Tips for intuitive eating?

jjjhearts
jjjhearts Posts: 14 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This may seem counterintuitive especially considering MFP's premise is calorie-tracking... but I myself have attempted tracking, and found it stressful personally. When the calorie count doesn't reach the preset goal, I feel more inclined to eat more until it does; when it exceeds, I fall into a guilt spiral and berate myself for not making better food choices. But then again I still need to improve my relationship with food.

I just don't want to become too food-focused...

Replies

  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,399 Member
    If logging stresses you out, the human scale might be a better friend. I haven't logged any food in a long time, and I won't unless I set a really strict goal for gains or losses... then maybe. If using the human scale doesn't freak you out, just use it on a regular basis, or daily if you want. Understand that weight fluctuations happen regardless of diet, and are often larger for women. There are a number of weight trend apps that can be used to show you the overall trend and help understand the short term fluctuations.

    If weighing yourself stresses you out, you could even go by the fit of clothes you own.

    Logging food is great for those that want that more in depth control. If you don't want or need that there are plenty of other ways to control weight. I rarely get on a human scale these days, but when I do I usually know my weight within 3-4 pounds. I actually struggle more with sometimes eating enough for proper recovery if I'm in weight loss mode, and would tend to pay more attention for that. But YMMV. If you struggle with any certain aspect, just gear yourself to finding tools that help in that area.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    I am much like @robertw486 above. I haven't counted calories in a long time.

    I am in maintenance though, spending time weighing food and knowing the calorie content while I was losing, allowed me to eyeball my portion sizes. I do a quick weigh of food or log every few months to keep off calorie creep.

    I don't weigh myself very often either, just go by the mirror and clothes fit.

    If you are wanting to lose weight without logging. Get to know your appropriate portion sizes of you most frequent foods.
    This will take weighing and finding out the calories to begin with, but after a while you will be able to go by the body scale, or if you are adverse to that, clothes fit and mirror.

    It can make it a bit more difficult to lose at a set rate, but the mental ease could be a worthwhile payoff.

    Cheers, h.
  • hroderick
    hroderick Posts: 756 Member
    Your profile and post indicate you don't care about calories or weight. I have to wonder, why are you using MFP at all.

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    jjjhearts wrote: »
    hroderick wrote: »
    Your profile and post indicate you don't care about calories or weight. I have to wonder, why are you using MFP at all.

    I found the community discussions about fitness and nutrition really interesting, and since I had questions of my own I thought it'd be worthwhile to put them out here.

    I guess I am using MFP for the community; actually got to learn some new things so I'm glad I reactivated my account.

    Glad you are enjoying, and learning, from the forums. Use it how you like. We all get something different out of being here.

    Cheers, h.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I think intuitive eating is a good goal, as long as it doesn't turn into just another thing to stress you out. What if you let youself be enough, and positively, food-focused?

    If you find tracking stressful, it might be the wrong approach for you, or you might be approaching it wrong. MFP's premise is indeed calorie tracking, but the ultimate goal is food awareness - to eat enough, but not too much, and reduce stress. Have you prelogged, or are you just logging as you go? If you plan your day out in advance, you have better control. A feeling of better control over your food choices, is a major part of improving your relationship with food.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Intuitive eating working for me when I lived at yoga centers surrounded by low calorie/high volume/non-hyper palatable food.

    But if I have a pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer, I want to eat the whole thing.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    edited August 2018
    I am also trying to figure out how to manage my weight without counting calories. I find counting calories to be very tedious and not sustainable for the long-term. I will say I am not trying to lose weight anymore.

    I have switched to jotting down what i eat in a pen and paper food diary. No calorie counts or weights or anything. Just a log of the items that I'm eating, that way if I find I'm gaining weight, I can review and maybe just cut out something that I know to be high calorie, or cut out my morning snack, or something like that. I always stick to the recommended serving sizes on things. I will still pull my food scale out to weigh my portion of cashews and maybe some chex mix or something like that that where it's easy to go over. I focus on choosing more nutrient filled, lower calorie foods (vegetables) and then eating less of whatever else we're eating (such as pasta or another starchy, carby food like rice, potatoes etc) I think I may just tell myself I can eat unlimited amounts of fruits and vegetables but then portion out my other foods appropriately. I also plan on remaining active forever. I wear a fitbit and monitor how many calories I am (supposedly) burning and that's very motivating for me to move more, plus I work out/exercise most days of the week, or do some type of active activity with my family on the weekends (like hiking)

    These are just my ideas, I have yet to determine whether I'm successful at this because I just started.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    hroderick wrote: »
    Your profile and post indicate you don't care about calories or weight. I have to wonder, why are you using MFP at all.

    I plan to continue coming here even though I don't want to count calories. I like the forums, and I like having a designated spot to put my weight updates and progress pictures to look back on.
  • belleflop
    belleflop Posts: 154 Member
    jjjhearts wrote: »
    This may seem counterintuitive especially considering MFP's premise is calorie-tracking... but I myself have attempted tracking, and found it stressful personally. When the calorie count doesn't reach the preset goal, I feel more inclined to eat more until it does; when it exceeds, I fall into a guilt spiral and berate myself for not making better food choices. But then again I still need to improve my relationship with food.

    I just don't want to become too food-focused...

    MFP can be your best friend or worst nightmare depending on your relationship with food and how you interpret the tools provided. The struggle is real and coming up with lasting solutions to the underlying issues will be key.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Many of our bodies do not “intuitively” lead us to eat just the amount of food we need and no more. If your body does that, then you are probably already at a healthy weight. Personally, the only person I know whose body does that is my cat. She always has food available and yet she has been an ideal weight for years. Most humans (and many cats) aren’t like that.

    You don’t have to hit your exact calorie goal every single day, but you should be meeting your calorie goal on average over the week. If you’re undereating or overeating, the fact that you didn’t log your food does not change the fact that you underate or overate. Logging is just a tool to help you understand your eating habits.

    Feeling guilt about food is a separate issue, and I don’t think it’s going to be helped by just not knowing how much you ate. There’s no moral right or wrong aspect to eating a particular amount, and not all goals are weight related. Having a piece of cake, for example, is not a “bad” food choice. It either fit into your calorie goals or it didn’t. It might have made you happy or helped you celebrate a friend’s birthday.

    Even if you don’t want to weigh and measure your food long term, I think it’s good to do it for a while. That will give you a sense of what a certain amount of a particular food looks like. Many people are surprised to find out how much more they’ve been eating than they realize.
  • jjjhearts
    jjjhearts Posts: 14 Member
    avskk wrote: »
    I've been working on intuitive eating, and I've managed to keep a stable weight for almost a year now (I've never had a stable weight before). Some of the tools I use are:
    • checking in with how I feel about my eating -- what are my emotions, what are my physical feelings, what are my reasons for eating now, how did/do I select what to eat (i.e., did I choose this food because it is enjoyable and nutritious, or did I choose it because I was desperate to stuff food in my mouth and this is what was handy)
    • stopping before I'm stuffed, sitting with the uncomfortable feeling of wanting more, reminding myself that I can have more in a little while if I truly need more or can't live with the wanting, allowing myself to have more if I find I truly do need it
    • firmly setting aside feelings of guilt or shame when they arise around food; seeing the feeling, acknowledging it, and using the knowledge I've gained here and elsewhere to talk myself down from it (the same way I would talk a poster who was fearful of "bad" foods down)
    • making sure to plan: choosing varied, nutritious recipes; shopping regularly for nutritious and enjoyable foods; planning my meals for the day and carving out time to eat regularly even if I feel "too busy"
    • paying attention to my natural cycles; if I am starving one day and eat more than usual, it is likely I will soon have another day where my appetite is low and I am inclined to eat less; reminding myself that bodies are never in perfect homeostasis and that's okay
    • reminding myself that food is a human right, what and how much I eat are not indicators of my personal value, and that what I weigh is not an issue of morality
    • finally, oddly, being a bit of a food voyeur: seeking out blogs, Instagrams, MFP threads, etc. where people share what and how much they eat, which helps me get a handle on what "normal" eating looks like across a variety of body types, cultures, etc. I've never known, really, what regular eating without guilt, shame, disorders, or desperation looks like, so this has been extraordinarily helpful

    I have issues with starvation, bingeing, and bulimic behaviors (all at clinical levels, some of which have been life-threatening in the past). If these aren't your issues, my tools might not work for you, but I hope at least some of them are of value.

    Thank you so much for the suggestions!
  • DebTavares
    DebTavares Posts: 87 Member
    I don't count calories either, but I am cognizant of the calories in food and understand that a deficit is what is needed in order to lose weight. I don't count calories due to past unhealthy behaviours of severely restricting and exercising 2.5 hours a day to lose weight. Of course all the weight came back each time so this time I have tried a moderate approach.

    I have been losing just under a pound a week without counting calories and this is how I have been doing it:


    I workout 6 days a week for an hour doing Les Mills classes. BodyCombat, BodyStep and Strong Zumba. I absolutely love it and no more punishing super long workouts like I used to do. Going to the gym is no longer something that I dread because I am doing something that is fun and not too long. I will workout like this as long as my body allows.

    I should qualify that I do count breakfast calories and try to keep it at 250-300 calories. I do not do any measuring though.

    Lunch and dinner will be a mixture of protein, carbs and veggies. I don't count these calories but I fill my plate. No food is off-limits, but I do try to make better choices like beans and quinoa.

    At 9 pm everynight I have a piece of fruit and a protein bar.

    I made a rule that I only eat during these 4 times per day. No more eating all day long. I realize that when you eat has no outcome on how much weight you lose: I only use this as a tool to reduce the amount of food that I eat because left to my own devices I would be eating all the time.


    I guess what I'm doing isn't really intuitive eating becasue my hunger fullness cues are still broken, but I do watch portions and try to eat reasonably without counting calories. The idea was to make this as easy as possible so if my mother makes something that some might think is unhealthy or fattening, I still eat it but I make sure the portions are not insane like I used to do. I stAll eat fries and burgers, but now I have just one burger and a small amount of fries. And on days where I've broken some of my rules I no longer scrap the entire day as a write-off: I will still go to the gym and continue on with my approach at the next meal instead of waiting for a new day or a Monday to start fresh.

    I think what I've learned here for the first time in my life is moderation. It truly has been the answer for me and I will continue on this path as long as it keeps working.

    I too like the message boards even though I don't count calories. Welcome and best of luck!
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    @avskk Thank you for your inspiring post. Those are words I need to hear right now. <3
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    DebTavares wrote: »
    I don't count calories either, but I am cognizant of the calories in food and understand that a deficit is what is needed in order to lose weight. I don't count calories due to past unhealthy behaviours of severely restricting and exercising 2.5 hours a day to lose weight. Of course all the weight came back each time so this time I have tried a moderate approach.

    I have been losing just under a pound a week without counting calories and this is how I have been doing it:


    I workout 6 days a week for an hour doing Les Mills classes. BodyCombat, BodyStep and Strong Zumba. I absolutely love it and no more punishing super long workouts like I used to do. Going to the gym is no longer something that I dread because I am doing something that is fun and not too long. I will workout like this as long as my body allows.

    I should qualify that I do count breakfast calories and try to keep it at 250-300 calories. I do not do any measuring though.

    Lunch and dinner will be a mixture of protein, carbs and veggies. I don't count these calories but I fill my plate. No food is off-limits, but I do try to make better choices like beans and quinoa.

    At 9 pm everynight I have a piece of fruit and a protein bar.

    I made a rule that I only eat during these 4 times per day. No more eating all day long. I realize that when you eat has no outcome on how much weight you lose: I only use this as a tool to reduce the amount of food that I eat because left to my own devices I would be eating all the time.


    I guess what I'm doing isn't really intuitive eating becasue my hunger fullness cues are still broken, but I do watch portions and try to eat reasonably without counting calories. The idea was to make this as easy as possible so if my mother makes something that some might think is unhealthy or fattening, I still eat it but I make sure the portions are not insane like I used to do. I stAll eat fries and burgers, but now I have just one burger and a small amount of fries. And on days where I've broken some of my rules I no longer scrap the entire day as a write-off: I will still go to the gym and continue on with my approach at the next meal instead of waiting for a new day or a Monday to start fresh.

    I think what I've learned here for the first time in my life is moderation. It truly has been the answer for me and I will continue on this path as long as it keeps working.

    I too like the message boards even though I don't count calories. Welcome and best of luck!

    Thank you for posting, this was really helpful
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  • jjjhearts
    jjjhearts Posts: 14 Member
    DebTavares wrote: »
    I don't count calories either, but I am cognizant of the calories in food and understand that a deficit is what is needed in order to lose weight. I don't count calories due to past unhealthy behaviours of severely restricting and exercising 2.5 hours a day to lose weight. Of course all the weight came back each time so this time I have tried a moderate approach.

    I have been losing just under a pound a week without counting calories and this is how I have been doing it:


    I workout 6 days a week for an hour doing Les Mills classes. BodyCombat, BodyStep and Strong Zumba. I absolutely love it and no more punishing super long workouts like I used to do. Going to the gym is no longer something that I dread because I am doing something that is fun and not too long. I will workout like this as long as my body allows.

    I should qualify that I do count breakfast calories and try to keep it at 250-300 calories. I do not do any measuring though.

    Lunch and dinner will be a mixture of protein, carbs and veggies. I don't count these calories but I fill my plate. No food is off-limits, but I do try to make better choices like beans and quinoa.

    At 9 pm everynight I have a piece of fruit and a protein bar.

    I made a rule that I only eat during these 4 times per day. No more eating all day long. I realize that when you eat has no outcome on how much weight you lose: I only use this as a tool to reduce the amount of food that I eat because left to my own devices I would be eating all the time.


    I guess what I'm doing isn't really intuitive eating becasue my hunger fullness cues are still broken, but I do watch portions and try to eat reasonably without counting calories. The idea was to make this as easy as possible so if my mother makes something that some might think is unhealthy or fattening, I still eat it but I make sure the portions are not insane like I used to do. I stAll eat fries and burgers, but now I have just one burger and a small amount of fries. And on days where I've broken some of my rules I no longer scrap the entire day as a write-off: I will still go to the gym and continue on with my approach at the next meal instead of waiting for a new day or a Monday to start fresh.

    I think what I've learned here for the first time in my life is moderation. It truly has been the answer for me and I will continue on this path as long as it keeps working.

    I too like the message boards even though I don't count calories. Welcome and best of luck!

    I sometimes dread going to the gym nowadays too... but this was really helpful. Thanks for the input. I struggle with portion control because unless you track, how do you know what is too little or too much? I always assume it's better to underestimate than overestimate.

    I'm not trying to lose weight; satisfied with maintaining for now. I just want to eat more, and enjoy whatever's on my plate.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    edited August 2018
    I read this article by the lady from fitnessblender. She has had issues in the past with eating disorders and such so she is pretty against calorie counting for that reason. But these are her tips for intuitive eating.

    https://www.fitnessblender.com/articles/how-to-stop-dieting-and-learn-to-eat-intuitively
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Frazdogg wrote: »
    I hate logging so much.

    I just purchased the book called Intuitive Eating. I’ll check back after I read it and put it into practice.

    So far, while I hate logging, it is the only long-term system that has worked for me. However, I’m always willing to try other methods.
    The only thing you have to do, is eat enough, but not too much. Logging is just a tool to make that easier.
    jjjhearts wrote: »
    I struggle with portion control because unless you track, how do you know what is too little or too much?
    You know that you're eating just right when you're maintaining a normal weight and feel healthy and energized. The sensation you get when you eat at that level, is what hunger and satiety is supposed to feel like. The amounts of food that gives you that sensation, are the right amounts for you. Logging food can be a great learning tool.
    I'm not trying to lose weight; satisfied with maintaining for now. I just want to eat more, and enjoy whatever's on my plate.
    But if you eat more, you'll gain weight.
  • jjjhearts
    jjjhearts Posts: 14 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Frazdogg wrote: »
    I hate logging so much.

    I just purchased the book called Intuitive Eating. I’ll check back after I read it and put it into practice.

    So far, while I hate logging, it is the only long-term system that has worked for me. However, I’m always willing to try other methods.
    The only thing you have to do, is eat enough, but not too much. Logging is just a tool to make that easier.
    jjjhearts wrote: »
    I struggle with portion control because unless you track, how do you know what is too little or too much?
    You know that you're eating just right when you're maintaining a normal weight and feel healthy and energized. The sensation you get when you eat at that level, is what hunger and satiety is supposed to feel like. The amounts of food that gives you that sensation, are the right amounts for you. Logging food can be a great learning tool.
    I'm not trying to lose weight; satisfied with maintaining for now. I just want to eat more, and enjoy whatever's on my plate.
    But if you eat more, you'll gain weight.

    I meant eat more in the sense that I want to feel more satisfied and content. Not like adding an extra meal or anything excessive :sweat_smile:

  • jjjhearts
    jjjhearts Posts: 14 Member
    hesn92 wrote: »
    I read this article by the lady from fitnessblender. She has had issues in the past with eating disorders and such so she is pretty against calorie counting for that reason. But these are her tips for intuitive eating.

    https://www.fitnessblender.com/articles/how-to-stop-dieting-and-learn-to-eat-intuitively

    I love Fitness Blender!
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    jjjhearts wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Frazdogg wrote: »
    I hate logging so much.

    I just purchased the book called Intuitive Eating. I’ll check back after I read it and put it into practice.

    So far, while I hate logging, it is the only long-term system that has worked for me. However, I’m always willing to try other methods.
    The only thing you have to do, is eat enough, but not too much. Logging is just a tool to make that easier.
    jjjhearts wrote: »
    I struggle with portion control because unless you track, how do you know what is too little or too much?
    You know that you're eating just right when you're maintaining a normal weight and feel healthy and energized. The sensation you get when you eat at that level, is what hunger and satiety is supposed to feel like. The amounts of food that gives you that sensation, are the right amounts for you. Logging food can be a great learning tool.
    I'm not trying to lose weight; satisfied with maintaining for now. I just want to eat more, and enjoy whatever's on my plate.
    But if you eat more, you'll gain weight.

    I meant eat more in the sense that I want to feel more satisfied and content. Not like adding an extra meal or anything excessive :sweat_smile:
    Aha! Yes, you can do things to get more for your calorie "buck"!
  • Unknown
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  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Frazdogg wrote: »
    @kommodevaran reading the book, calorie counting is not part of the principles. It goes against the whole idea of intuitive eating. I understand why, but it would take too long to put into words. So, logging food is not part of my plan.

    The principles don't need to be applied rigidly. You can do things without tracking, but you can also make calorie-aware decisions when it's not detrimental. For example, I would go for a diet soda every single time because it has fewer calories. The decision gives me no grief. I don't feel deprived or like my relationship with food is suffering because of this decision. Same with using a little bit less oil when I cook. It's barely perceptible, so why not make a calorie aware decision?
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Just wanted to add to my previous post. If you want to go by the book, the idea that intuitive eating is being used for weight loss is fundamentally against everything the book preaches. It's completely against doing anything for the purpose of weight loss. If you listen to any interview with the author you would see how appalled she is by turning intuitive eating into a diet. She calls it "the eating to hunger diet" and criticizes it as "diet mentality".

    It's actually one of my gripes with the book. It has some useful mental strategies for a healthier relationship with food, but the way it shuns dieting and weight loss altogether without taking into account individual abilities and mental states makes it too rigid and unaccommodating.

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