Satisfaction is often overlooked when it comes to health, but it is actually a great factor to consider as part of our regular eating practices! Psychologically, it is human nature to achieve pleasure and satisfaction, which can absolutely be involved in the eating process. As discussed, improving our relationship with food and maintaining a more neutral perspective of all foods can help us to aim to enjoy the foods we choose to eat.
The science surrounding Intuitive Eating tells us that restriction often ends in overeating, coupled with feelings of guilt and a convoluted relationship with food. We know that intense restriction and invisible food rules can only increase the intensity of our cravings, which can falsely amplify our hunger cues as well.
The same principle can be applied here with the satisfaction factor. By choosing to balance our diets by incorporating foods that we find satisfying to our cravings, we not only get to enjoy our food more, but we will get up from the table feeling satisfied and more prepared to continue on with our day without that continued preoccupation with food!
Examples of increasing satisfaction during mealtime might include:
Incorporating a variety of textures into one meal (Ex. adding granola to yogurt, adding croutons to your salad, or even topping a salad with something warm and hearty!)
Making sure to thoroughly chew your food, taking note of the variety of textures and flavors with each bite.
Focusing on your meal instead of eating while distracted (Ex. instead of watching tv or scrolling)
If you’ve been held hostage to the harsh rules and beliefs of dieting, Intuitive Eating can open up the potential for you to finally enjoy food again! Ditching the food rules and listening to what our body is craving is a great way to ensure that we’re enjoying what we eat and leave the table feeling satisfied!
Stay tuned in future weeks to learn more about Intuitive Eating Principles 6 through 10!