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Last week, I introduced the book, Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat by Dr. Michelle May. Dr. May encourages us to move beyond alternating cycles of overeating and restrictive dieting. She has developed an approach that focuses on learning how to listen and respond appropriately to inner cues. She calls the happy result "instinctive eating."
I confessed to an initial skepticism, and it is not yet gone. However, I am experimenting with the process. If successful, it will be worth the effort. If not, I will have some more "lessons learned" for my personal behavior management database.
Each time we decide to eat, regardless of our answer to "WHY?" we must deal with the questions "WHAT?" and "HOW MUCH?"
When I decide WHAT to eat, I am faced with the options of fun food vs. nutritious food. Some of my food choices every day are driven by pleasure. That's fine. If I never choose the fun food, I feel deprived. On the other hand, I make that decision with eyes wide open. When fully aware of the fun choice, I am motivated to pick a more nutritious option the next time. When I opt for fun unconsciously, I may choose in favor of pleasure more often than not.
HOW MUCH? I am not good at determining, mid-bite, whether or not I am satisfied. I recognize famished and stuffed, but not the shades of in-between. Though I would love to be better attuned to physical signals, I normally rely on experience to help me out. After years of measuring and tracking, I generally know how long a given snack or meal will last. I check my mental files for the answer.
It is 10:00 am. I had breakfast at 6:30. I am hungry. I have a lunch meeting at 11:30. I know that a bowl of berries with a scoop of cottage cheese will tide me over the next 90 minutes. I also know that an apple won't do it; fruit alone doesn't hold me very long. A cheese stick plus a few walnut halves will work. Some deli turkey on a half-slice of bread is another option. A whole sandwich and glass of milk is overkill. A scone is more than I need, with little nutritional value. I save my fun for popcorn and a beer this evening. If I overeat now, I won't be hungry for lunch. Given the social setting, I will eat anyway. I will consume more than I need.
As I practice focusing less on rules and more on inner messages, I lean heavily on experience. Intuitive eating, is not, for me, what "feels right" in some mystical way, but what I know from living with myself for over 60 years.
How do you determine WHAT to eat and HOW MUCH? Are you applying rules from the latest diet plan, or are you making personalized choices that nourish, satisfy, and add enjoyment to your life?
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