K
Posted in: Nutrition / Nutrition Talk

Intuitive Eating

I have known about intuitive/mindful eating for quite sometime now but have never had enough self control to put it into practice. I am pretty sure I have a legitimate sugar addiction since I have 90% of the symptoms. I love chocolate, cookies, ice cream, cereal...you name it. And over the past 3 years since I started college, I have gained 20 pounds. I have worked out off and on and even lost a bit of weight about a year and a half ago but have since gained double what I lost. It all hit me really hard a couple days ago when I just realized how terrible I constantly feel. Exhausted even though I get plenty of sleep. Unmotivated even though I’m passionate about my academic and career goals. Feeling very bloated & overall dissatisfied with my body.

So, Monday night I took a trip to the grocery store and stocked up on a good bit of healthy snacks and decided then and there that food will no longer control my life. The satisfaction that comes from eating a cookie only lasts as long as I can taste it. But the satisfaction of being free from an addiction will last a life time.

It has only been 2 days since I started mindful eating & I haven’t been perfect but I am SO proud of how well I’m doing so far. I don’t eat just to be eating. I have said no to so many of my habitual chocolate binges and fast food runs. I noticed today walking on campus that my stomach didn’t hurt or feel bloated! I have started drinking lemon water when I wake up which is amazing and has so many benefits I can’t wait to see.

I wrote all this for some accountability. I have been through the cycle of yo-yo dieting and exercising for a little while before falling off the wagon and ending up worse than before. So my family & friends are sick of hearing my plans. But this time is different. I feel different. I feel more motivated than I have in a long time. I want to do this!

I am taking it slow and plan on really changing my eating habits before I start a vigorous exercise plan. I don’t want to get burnt out by doing too much too soon because I have done that way too many times in the past. So for now I will try to work out a couple days a week even if it’s just going for a 10 minute run or doing a little yoga. After I finally kick my bad eating habits I plan on starting full force into running (my favorite form of exercise) & some consistent weight training with Fitness Blender.

Wish me luck! It is already hard, but already so worth it!