What is intuitive eating

Intuitive eating is probably the easiest and safest way to lose undesired weight. It is more of a lifestyle or a philosophy than a diet, really. The basic principle is to eat whenever hungry and to eat only as much as it is required to satisfy the hunger.

In this anti-diet of sorts, there is no counting, there are no restrictions or limitations. The only thing it takes is listening to the body’s own cues about hunger and satiety. People are supposed to eat because they are hungry and not because it is time to eat or because the food looks tempting.

This way of eating can improve the health and lead to healthy and safe weight loss quite efficiently. It may seem difficult recognizing the body’s own signals, but it can be done with the help of these four tips.

Recognizing hunger

The first step towards intuitive eating is learning to recognize the hunger and not mistaking it for craving or other urges. It may sound surprising, but many people have alienated themselves from the feeling of hunger, mostly because of constant snacking and emotional and boredom eating. Also, thirst can easily be misinterpreted for hunger.

The easiest way to recognize hunger is to stop snacking and to follow the meal plans. If eating three or four meals a day, without snacks, will make a person a bit hungry before mealtime. That feeling should be recognized and remembered.

Recognizing satiety

After a person has learned to recognize hunger, it is important to learn about feelings of satiety, or being “full”. The brain takes about ten minutes before registering that something was eaten, and then it sends the signals of satiety. This is why it is important to eat slowly and to make a few pauses. If the hunger is still there 10 minutes after eating, it is safe to continue eating. It is important not to mix hunger with greediness, craving or simple enjoyment of taste and flavor. After some time, everyone can learn the amount of food that satiates him or her.

Eating enough

In intuitive eating, it is very important not to limit the calorie intake or the quantity of food that is eaten. It is not good to stop eating halfway through a meal if the hunger is still present. Not eating enough during a regular meal leads to binge eating and snacking between meals.

Not making rules

The intuitive eating is all about freedom. There should be no limitations in types and amounts of food, as long as a person eats when hungry and until full. This, of course, does not mean that a person can eat anything whatsoever. It is still important to follow general health recommendations. For example, eating bacon and French fries three times a day every day can result in serious health problems.