Intuitive eating

Many health-related issues arise from an imbalance. Whether it's a one-sided diet, high stress with little recovery time, or a lack of physical activity, these factors can be harmful in the long run and affect our well-being. In this text, I want to take a closer look at intuitive eating.

Intuitive eating can be learned and is based on listening to your body and responding to its needs.

The body generally knows what it needs, and we can train ourselves to recognize these signals better, giving it what it requires to enhance well-being and health.

Intuitive eating does not mean indulging in endless doughnuts just because you crave them. Instead, it involves eating a balanced diet while occasionally incorporating something “unhealthy” without feeling guilty.

A balanced diet and an intuitive approach to eating can help build a better awareness of other aspects of life, enabling us to recognize bodily signals more effectively. For example, if I learn to interpret certain signals related to hunger, it becomes easier to apply this awareness in other situations—such as recognizing when I am stressed and truly need rest rather than heading to the next party or engaging in another activity. I understand that it may not always be feasible for everyone, but I believe that with effort, positive results can be achieved.

To eat more intuitively, it's helpful to be aware of a few factors that influence hunger:

• Caffeine: Caffeinated foods and beverages can suppress hunger while also slightly boosting metabolism. While the effect is minimal, excessive caffeine consumption can impact appetite.

• Nicotine: Nicotine suppresses hunger for a while and reduces appetite. At the same time, it increases calorie consumption because of its stimulating effect (similar to caffeine).

• Thirst vs. Hunger: Sometimes, what feels like hunger is actually the body signaling a need for water. These sensations can be very similar. If I already know that I don’t drink enough water, this could be an area to address.

• Activity and previous food intake: Hunger is also influenced by physical activity and what was eaten the day before. If you ate a lot or exercised intensely, you may feel hungrier or, conversely, less hungry the next day. The body does not require the same amount of calories daily, so calorie needs fluctuate.

• Fiber- and protein-rich foods: These tend to be more satiating compared to highly processed foods.

• A monotonous diet can lead to constant hunger signals: If the body consistently lacks essential nutrients, it may keep signaling hunger in the hope that the next meal will provide the missing elements.

• Some highly processed foods can be addictive: Many of these products are specifically designed in laboratories to encourage consumers to eat more and buy more.

• Eating just because it’s "mealtime": As mentioned earlier, calorie needs vary daily. Eating just because it’s 6 PM is not necessarily ideal for the body. However, it’s understandable that this may not always be flexible due to family or other commitments.

• Eating a variety of foods: Sticking to the same meals every day can become boring and potentially unbalanced. If the only vegetables you eat are tomatoes, cucumbers, and occasionally carrots, you might be missing out on essential nutrients. A varied diet—especially in terms of fruits and vegetables—ensures a broader intake of nutrients. The more colorful the plate, the better (even across the entire week).

  
  

From these examples, we can already derive many ways to eat more intuitively. It is important not to judge food too harshly. Of course, some foods are healthier than others, but in the bigger picture, this doesn’t matter as much if you maintain a balanced diet.

As mentioned earlier, cravings for highly processed, sugary, or fatty foods tend to decrease when the primary diet includes all the necessary nutrients the body needs.

Taking small steps often leads to more success than trying to change everything at once. Starting with one or two adjustments can already make a big difference. After that, it becomes easier to experiment with more changes, integrate them, or discard them if they don’t contribute to well-being.