Despite being told that dieting doesn’t work, people still invest in the $66 billion diet industry, which wouldn’t be a whole industry if dieting actually worked.
There is a kinder, gentler way to modify eating, especially for those who are chronic dieters. It is intuitive eating.
How Intuitive Eating is Different from Dieting
Intuitive eating is an approach to food. With dieting, the emphasis is on weight, and changing the number of the weight. With intuitive eating, moderation is emphasized.
You don’t need to weigh yourself. You just need to know if you are feeling good.
With intuitive eating, the goal is to leave you satisfied with the food your body needs and the right amount of food, using mindful strategies.
Food is not Labeled as Good or Bad
While you can’t just eat anything you want, there is no worrying about banned or forbidden foods. Having forbidden foods leads to feels of deprivation, and then cravings. This is a more balanced approach to food.
No More Anxiety About Counting Calories
You don’t have to count every single calorie, and no more measuring out portions.
Your Relationship with Food is Improved
Eating is encouraged. When you are hungry eat meals, and have regular snacks.
You just make sure that you eat the right kinds of food, like whole foods and fresh fruits and vegetables, and cut out as many processed foods as possible.
Your Body Knows What It Needs
Your body knows what it needs and tries to tell you. You used to know what your body was telling you when you were a baby and a small child, but you lost your ability to hear.
Back then, you ate when you were hungry, and stopped when you were full. You weren’t aware of diet cues outside yourself, like advertising, skinny jeans, or fashion magazines.
You have to relearn how to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues, and eat when you are truly hungry.
The Components of Intuitive Eating
In addition to relearning cues from the body about hunger and fullness, intuitive eating recognizes how food makes us feel both physiologically and psychologically, in conjunction with an awareness and knowledge of nutrition and caloric intake.
Mindfulness techniques are used to help you really enjoy your food and by doing so, feel satisfied. Some things to note when eating are the scent, temperature, texture and taste. Take your time. Appreciate it.
Once finished ask yourself if you feel physically good after eating, and if you would want to repeat the experience.
If you keep experimenting in this fashion, you’ll find out what works for you, and what doesn’t.
Think of the Long Term
Research has shown that intuitive eaters maintain their weight in the long run, while those who go on diets have weight that yo-yos.
Though there may be times when the dieters are at a lower weight, the up and down is tough on the body, and affects health as well as self esteem.
Try intuitive eating. It doesn’t require any membership or special equipment!
