4 Ways To Practice Intuitive Eating
“I’m vegan.” “I pescatarian” “Do you have any gluten free options” Ugh the labels!
In a society full of individuals who don’t want to be labeled we sure do attach them to ourselves don’t we? Whether it be a job title, sexuality, diagnosis…we find comfort in a label. That was me at one point in time…especially when it came to how I ate. Now let me preface this by saying I am 5ft tall and I’ve mostly been the same weight/size forever. BUT was I always at my healthiest? Hell no! I took advantage of my size by eating whatever I wanted when I wanted because I was always the same size. That was until I noticed how my body started reacting when I started consuming certain things.
My stomach wasn’t as flat anymore. My bloat would be crazy…especially during my menstrual cycle. My skin had pustules, also known as little pimples…learned that word from my esthetician. Lol. I was always groggy no matter the time of day. Do you know how hard it is to get things done when you’re constantly tired? Lord!
I knew it was time for a change. So, what did I do? I went to Keto of course! Or was it pescatarian? I tried it all. Following whatever “diet” trend was around at the time. Eating meat with the healthy butters or the mysterious veggie crumbles that are identified as ground beef. I took on whatever label that I felt like was going to make me “healthy”. And guess what? None of it worked! Until one day…
I was catching up on one of my favorites Instagram lives, The Hoodhealer, when somebody asked her the question “Are you still vegan?” At one point my good sis was an avid vegan…no meat whatsoever and everybody who ate meat just wasn’t moving in their highest vibrations. She responded “No. I realized that eating strictly vegan wasn’t the healthiest for me. I now listen to what my body wants and needs and provide it with nutrients.” And that was my “ah ha moment”! Eating Intuitively!
For decades we have followed diet trends, Atkins Diet, Jenny Craig, Keto, Cabbage Soup diet (can you say gassy), and not to mention that cayenne lemonade one that we heard Beyonce did, all in hopes to lose weight and be healthy. We never realized that the majority of these mainstream diets weren’t catered to or made for OUR bodies, our bodies meaning Black women! So, what can we possibly do?
We go vegetarian or vegan but end up eating fake meats and soy products. Never once did we decide to listen to our bodies and intuition and feed it appropriately.
I know you may be wondering…so what exactly is eating intuitively?
Eating intuitively is paying attention to your body and how it reacts to certain foods and environment and nourishing yourself based on that. For example, I realized I feel sluggish in the morning if I start my day off with meat for breakfast so now, I have limited my meat intake in the mornings. I make an Amaranth Breakfast Bowl instead. Me noticing what that feeling of being sluggish in the mornings was associated with allowed me to adjust how I ate so I can avoid that reaction.
How to Eat Intuitively:
- Figure out what your goal is.
When you know the goal and the purpose behind what you’re doing it makes the steps you need to take easier. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel. You have your eye on the prize baby! My goals in this process were to live in a healthier physical state, have less bloat, clearer skin, and energy. Once I identified that I was ready to do the leg work.
- Reassess and Create the list.
Sit down and reflect on your body. How does your body react when you eat and drink certain things? When’s your slowest time of the day? How often do you have bowel movements? What areas on your face are breaking out? All these questions are important! Being honest with yourself and reassessing your body will help you create the list of foods you need so it can cater to whatever issues you have. Go on Pinterest. Scroll your Instagram or Tik Tok feed. Find cute recipes, or if you’re one who likes convenience grab a HelloFresh box or something!
- Make it clean and High Class!
I know you just read that and probably said…” High Class?” Yes baby… HIGH CLASS! Like I said earlier we are not #TeamVegan or #TeamKeto, we are eating intuitively. If your body does best on straight fruits and vegetables make sure you get high quality fruits and vegetables. If you’re still enjoying meat make sure it's grass-fed beef, free-range eggs, etc. Shop at grocery stores that you know have good produce, a local butcher if you can, or you can go to my favorite place on earth, the Farmer’s market! Nothing is better than supporting your local farmers and “high class” produce at a great price. Also, they take food stamps as well. You can feed your body greatness no matter what your situation is.
- Add herbs and supplements
Most of our issues start from the inside. Did you know the placement of your acne breakouts can be linked to an organ in the body? Whether it be liver, kidney or hormonal it all starts from the inside. Adding herbs and supplements to my lifestyle has been a game changer! Start small. Grab one or two items… stick with it for a few months then add more. Holistic medicine can be somewhat intimidating at first. Some of my favorite daily herbs and supplements are: Bio K Plus Probiotics, Chlorophyll, Tinctures (there’s many kinds), and Brown Sugar Co.’s Sunrise Tea and Elderberry Syrup. These are my main go-to items.
While Eating Intuitively I noticed I felt lighter, less bloated, clearer skin, creativity in the kitchen, and I wasn’t so reliant on certain foods I was once connected to. You can create the lifestyle you want without following the trends or the “norm”. We’re all blessed with intuition for a reason…now it's time to use it when it comes to your food. You deserve to live your highest quality of life!