Topics:

• The struggle
• Top 10 shifts
• The science behind intuitive eating
• 52-Week Guided Anti-Inflammatory Family Health Planner

Top 10 Mindset Shifts to Achieve an Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Lifestyle

The diet culture has become toxic and created unhealthy relationships between consumers (you) and food. And with all the hidden “chemicals” and “sugars” in the foods we eat that once were “clean,” it’s no wonder why we’ve lost trust in advertisements or the food industry. We hear all the things – don’t eat this food because it’s linked to cancer, don’t eat this food because it’s inflammatory… and then we’re left with, what the heck do we eat then?

This has created a lot of anxiety and binge-eating tendencies for me. It’s a constant struggle I battle with every day. And every day, I worked towards overcoming it. And sometimes, just sometimes, I fall back. But there are some things I remind myself about every day to overcome this. There is a way to ditch that diet mentality, find trust and make peace with food.

Intuitive eating is not another “diet” or a weight loss program. It’s a special way to refocus your mind and body and become in tune with your body. It’s a unique way to prioritize your mental and physical well-being.  

Forget all the food rules. Intuitive eating invites you to eat the foods you want when you’re hungry and stop eating when you feel full. But, this is NOT about giving up and eating however much you want, of whatever you want, whenever you want it, either. It’s about learning to listen to your body, listen to your mind, and show it the respect it deserves.

Eating intuitively means being curious about what you want and why you want to eat something and then enjoying it without judgment. Yes, without judgment. It’s about removing the labels of “good” or “bad” food and ditching the guilt or pride about eating a certain way. It’s about accepting food, and our bodies, as the fantastic thing they are and a belief that there truly is no “right” or “wrong” way to eat. It’s about going back to the basics and fulfilling the needs of our bodies the way they were meant to be fulfilled.

The 10 shifts toward intuitive eating

These 10 principles were developed in 1995 by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. Read this list daily as a reminder of the challenges each day brings to you.

 1 - Reject the diet mentality

Break free from diets or specific meal plans that promise you to heal or lose weight fast and quickly. Break free from the yo-yo dieting habit and the idea that you’re a failure every time you fall back to your “old ways” and gain that weight back or have a flare-up.

💡 No more focusing on or finding diets that promise easy healing or weight loss

💡 Stop worrying about eating perfectly. If you get off track, gently bring yourself back on track. 

2 - Honor your hunger

You can start rebuilding trust in yourself and food by honoring your first signal of hunger. Your body needs energy and nutrition and keeping yourself fed and hydrated at times your body tells you prevents excessive hunger.

💡 When you feel like eating, ask yourself why? Are you truly hungry, are you stressed out, are you bored?

💡 When you are hungry, don’t deprive yourself. Go ahead and eat something that nourishes your body! Get back in tune with your body’s signals, and don’t wait until you’re starving.

💡 Pay attention to and enjoy your food while eating it (eat mindfully).

💡 Stop eating when you are comfortably full.

 3 - Make peace with food

Stop that cycle of food deprivation, craving, binging, and guilt. Give yourself unconditional permission to eat. No more denying yourself a particular food, then building intense deprivation and cravings, which can lead to “giving in” and bingeing, then to top it off with overwhelming guilt.

💡 No more feeling guilty for all the yo-yo dieting you did. You did not fail, and the diets failed you.

4 - Challenge the food police

Our diet culture has created unreasonable rules and often conflicts with each other. The food police are the negative, hopeless, or guilty thoughts about you or food being “bad” and “good” that you can chase away.

5 - Discover the satisfaction factor

Allow yourself to enjoy the pleasures and satisfaction that come with eating. And enjoy the feeling of feeling content and fulfilled. When you do this, you will be able to identify the feeling of “enough.”

6 - Feel your fullness

Pause before eating your meals and ask how the food tastes. Listen to your body for the signals that you’re not hungry anymore, then respect the moment you feel comfortably full. 

7 - Cope with your emotions with kindness

Be kind to yourself. Restricting food can trigger a loss of control and emotional eating. Everyone gets feelings of anxiety, loneliness, boredom, and anger. Responding to these feelings with food is a short-term distraction. It will not fix it. Ultimately, you must deal with the uncomfortable emotions, with or without food.

8 - Respect your body

Respecting your body is how you show you love your body. Your body does so much for you. Love yourself enough to provide it with the nutrition and care it needs to thrive. Everyone is genetically unique, whether it’s shoe size or body size. Being unrealistic or overly critical of your shape or size makes it hard to reject the diet mentality.

 9 - Intentional Movement

Feel the difference activity makes. I’m not talking about hours at the gym or running a mile, just simply moving your body with intention. Focus on how energized – mentally and physically it makes you feel.

💡 Move your body in a way you enjoy and see how that makes you feel.

10 - Honor your health—gentle nutrition

Don’t focus on eating perfectly. One snack, meal, or day of eating won’t suddenly make you healthy, unhealthy, or lacking in nutrients. Observe how you eat over time and as a whole. Work towards progress, not perfection.

The science behind intuitive eating

Research has shown that people who eat intuitively have higher body appreciation and mental health levels. They are also associated with lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, inflammation, and BMI.

Another review of 24 studies of female college students showed that those who eat intuitively experience less disordered eating, have a more positive body image, and have a greater emotional functioning.

Overall, a growing amount of research shows the benefits of intuitive eating on both physical and mental health.

Grab the planner

Improve your relationship with food and your body and mind with intuitive eating. Challenge external rules and your subconscious habits around eating. Want to enjoy foods again without the guilt from diet culture? Check out the 52-week guided Anti-Inflammatory Family Health Planner that makes healthy and intuitive eating fun for the whole family.