Day 7: The Intuitive Eating Adventure Ends (Kind of)
Orange you glad the intuitive adventure is over
Here it is, here it is, here. it. is. My final day of the intuitive eating one-week trial. This post might feel a little disorganized, but it's a play-by-play and a reflection on the entire process all rolled into one (with some more substantial takeaways at the end). Hands down, the hardest time of day for me is the morning. I'm groggy for, like, hours. Sometimes I wake up hungry, sometimes I don't. And still other times there's a little rumble in the tumble, but I'm just too tired to care. Today was one of those days. Today, I woke up and jumped on the computer almost immediately. I had to finish an important work project, so I made my coffee and took straight to the computer without checking in. I was a little hungry, but not for sugar (fruit) or protein (eggs), or anything else that was quick-to-make, so I ignored it and moved on. At around 10:30am, I had to leave for a check-up. Still hungry! So I grabbed a few roasted plantain chips for the road (had to get something in!). Felt like filler more than something I actually needed or wanted. Womp. On my way home, I had an idea. When I got home, I'd roast some brussel sprouts (upon checking in with myself I was craving them hard). And I'd experiment with some more quinoa combinations. So I did! It didn't take much quinoa / brussels to feel full and satisfied. And it was a suuuper easy meal to make while working. As a result of some mid-day stress, I did cave to a few more plantain chips, but I kept it classy without going overboard. By dinner time, I was ready for the main event: some chicken saag I'd been slow cooking. Did my body want it? Heck yes it did. Served it over some cauliflower rice and finally took some time to relax while indulging in that spinachy goodness. That brings up another point I want to make: a lot of people take "intuitive eating" to the next level in that they force themselves to savor their meals while eating them. No TV, no computer, no phone usage, nothing. Just food. I like this idea, but I didn't really do it this round. I ate while working a lot. I ate while watching TV a few times. And honestly, it didn't make a huge difference. Simply choosing what I knew my body was asking for allowed me to savor it as I ate, making the whole experience feel satisfying and fulfilling regardless of what I was doing on the side.
What I actually ate today:
8am: coffee 11am: plantain chips 1pm: quinoa and roasted brussel sprouts with a little balsamic vinegar 3pm: a few more plantain chips 6:30pm: cauliflower rice and some homemade chicken saag
Big Ol' Takeaways:
All in all, this has been a wonderful experience. On the days where I feel like I've slipped (today with the plantain chip situation), it's only because I haven't been MINDFUL about the choices I've made. So I naturally feel guilty about them. When I am totally mindful, I can eat two scoops of ice cream and not give a damn—because I know I'm connected with where my body's really at. Honestly, this whole experience has encouraged me to continue. It is so fulfilling. And I truly think my body image got better when I got into the rhythm with it, too. All of that said, it's hard. There's a reason we eat so mindlessly as a culture—it's so much easier! What's quick to grab in the fridge or pantry? What can I make without messing up the dishes? Our grocery isles are stocked with packaged snacks because they are easy access. The irony of that, for me, is that my body rarely craved packaged food. It wanted whole foods, through and through. And!The whole foods I craved didn't take long to cook. That was the biggest takeaway for me. Because they didn't have to be fancy. Today I roasted brussel sprouts in nothing but a little oil, salt, and a splash of balsamic—all easily accessible in my pantry. The chickpeas I toasted were so basic, too. Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. I mean, come on. We pretend cooking is so hard, but it can be pretty simple. And the SIMPLICITY is what's so beautiful. I think that for so long I worried that cooking meant I had to make everything so fancy or else it would be bland. But that's not true. When broccoli is roasted, its natural flavors come to the surface. It's delightful! Okay, stepping off that soap box to express that my second biggest takeaway (or surprise) is that I didn't crave the same things every day. This shocked me. I am such a creature of habit when I eat. I make the same meals week after week—I was almost certain I'd stick to this pattern. But it also makes sense that I wouldn't crave consistency—the body needs a wealth of nutrients to thrive. No one food is going to give you everything you need. I actually think it was this single takeaway that made me believe in this process. It made me wonder if, actually, my body DID know what it needed for maximum nourishment. And hey, side note: I'm clearly not perfect at this system. Like I said, it's hard. It takes practice and dedication and FORGIVENESS when you slip into mindlessness. But from what I can tell so far, this is the most freeing, satisfying way to eat. And it's not going to drag me down a path of junk food 24/7, which was my biggest fear, admittedly. So I'm into this. I am totally in. And I'm looking forward to staying connected as I keep it going.
And who would have thought: I lost 2 pounds in 7 days
I didn't see that coming. I ate grains, ice cream, and drank wine and beer on the weekend. And I never felt like I was starving myself or holding back. And not to be TMI, but this is the time of the month when I should be feeling MORE bloated, not lighter. So. WHAT!? I don't want to give the number on the scale too much weight (get it?) but I do find it interesting that I was able to feel like I was adequately taking care of myself, enjoying my relationship with food, and it seems to be taking me back to my 'happy' weight (I'd gained 5lbs since January and have had a hard time shaking it). It's just another indicator that maybe my body does know what it needs to keep me where I want to be. That's pretty motivating.
If you're looking to give it a go, here are my two suggestions to get started:
Check in with yourself often.
When you wake up, when you feel a rumbling in your tumbling... when you are working, watching TV, or just casually walking over to the pantry for no apparent reason, check in with yourself. And ASK yourself: Am I feeling hungry? Am I feeling full? Am I feeling stressed, bored, or anxious? Just check in with yourself. See how you feel. And if the answer you receive is... "I am feeling hungry..."
Then ask your body this question: what can I eat that would nourish you?
And then, if you can, close your eyes and listen. Scan a variety of options you know you have within reach. If none of them jump out at you as the right move, think about ANY other foods that come to mind. When you land on the right one, it'll jump out. You'll either feel the craving pang hit, or you'll have trouble shaking it from your mind. And then, trust your gut! I discovered that certain foods I thought I craved (those fiber-filled shirataki noodles) made me bloated afterward and I naturally stopped craving them as often. My suggestion would be to allow yourself EVERYTHING you are wanting without guilt (even if it's ice cream at 9am) and then check in with yourself to notice if it made you feel physically satiated or a little uncomfortable afterward. The key is to take away the emotional "guilt" aspect—this is an experiment for your body. Let yourself play. Remember that this is a learning experience: start to examine why your body may be craving certain foods—and why certain cravings may stop. Your body may surprise you!