Intuitive Eating Principles 5 & 6
Discovering Satisfaction and Feeling Full
Today, we're exploring principles 5 and 6: feeling your fullness and discovering the satisfaction factor. These principles are pivotal in reshaping our relationship with food, encouraging mindfulness and enjoyment.
Feeling Your Fullness
Have you ever finished a meal feeling uncomfortably stuffed, perhaps because you were taught to always clean your plate? This habit often stems from childhood rules about wasting food but can lead to overeating. Principle 5 encourages us to reconnect with our body's signals of fullness. Instead of mindlessly finishing everything on our plate, we're encouraged to pause, assess our hunger levels throughout the meal, and stop when we feel satisfied, not stuffed.
Think of your hunger on a scale of 0-10. At 0 your stomach is empty and at 10 you are so full you are possibly sick. A 5 is neutral, you are neither hungry nor full. Ideally, I try to eat when I am at a 3 or 4, I can feel my stomach asking for food but I’m not so hungry I’m teetering on hangry. By eating before I get to this point, I am more likely to be mindful with my food and more likely to stop eating at a 6 or 7, when I am satisfied, no longer hungry, but not uncomfortably stuffed.
Discovering the Satisfaction Factor
Principle 6 focuses on the enjoyment of eating. It invites us to find pleasure and satisfaction in our meals, moving away from restrictive diet mentalities that categorize foods as "good" or "bad." The key here is to eat in a way that nurtures both your body and your soul. It's about savoring each bite, appreciating flavors and textures, and allowing yourself to truly enjoy the experience of eating without guilt or judgment.
Practical Steps to Enhance Your Eating Experience
Honor Your Fullness: Use the hunger-fullness scale to gauge your body's signals. Stop eating when you feel comfortably satisfied, not when you're overly full. This practice helps prevent the discomfort of overeating and promotes a healthier relationship with food.
Savor Every Bite: Eating should be a sensory experience. Slow down, chew your food thoroughly, and pay attention to its taste, texture, and aroma. This mindful approach enhances satisfaction and reduces the urge to overeat out of habit or emotion.
Don't Settle: Just as you wouldn't settle in relationships, don't settle with your food choices. If a meal isn't enjoyable or satisfying, you have the freedom to stop eating it. Principle 4 reminds us that we're not obligated to finish everything on our plate.
Check-In: Throughout your meal, periodically assess how the food tastes and whether it still brings you pleasure. Our taste buds can become less sensitive to flavors after prolonged exposure to the same food, a phenomenon known as sensory-specific satiety. If the food no longer tastes good or is no longer enjoyable, honor that feeling and stop eating.
Embrace Your Unique Preferences: Everyone's relationship with food is different. Allow yourself to explore and appreciate what you truly enjoy eating, without judgment or comparison to others.
Feeling your fullness and discovering the satisfaction factor are integral to intuitive eating. They guide us towards a balanced and joyful approach to food, free from the constraints of diet culture. Remember, this journey is about self-discovery and self-care. Be patient with yourself as you navigate these principles and celebrate each step towards a healthier relationship with food.
If you're eager to learn more about intuitive eating or have questions about emotional eating, body image, or related topics, reach out to us via the Contact Us page. We are here to support you on your journey to a healthier, happier you.
