If you haven’t heard, I’ve recently made the switch from weight loss to intuitive eating. You can read more about that here. This change has forced me to rethink how I should write my posts. Previously, I was judging foods by an arbitrary scale of healthfulness, meaning I would recommend dishes I felt tasted good, but were lower in calories. I was also very specific as to what changes should be made to the meals, for example, add more protein. The aim was to help you shrink or maintain a desired body shape.
But since intuitive eating is all about letting your body dictate your food choices and letting your body arrive at its natural weight without restriction, how I make recommendations must also change. After all, the more outside rules you let in or the more fear-based decisions you make, the harder it is to tap into what your body actually wants. Since intuitive eating helps people become less judgmental of food, while tapping into their inner wisdom for food choices, I should also be less prescriptive in my recommendations. This way your intuition, and not my Eathoritative voice, guides what you decide to eat (you didn’t see that pun coming, did you?).
My recommendations will not be calorie-focused, instead I will focus on overall taste and quality. I will also make recommendations based on how the food might make you feel physically, which is a consideration that is made in intuitive eating. This will be shown in a new column called “Intuitive Eating Rating”. Foods will be categorized as light/airy, heavy/filling, and in-between. This allows you to decide whether the food is right for you based on your physical and emotional state. Choose light/airy foods when it’s hot out or you’re in the mood for a salad, heavy/filling foods if you’re in need of something comforting or warm, or in-between for those moods when you need a little something of both.
I have banished the “Healthy Rating” of restaurants because healthy is such a loaded word and adds a layer of judgment that may make it difficult to give yourself permission to eat whatever you want.
The “Pro Tips” column is now called “Gentle Nutrition Tips”. This column will provide guidance on changes you might want to consider to enhance the healthfulness or balance of the meal, as well as if the portions seem large enough for two meals. If this advice doesn’t feel right to you, do not feel bad about ignoring it. You’re being intuitive in that decision! For those who have not arrived at the Gentle Nutrition tenet of intuitive eating, ignore this column if it triggers you and/or you do not feel ready to apply it in your life.
Lastly, for my IBS clients, I will continue to try and rate the FODMAP content of dishes. While IBS often requires restriction of some foods because they cause gastrointestinal distress, intuitive eating principles still apply. Listening to how your body responds to certain foods and tuning into your fullness cues are imperative to managing your digestive symptoms.
The layout may evolve over time, but for now these changes seem right. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to comment below or email me. Any constructive feedback is appreciated!
