Discover the freedom of intuitive eating – beyond diets and rigid rules. Relearn listening to your body’s signals and establish a healthy relationship with food. Are you ready to explore the path to more enjoyment, satisfaction, and self-acceptance?
What is Intuitive Eating?
Eating according to your gut feeling – that describes the principle of intuitive eating quite well. You eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. You don’t limit yourself to specific foods or dietary principles; rather, you consume whatever you feel like eating at the moment. The idea behind this dietary model is to listen to your body’s signals and eat exactly what the body needs at that time.
What might sound like a very pleasant way of eating actually requires discipline and practice, as society has strongly influenced our eating behavior in recent decades. Many eat out of habit or boredom, to process emotions, or for sociability. Most have lost the ability to listen to their bodies and eat intuitively.
Feeling Hungry and Feeling Satiated
The good news is that anyone can learn intuitive eating, and mindfulness can help. It helps you pause and experience each moment consciously. This way, you can better pay attention to your body’s signals and respond to them.
Recognizing and Understanding the Body's Hunger Signals
Everyone knows the feeling of hunger; it rumbles in the stomach, and you start thinking about food. But how can you recognize genuine hunger, the so-called body or stomach hunger? It’s helpful to pause for a moment and think. Am I just craving something, or am I really hungry? Am I bored right now, or am I feeling a strong emotion like anger or sadness? What was I doing beforehand, or when was my last meal? Does it make sense that I’m hungry now? If you’re unsure, it’s helpful to distract yourself for a while. If the feeling of hunger persists, then you probably have “real” hunger. Even if it’s difficult for you at first, you will develop a better sense of your body and your hunger over time.
Perceiving and Respecting Satiety Signals
Noticing your satiety signals is not as easy as feeling hunger. If you feel stuffed, then it was too much. Biologically, a lot happens in our bodies to make us feel full, namely the so-called “satiety cascade.” The stomach, the intestines, the adipose tissue, and the pancreas release various signals and hormones that together tell the brain “I am full!”. All these processes need time until the information reaches the brain. So if you eat quickly and “shovel everything in”, the risk of overeating increases. How long it takes to perceive the satiety signals depends on various factors, such as the composition of the food or personal conditions. It can take up to 20 or 30 minutes for the satiety cascade to take full effect. So it’s even more important to eat mindfully and take your time. Enjoy every bite with all your senses, chew slowly, and pause occasionally to feel if you’re still hungry.
Intuitive Nutrition in Everyday Life - the Elephant Principle
Don’t think of a pink elephant. What are you likely to think of now? That’s the so-called Elephant Principle. The same applies to your diet. Try not to categorize any foods as good or bad” Each food has its justification and is a good choice in a particular situation (in a certain amount). A green salad might be just right if you’ve already had lunch and only feel a slight hunger in the afternoon. However, it may be the wrong choice for someone who is desperately trying to lose weight and only eats a salad a day, as it does not provide enough nutrients. Chocolate may not be sensible if you mindlessly snack on it in front of the TV, but after a jogging session, it’s just right for a quick energy boost. The more you try to prohibit yourself from certain foods, the more you will think about it and have a craving for it.
In everyday life, you shouldn’t follow strict hunger or satiety rules. Just be mindful of your body’s signals and take your time to enjoy your food. Be kind to yourself; if you misjudge once, acknowledge it, remember it, and do it differently next time.
