7 intuitive eating principles to help you lose weight without dieting

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

If you learn to listen to your body, you can eat anything.

The world is obsessed with dealing with stress. It is he, stress, who is accused of all mortal sins, including the obesity epidemic that has swept the developed countries. But losing weight is also stress. Confirmation of this is the unhealthy scheme tested by many, when dieting is interrupted by food breakdowns, followed by a feeling of guilt, and then a new attempt to "eat right", a new breakdown - and further in a circle.

This scheme does not lead to anything good. Harsh, stressful diets don't work. As Research Shows Do "Diets" Really Just Make You Fatter? On the contrary, in the long term, such diets lead to weight gain.

It is not surprising that many doctors began to look for such a way to lose weight, in which they could do without strict dietary restrictions. Intuitive eating has become this way.

What is intuitive eating

The idea is that the body knows better than us whether it is hungry or not. If given free rein, he will consume exactly as much food as is necessary for normal functioning - and not a gram of fat or sugar more! The only problem is that we do not know how to listen to our body and often do not distinguish between healthy physical hunger and emotional hunger. And yet it is not so difficult.

1. Physical hunger - this is when the body begins to experience an acute need for nutrients. Discomfort manifests itself at the physiological level: gurgling in the stomach, weakness, irritability. This feeling of hunger goes away as soon as you eat any food. Yes, yes, your body in a similar state will lustfully look even at broccoli or a crust of bread.
2. Emotional hunger - a completely different calico. This is an attempt by the body to seize some unpleasant emotion: boredom, sadness, resentment, confusion. There are no physiological manifestations of this type of hunger, it is born exclusively in the head and requires a very specific food: a chocolate bar, or a piece of sausage, or cookies with milk. It is emotional hunger that ultimately leads to overeating, consuming excess calories and weight gain.

In fact, intuitive eating has only one rule: respect physical hunger and avoid emotional.

This is enough to achieve sustainable weight loss in the long term. Relationships between intuitive eating and health indicators: literature review, as well as other equally pleasant bonuses: stop being nervous, love your own body, and improve your health. In particular, studies prove Imagine HEALTH: results from a randomized pilot lifestyle intervention for obese Latino adolescents using Interactive Guided ImagerySM that intuitive nutrition helps to normalize blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, improve overall well-being, and so on.

What do we have to do

The key principles of intuitive eating are few. And, gladly, for the most part they are pleasant.

1. Forget about dieting

This is an important point in coping with stress. You can afford absolutely everything, any food that your body needs. You do not need to limit yourself: food is a friend and helper, not an enemy. Start with this.

2. Make peace with "junk" food

There is no harmful and healthy food. There is only one that you need and which you do not. Unfortunately, people, going on a diet, often simply forbid one or another food to themselves, without even thinking why. And where there is no conscious choice, desires come into play.

What's the use of banning a hamburger if you dream about it? One day, in a moment of weakness, emotions will win - and you will find yourself munching on fast food, and then experiencing acute feelings of guilt and stress.

A much healthier way is to make peace with a hamburger, allow yourself it at any time, but at the same time answer the question clearly and meaningfully: “Do I need this? What will I get in the end?"

A hamburger will give you a bit of fun and a lot of extra inches. Understanding this, making informed food choices is one of the pillars of intuitive eating.

3. Respect your hunger

If you are hungry, then your body really needs proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Give him food. It is important. Otherwise, having decided to limit yourself, you will come into conflict with the instinct of self-preservation. And this will only lead to the fact that the starving body at the first opportunity will begin to stock up on nutrients. And the risks of finding yourself in the refrigerator at three in the morning for you will skyrocket.

Sensitively responding to the first signals of physical hunger and satisfying it is an important step towards a trusting relationship with food and yourself.

4. Respect the sense of satiety

Notice how you feel when you are absolutely full. Remember these feelings. You can mentally measure your saturation on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is the feeling of extreme hunger, and 10 is the discomfort from overeating. Try to imagine which level you feel most comfortable at.

Most likely, it will be about 5-6 points. The next time you decide to grab a bite to eat, try to end your lunch or dinner at that level.

5. Respect your emotions

Boredom, frustration, anxiety, anger, confusion - each of these emotions has reasons. And food will not help eliminate them. She is only able to disguise the experience for a while. But in the end, you will have to deal with not one problem, but two: the source of negative emotions, and the consequences of overeating.

6. Respect your body

In appearance, there are things that depend on us - this is a fact. But even with all the desire, you are unlikely to be able, for example, to reduce the leg by four sizes. The same goes for clothing. It is unnatural to strive to fit into the XS, while the size M is genetically predetermined for you.

Respect yourself, your genetics, your appearance, regardless of what number the scales show. When you understand that the body is your pride and property, you will sincerely want to improve it without breaking it over your knee. And this will be the impetus for recovery.

7. Find beauty in your meals

One of the slimmest nations in the world is Japanese: only 4% Why Is the Obesity Rate So Low in Japan and High in the U. S.? Some Possible Economic Explanations are overweight. This is largely due to the fact that the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun historically adhere to the rules of intuitive nutrition. In Japan, it is customary to treat food philosophically; the local culture assumes that a person should have pleasure when eating.

Try Japanese-style food: in a pleasant, comfortable environment, taking your time, enjoying the taste and appearance of every bite. You will most likely find that you need less food than before to get full. And this is a serious step towards weight loss. Moreover, a step taken with pleasure.