How to Eat When There's Nobody There to Tell You
But…but…but, what am I supposed to eat?
If I don’t have a meal plan, how am I going to stay at 15% body fat?
You don’t have a trainer? But how do you know what to eat for meal 4, 5 and 6?! I’d die without mine!
These questions all popped into my head at some point when I first started intuitive eating in hopes it would help me break up with my Meal Plan Programmer and Macro Counting Specialist.
Yes, I made that up.
But the funny thing was, I was one of those people handing out meal plans, but yet I dreaded deciding what to eat myself and when to eat it. Because that was uncomfortable.
So what did I do? Time and time again, I went searching for another “trainer” to prescribe a meal plan for me. Something tangible I could hold. Something I could read over and over again at meal time, though the paper never changed.
It was dependable.
It was always there.
As sad as this may sound (or read), it’s a lot more common that one might think. A lot of people rely on somebody to write them a meal plan for fat loss, or muscle gain. It’s comforting to know that you can wake up and have a least one predictable thing in your life.
But I have a secret to share.
The most challenging part of health is not following a diet. It’s trusting yourself to create your own diet.
The most challenging part of health is not following a diet. It’s trusting yourself to not.
Self-trust is a hard thing. It’s not a walk in the park, especially when you’ve accidentally found yourself sitting 30 or more pounds overweight, and then lost it all through prescribed nutrition counseling. For many people, there’s a lingering fear after weight loss you’re going to gain it all back.
How will I control myself?
How will I say no to cake and chocolate and pizza? I couldn’t then, so why would I now?
My message to you today is simple. It’s this: you know what to do.
You know what you like to eat.
You know when you’re ready to eat.
Maybe you’ve lost some of your intuition when it comes to being hungry and full. That’s expected when you’ve ignored those signals for so long. Don’t be worried.
Here are my top five tips for being a Meal Planless Human.
1. Get a copy of Intuitive Eating
This book is incredible. It helped me to reevaluate my eating habits, my urge to control life situations and to come face to face with my desire to diet all the damn time. I love this book so much that I bought the audio version and listened to it in my car during a road trip. Get a copy here.
2. Forget your food rules.
I know, I know, this one is a scary one. There’s a time and place for cutting out the grains, the sugar, the processed foods, the alcohol and so on. And there’s always something to be said for moderation. But on the other side, it’s not really healthy to lose your period. Or retain all the sodium you consume. Or pee five times during the night when you really should be sleeping. Sometimes your body really does need to reset, and that means giving up restrictionn. Give yourself permission to indulge and eat all of your “off limit” foods. Don’t eat them because you feel you have to, but eat them only if you want to. That’s the only catch. Listen to this podcast with Matt Stone for more on this topic.
3. Eat slowly
Sometimes eating slowly can really help you decide if you even like what you’re eating. This one can be tricky if you often eat with friends, eat in front of the TV, eat while you’re work or eat on-the-go. If this is how you generally eat, start thinking about meal time as a spicy, sexy time. Get cozy with your food. Slow it down. Dress it up. Savor it. Sweet talk it. Dote on it. Be present in the moment and you might realize some foods might not be as “addicting” as you thought. Check out the book, The Slow Down Diet for more insight on this one.
4. Journal Your Thoughts When & After You Eat
What are you telling yourself as you eat that animal cracker you haven’t tasted since you were six? What phrases or words are popping in your head as you chow down on that pepperoni pizza? What names are you calling yourself as you nosh on your favourite cereal? If you’re being mean to yourself when you eat certain foods, you’ll rarely stop eating when you’re actually satisfied. You’ll continue to eat because of your emotions, and neglect your bodies ques of fullness. Train your brain and you can rule your life. Each time you do this practice, go back through the list of thoughts after you eat and write the truth next to it.
Example:
Negative and false thought- “I’m going to wake up feeling so fat tomorrow because of this dinner of pasta and meatballs. I shouldn’t be eating this, I’m going to feel awful.”
Truth- “I am really glad my husband and I could enjoy dinner together since he is often at work late and cannot sit down next to me for a warm meal. I am grateful for the food on my plate and my body’s ability to digest it.”
5. Listen to others that have gone through this experience too
Did you know you are not alone? Hundred of women each day decide that it’s time to break-up with their diets. Hundreds! Everybody is looking for support in this journey. Message me if you need support or guidance as you go through your meal-plan divorce, and seek out support from other intuitive eaters. Kaila Prins, Stefani Ruper, Michelle Yeager and HAES are a few great places to start.
BONUS: Lastly, I wrote a book on this topic. I give readers 10 easy steps that will kickstart their new lifestyle, with absolutely zero sacrifices or diets.
Some of the things I go over include:
HOW I got out of the dieting trap
What REALLY goes on behind-the-scenes at fitness competitions
How to find FREEDOM with your relationship with food
The importance of distancing yourself from social media
Fitness guidance that’s maintainable, lasting, fun and EFFECTIVE!
If you want this ebook delivered to your inbox for free, sign up HERE. I’d love to get your intake on the book, and I hope it will truly help you to thrive in your unique and perfectly meal planless body.