How to Eat Intuitively and Simply
To eat with simplicity and intuition is to have the ability to listen to your body’s subtle reminders of what it needs to feel healthy and alive.
In this post I’m going to explore, with you dear reader, what it could look like for you to start eating this way.
In Holistic Health Coaching, we believe that food as nourishment comes second to living a life of nourishment. That is, the food on your plate is important of course, but so are our relationships, happiness at work, general fulfillment, movement routines, and spiritual connection.
For now though, let’s focus on food, glorious food.
For me, what’s on my plate has always been a focus for my health. It’s why I host seasonal supper clubs and send out lists of beautiful healthy recipes and ideas to my clients.
However for many, food remains something of stress - not knowing when, how, or what to eat.
When you can finally find a connection to your body - to learn when you’re hungry, and to eat intuitively what your body needs - and you can learn to eat simply and accessibly - it becomes something that happens naturally.
Something that has always fascinated me is our body’s ability to digest and look after itself without any active contribution from us.
Our bodies work so hard in the background without us even being aware of it - so imagine what happens when we can bring awareness to this process - we can tap into our body’s power and learn to eat more intuitively and proactively based on our needs, goals, and subtle cues.
Let’s dive in
Listening to your body’s cues
Something I’d like you to try right now - is to connect to your belly, and your level of satiation, and think about this question: “On a scale of 1 being hungry and 5 being full, where am I?”
Being able to answer that question is the foundation of eating with your intuition guiding you. Rather than mindlessly opening the fridge and peering inside for the nearest snack, you’re pausing and introducing mindfulness into your eating routine.
When you’re always rushing, stressed, or short on time, it can be so easy to overlook your body’s subtle cues and energies. In essence, you switch off your ability to tune in to your body, and instead eat out of habit and ease.
The problem with this is that it’s unsustainable and won’t provide you with the energy, nutrition, and nourishment you need.
So how do you listen to your cues?
You will likely have three subtle cues guiding you toward your food choices:
Physical Cues - think hunger pangs in the belly, saliva in the mouth, and somatic feeling of wanting food
Energetic Cues - when your energy is low or you feel fatigued and in need of food
Emotional Cues - that moment you go for the chocolate when you feel sad, or reach for the salty snacks when you’re rushing and stressed
The key here is not to get rid of any of these cues but to have the discernment to witness them and notice which ones are the loudest. By listening you take back your ability to make the decisions that serve you.
For example, if you consistently have physical cues or hunger, maybe you’re not eating enough at meals, or opting for the most satiating foods like healthy fats and proteins.
Or if you repeatedly have a lot of emotional cues, maybe something in your primary food group needs some work (read my blog on living authentically here)
Practice breathwork before eating
Have you heard of the saying, 'digestion starts in the mouth'? Well, it actually starts with your nervous system; that is, having your nervous system in its parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ state.
When we are eating at our desks answering emails, scrolling through our phones, or eating standing up at the kitchen counter while trying to check off our to-do list for the day, our body is in the opposite state - our sympathetic state, aka 'fight or flight' mode, which does not allow for optimal digestion.
When your body is in fight or flight mode you chew too little, leaving all the 'breaking down' process to your stomach and intestines which can cause over-fermentation and bloating.
It also means you tend to eat too fast meaning you will swallow air and disrupt the normal digestive process or end up eating more than you actually want or need.
By engaging in diaphragmatic breathing before eating (breathing low down into your belly) you are moving into your 'rest and digest' state naturally.
Give this a try before each meal: Inhale through your nose (deep into your belly) to the count of 4, hold to a count of 2, and exhale through your mouth to the count of 7.
Find gratitude for your body
We often see ‘find gratitude for your body’ as part of a movement to accept our physical appearances, but what if you were able to find gratitude for your body’s internal rhythms and functions?
Our bodies are constantly running in the background without us ever really knowing. They digest our food long before and after we actually eat, they detoxify naturally, and they house all our internal organs and give us the ability to think, move, feel, breathe, and thrive.
When you can bring a feeling of gratitude and a feeling of giving thanks to your body’s innate wisdom, you can learn to become more appreciative of all the wonderful things it does for you.
This in return makes you more likely to look after it - being kind to your body, feeding yourself nourishing food, eating more mindfully and slowly, and paying close attention to those subtle cues and signals your body sends you on a daily basis.
So I challenge you right now to find 3 things you’re grateful for about your body - not the way it looks, but the way it functions and nourishes you, from the inside out.
I’ll start (You can use my list for inspiration if you need)
I am grateful for:
My belly - protecting my vital digestive system and working hard to provide me with nourishment
My lungs - giving me space to breathe and expand - for giving me a tool to calm myself
My liver - for naturally offering a detoxification process and keeping my body safe from toxins
Finding what works for you
One of the best reasons for eating intuitively is that you don’t follow any kind of protocol and you don’t have to restrict yourself, instead, you learn to listen to your body and feed it what it wants.
Your body needs healthy fats, clean proteins, and sustainable carbs to thrive. When you can start to listen to and learn about your body - (What foods make you feel satiated and full? What type of vegetables help you with energy? What kinds of proteins leave you feeling powerful?) you’ll have the ability to choose your food wisely, with confidence, knowing it is the right choice for you.
You’ll also, over time, start to learn when you’re receiving certain cues for food. You’ll be able to listen and know if it’s an emotional cue, a physical cue, or an energetic one.
My goal with clients is to give them the ability to choose for themselves. This is why diets and prescriptive plans don’t work. I believe that my clients always know deep down what they need. It’s simply my job to help them listen to their bodies, tune in to their inner wisdom, and eat in a way that feels good for them.
