We are coming upon week two of the challenge.  This week's focus is to START the Intuitive Eating.  We have dropped the diet mentality, we have studied the principles of intuitive eating, and now it's time for ACTION!  Are you ready?

This week, we are going to:

Eat when you are hungry:  Go ahead.  EAT!  Give yourself permission to do this!  I have discussed this in greater detail HERE.  Just make sure that you are really hungry, not eating as a solution to something other than hunger.

Prepare your meals- It's no secret that preparing your own meals is healthier than going out to eat.  Take the time to choose quality ingredients. Whole foods make for a healthier, prettier, tastier meal than something out of a box or can.  When the meal tastes, smells, and looks good, you will enjoy it.  PLUS, as you prepare the meal, your senses use that time to send messages to your body, preparing it for what's to come.  The whole thing from the first chop to the final bite becomes an experience!  Enjoy it!

Make each meal a separate event from life: When we eat while on the go, we sometimes don't even realize that we are eating.  This can lead to OVER eating, and not recognizing when we are satisfied.  When meals are a separate experience from life, we take the time to relax, slow down, and enjoy the experience.  I even add something special to each meal. Sometimes, I drink water from a nice glass, or I use my nice dishes, or I might add a piece of dark chocolate and raspberries to the end of the meal.  Whatever you choose to do, make the meal an experience.  It may seem daunting and overwhelming, but it will make a difference, I promise. And, your health is worth it!  I'm not asking you to track calories, I'm asking you to eat a REAL MEAL.

Eat at a table:  This seems easier than it actually is.  Trust me.  Even if you are eating by yourself. Don't eat in front of the TV, or standing at the counter (guilty!) But, SIT DOWN, relax, eat at a table like a civilized human!  Trust me, you will soon be addicted to the slower pace, break from life, that comes from this.

Slow down: Chew slower. Take a chance to smell the food before you put it in your mouth.  Try and taste all of the spices or the natural flavor of the food.  What is it that you like about the food?  NOTICE that you are eating!  If you are eating with others, enjoy their company.  Take smaller bites, and don't talk with your mouth full!  Sheesh!

Ask yourself if your hunger has been satisfied:  Periodically throughout the meal, you will want to pay attention to the signals of being satisfied. I think that this is the hardest part.  Sometimes, the food will taste SO GOOD, that you want to continue eating past the being satisfied.  Remind yourself that you can ALWAYS have this food AGAIN. Once you feel NOT hungry anymore, you will start to notice the small signals of being "full."  You might give a sigh. You might start to feel heavy in your stomach.  These are all signals to STOP eating!  I know that some of you will have an issue with this.  You might feel like you are WASTING food.  IF the food cannot be saved for a later time, go ahead, WASTE it!  DO NOT USE YOUR MOUTH AS A GARBAGE CAN! I would rather throw food away (as much as it pains me- still) than have to pay out a ton more in health care because I used my body as a garbage disposal.  I AM WORTH MORE THAN THE FOOD IS WORTH.

If you are looking to start the challenge from the beginning: CLICK HERE.