One of the first things I tell my health coach clients is that everyone is different; what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for the next. 

There seems to be a new diet trend every year. Whether it’s Atkins, Zone, Whole30, Weight Watchers, most of us have tried at least one and most of us have felt the sense of failure. The ridiculous rules like banning beans, one of the healthiest foods to eat, or certain vegetables and fruits like bananas or eggplant have led us to judge not only certain foods as “good or bad” but also judge ourselves as “good or bad” when we don’t adhere to these rules. The more we demonize certain foods and forbid them, the more it leads to food obsessions and binging. 

The good news is there is a new trend on the rise: Intuitive Eating, a radically different “un-diet” where you can learn to listen to your body, trust your hunger cues and cravings and enjoy food again without the heaviness of rules, ”good or bad” labeling, and the sense of failure. Focusing on how certain foods make you feel can be a guide for mindful eating. Instead of judging foods based on the claims of a trendy new diet book, identifying which foods don’t agree with you can be your guide and might be the secret effective weight loss, positive body image and a healthy relationship with food. 

The feeling of letting go of rules might feel like a terrifying free fall, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Most of us innately know what foods make us feel our best and when our body truly is hungry, we just need to start listening to our selves, jump off the roller coaster of dieting, restricting and judging our body image, and allow ourselves the joy of eating.

HOW TO START EATING INTUITIVELY

Options: Instead of giving yourself restrictions, give yourself options. When you feel hungry, take a moment to notice your cravings. How does my energy level feel? Would fruit for breakfast feel good or does my body need something more like protein rich eggs?

Listen: Just because your friend has lost weight cutting out carbohydrates, doesn’t mean that that will work for you. Each of us has a different metabolism and different nutritional needs. Remember to take note of when certain foods make you feel good, energized and fueled and which foods are hard for you to digest and make you feel sluggish. Let these become your “rules” that are catered to YOU. If you notice beans are hard to digest and make you feel sluggish or if common irritants like corn, soy, dairy or gluten upset your stomach or causes joint pain, listen to your body’s red flags! Replace dairy, corn, soy and wheat with alternatives or consider soaked, sprouted beans that are easier to digest.

Kindness: Be kind to yourself. When you stop demonizing food, you give yourself permission to eat. Let’s say you’re craving M&Ms. By allowing yourself permission to have the M&Ms, you take away the feeling of being prisoner to your feelings and guess what happens? You can have a few M&Ms and move on without eating the entire bag. What a sense of relief that provides! And a feeling of success versus failure.

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