How to Become an Intuitive Eater
written by Dawn Wheeler, ntpCookies? What cookies?
Have you ever opened a bag of cookies and told yourself you would only have a couple, only to find yourself tipping the bag over your mouth to collect the final crumbs twenty minutes later? No? Definitely not me either…
All jokes aside, I think everyone can relate to the hypnotic pull certain foods have on us. Many of us feel like our hunger is out of our control, and that feeling can come with shame and self-judgment. The thing that had us feeling so good in one moment can cause us to feel really bad about ourselves in the next. For many, this is the beginning of a vicious cycle, overeating because we feel bad, feeling bad because we overate.
What we don’t realize is that our behavior is not simply a function of poor willpower. In fact, there are so many forces that influence our eating habits beyond our awareness that we can hardly credit our willpower at all. Yes, that means exactly what you think it means: your binge eating episodes are not your fault. BUT, they are within your power to change.
To make this change, you just need to understand a few things about your biology and the influence modern life has on your hunger. Once I learned about why we overeat, I was able to create a lifestyle that helps me manage my hunger. I’m not saying that I never indulge or overeat. But when I do, it’s a choice, and I can stop. That sense of control is the difference between a vicious cycle and a slight detour. So let’s dive into how you can become an intuitive eater too!
One: Understand influences on eating behavior
You might hear a lot of buzz about intuitive eating, but before you jump on the intuitive eating bandwagon, consider that the modern lifestyle makes true intuitive eating almost impossible, unless you understand the influences on your hunger. One reason for this is that most foods around us are designed by psychologists, scientists, and marketers to attract and addict us. Sophisticated knowledge of our brain neurochemistry is used to make these foods virtually irresistible. The problem is, processed foods short-circuit our body’s ability to sense nutrient needs and satisfy them. The body just knows it lacks nutrients and keeps urging you to eat until it gets them. With processed foods, adequate nutrition never comes, and hunger continues.
Here are a few other influences on your eating behavior that you may not be aware of:
Hormone imbalances:insulin, cortisol, leptin, ghrelin, thyroid, estrogen and progesterone
Blood sugar dysregulation
Inadequate protein consumption
Social influences
Sensory stimulation (walking by a bakery and getting a whiff of yeasty goodness)
Anxious attachment style
Each of these influences needs to be addressed in a different way. Because of this, mindfulness becomes a really useful tool for identifying influences and addressing them. It is a much stronger approach than willpower!
Two: Learn to interpret hunger cues
Did you know that there are different types of hunger sensations? That rumble in your tummy is caused by the hormone ghrelin, and is based on a daily rhythm. The rumble happens reliably at times that your body expects you to eat based on your habits. This is different from “hanger”, that irritable feeling you have when a meal is long overdue. Hanger is the result of low blood sugar and could be less related to nutrient needs than it is to metabolic health. Then there is appetite or cravings, like wanting chocolate cake before your period. This might point to a need for a specific nutrient. Or you could be trying to satisfy an emotional hunger. Finally, if at the end of the day you feel the urge to eat a lot of food, there is a chance that you did not consume adequate protein during the day. Mindfulness can help you determine what kind of hunger you are experiencing.
Three: Create a plan to meet your needs
This might sound like the opposite of intuitive eating, but it’s not. If you intentionally address the influences on your hunger, you turn down the volume on all of the noise that distracts you from truly listening to your body.
Steps to creating an intuitive eating plan:
Manage influences on your hunger and cravings
Find out what nutrients you are lacking
Plan your meals and meal times in advance to meet your needs
Get support for mental and emotional needs
Practice noticing and interpreting body sensations with mindful eating
Consult with a professional
It can be really helpful to consult with a health coach as you create this plan. You can receive education, personalized guidance and tools that make the process a lot easier. And with all of the influences and information we are bombarded with daily, accountability and support can be the difference between frustration and liberation.
Ready for change?
As someone who has personally struggled with binge eating, as well as restriction, I can tell you that it is possible to regulate your appetite and experience freedom around eating. It just takes a bit of knowledge, self-awareness and support. It doesn’t have to be a frustrating process either. With the right support, learning to intuitively eat can be empowering.
At Healing Together, we recognize that a lot of people struggle with their eating habits, and we know this impacts mental health. So we’ve created the Intuitive Eating Training Course, a four week group course, that provides you with the tools, practice, guidance, and support you need to trust your body, and finally satiate your hunger.
Click below to learn more about the course!
