How Intuitive Eating Changed My Life
The holidays can be challenging on so many levels! But I think one of the biggest triggers and challenges of this time of year surrounds food and how we eat. Can you relate?
Today I would like to take this time with you to discuss intuitive eating practices and how implementing these allowed me to release compulsion, anxiety, and some very ingrained habits I had surrounding food and eating.
Are You a MINDFUL Eater?
Do you ever stop to think about how you eat? Do you tend to grab something as you rush out the door and eat it while driving to work? Or do you haul it all in with you and eat while checking your email or going through files? I know that used to be me!
If you are not eating slowly and with intention, your digestive system may be suffering. Research has shown that mindful eating is the healthiest way to eat; because you are putting thought into what you’re eating and how you are eating it, your eating habits, digestion, and overall health will benefit greatly. Here’s how I stopped mindless eating and started eating with intention and intuition.
How does MINDLESS Eating Sabotage Your Health?
I know for me my mindless eating habits were deeply ingrained behaviors that I was largely unaware of until pretty recently. I had no idea how I ate was contributing to my digestive issues, my stress, my binging, etc.
Poor Digestion
Thinking about food before eating it prepares your mind and body for the first stage of digestion (salivation & mastication). As the brain starts to anticipate the food, either through smell or visualization, it triggers the production of digestive juices and enzymes your system will soon need to break down that food. If, on the other hand, you are eating mindlessly and pay no attention to your food, your brain is unable to help your body function the way it should, resulting in unnecessary poor digestion and weight gain.
Stress
Eating while working can increase the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone suppresses the production of enzymes, stomach acid, and saliva, and can lead to perpetuating undigested food, resulting in acid reflux, gas, and bloating, as well as the loss of absorption of many essential nutrients.
Over-eating
Mindless eating often leads to over-eating because you are not paying attention to your body’s signals of feeling full. This can result in poor digestion and complications and may even lead to many digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel diseases and cancer. Our ability to digest food and absorb nutrients is greatly reduced by stress, hormones, gut microbial imbalances, toxins, and food sensitivities.
Why is Intuitive Eating Beneficial?
Intuitive eating is simply eating with intention and paying attention to your food. By increasing your awareness of your relationship with food, intuitive eating improves your digestive processes and can change the destructive cycles for good.
Here are some of the benefits of eating with intention:
1. Weight Loss
Tuning in, slowing down, and releasing the diet mentality all contribute to weight loss and are aspects of intuitive eating. By tuning into your food you actually get to taste it and feel it in your mouth. You start to develop a true sense of satisfaction, not just a food coma. By slowing down you allow your brain to catch up to your stomach, which actually prevents you from overeating and therefore eating less. And when you release the obsession with constantly dieting and trying to lose weight, you can shift into appreciating food for its nourishment and support.
2. Elevated Energy
Because you are being more selective about how you fuel your body, intuitive eating may increase your energy. This has trickle-down effects: more energy means you may be more motivated to exercise longer and harder, you may be more productive at work, and you will have a more positive attitude. Food is fuel for your body; the better you fuel it, the better it will run!
3. Better Digestion
Intuitive eating may drastically reduce a wide variety of digestive issues, such as bloating, nausea, constipation, gas, indigestion and a toxic liver. When your body is prepared to receive and process food, and when that food is clean and healthy, you may notice a dramatic difference in how your body functions and in how you feel.
Eating intuitively and intentionally has changed my life, and it really didn’t take much to get there. Willingness was key. So I encourage you this holiday season to slow down, think about your food, and feel the best you ever have!
If you are feeling called to take the next step, contact me to set up a clarity call. Together we will discuss your healing journey, and make an action plan to get you to your goal.
If one-on-one coaching isn’t your thing, but you are ready to make a change, I have a super easy & approachable 14-day course, that will help you create healthy habits, and rid your body of toxicity and inflammation in a safe and natural way. For the price of 1 meal at a restaurant, you can start changing your life, step-by-step at your own pace over a 2 week period. Check out the 14 Days to Vibrant Health Course here.
Namaste,
- Dr. Lara
P.S.
Don’t forget! Join me on my Facebook page,facebook.com/drlaramay, as well as Instagram & Twitter @drlaramay. Also, be sure to tune in to my podcast on your favorite platform, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean or Anchor.Fm @Light Body Radio to get all the juicy info coming your way in an easily digestible format. I look forward to hearing your feedback, comments, and suggestions.
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