Intuitive eating: what is it and how to put it into practice?

Discover the meaning of intuitive eating and its benefits.

Eating intuitively is as natural as it is strange, as simple as it is complicated. Because? Because intuitive eating is personal and intimate, relative and subjective . In terms of nutrition, there is an obsession with wanting to eat better and better.

Many people read dozens and dozens of articles, posts and content related to food every day. There is a palpable and sometimes unhealthy obsession with perfect nutrition. And yet, how many types are there? New formats appear every day: we hear vegetarian , vegan, raw vegan, frugivorous, omnivorous, flexiterian, macrobiotic, keto, Ayurvedic...

Why does this happen? Because, from my humble point of view, there are as many types of food as there are people on planet Earth . Each individual is a unique and exclusive being, with a specific organism, particular life circumstances, personal thoughts, emotions and palpable sensations... Some people work 10 hours a day sitting in a chair, others do it moving every day. Some people need to eat breakfast, others only eat once a day. Some people have a very fast metabolism, others have a slightly slower and heavier metabolism.

There are so many differences that exist between one person and another, even between individuals who share the same life, that the most conducive diet is intuitive .

What is intuitive eating?

Intuitive eating is nothing more than the ability to eat what does us good . To eat not only for pleasure, but for our health and well-being. Beyond likes and dislikes, we must nourish ourselves to cover the basic needs of our body .

And how can we do this? It's as easy as stopping for a moment, breathing and observing the messages of our body . How do you feel right now? What kind of needs are you feeling right now? What kind of activities have you done so far and how many do you still have to do? Do you need a denser or lighter energy? Do you need to raise your body temperature or, on the contrary, do you feel that you need to cool it down?

All these questions can help us detect what kind of food we need at all times. Unlike conventional diets, intuitive eating is fluctuating . It does not restrict food : it studies it to understand what is the most optimal time, the most appropriate season of the year, or the most suitable state of life to take it.

Sometimes some foods will be prioritized; other times, other foods will be taken. The most important thing is to develop your intuition and use it to eat better . To eat so that we can feel alive and awake, focused and serene, happy and content. Eating to optimize our vital state and serve others. In intuitive eating, it is also important to give up fixed schedules and listen to the body's internal schedule :

Am I really hungry right now? Do I feel like my stomach needs food or out of habit or boredom? is my mouth salivating if i think about food? Or as an emotional impulse?

Through these small exercises, through stopping, breathing and asking ourselves how we are, we are developing our intuition. We are connecting with the wisdom of the body, which knows when to eat, what to eat and how to eat. After all, it is more simple than complicated. Instead of excessively consuming articles, reports, posts and messages from the internet and social networks, it is more effective to dedicate a space to eating more slowly, being aware of what each food generates in our body and keeping a small personal diary where to write it down. questions like:

How did I feel today when eating avocado? What kind of energy has it given me? Have I felt satiated? How have I felt when combining it with brown rice, with a fig or with bread? And the carrot, how did the carrot feel today? Have I felt satisfied and comfortable eating raw, or do I feel better cooked?

Through a diary , one has a space to inquire about their own body, about food and its cooking, its temperatures and energy... Through a personal diary, one can develop their intuition and obtain a broader and more truthful vision. about what feels good or bad .

This does not mean that nutritionists are useless: we simply must be responsible for what we read or hear from them and question it at all times. They dedicate their time to investigate, analyze, discern and help: however they do not feel your body; you are then your own teacher.

If you want to know a little more about it, you can watch this short but very clear talk on how to incorporate the intuitive diet into your day to day .

Mae Knapnougel