I don't count Marco's, I eat intuitively!
What are Macro's?
Macro's are macro-nutrients PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATES AND FAT. Smaller nutrients like vitamins and minerals fall under the micro-nutrient category.
Way back when I start my fitness and lifestyle journey, I decided I probably wouldn't ever count macro's. Counting macro's never interested me. I believe in more balanced nutrition, not having to calculate and track everything you eat. You don't ever want to build bad relationships with food. I mention this because I have witnessed this happened to friends who have gotten into the fitness & bikini competition industry where counting macro's is a very popular thing to do.
You should have LOVE relationship with food. Having a hateful relationship with food can become obsessive and lead to health problems. When being to obsessed with healthy food/eating healthy gets out of hand, it is known as ORTHOREXIA. Becoming obsessive with healthy foods and limiting yourself to certain foods can actually create nutrient deficiencies, low blood sugar, fatigue etc. which can lead to more health problems down the road. It is not recognized as a eating disorder but is very similar to other eating disorders. Most people suffering from orthorexia loose the inability to eat intuitively and don't even know it!
Intuitive Eating Tips
FORGET dieting and realize most diets don't end up working in the long run. Choose whole foods instead. EAT if you are hungry. Depriving yourself from food can lead to overeating which ends up making us sad, guilty and depressed. Not to mention food deprivation causes health problems. Make food choices that make you FEEL GOOD and healthy. You don't have to eat healthy superfood in the book but eat the foods that you know work best for you! DO NOT think that eating certain foods are going to change your body composition or the way you look. Having a nutritious diet overall combined with a exercise program can change body composition. If you are the type of person who eats when they are bored try to find new ways to cope with your feelings, etc. that do not involve eating food! Using food for comfort can be damaging physically and emotionally down the road.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of intuitive eating is to listen to your body after everything you eat. How do you feel? Are you bloating, have cramps or gas? Do you feel energized or fatigued? How long did it take you to go to the bathroom afterwards? It is important to watch your symptoms after you eat, this will be able to tell you if these foods work with your body or not. These symptoms can mean many things but mainly it is going to come down to how your digestion is processing the food. For example.. after I eat a meal with meat and dairy, I feel absolutely terrible. My stomach starts to get tight and grumbles. After an hour or so I start to feel very tired. These are the main reasons why I avoiding eating meat and dairy on a daily basis. My body simply does not like to process and digest it every single day. If you know certain foods do not work your body I recommend to avoid them for a couple of months and re-introduce them back into your diet and see how your body reacts. After some time listening your body after you eat a meal you will know exactly what works best for your body and what doesn't. This way you can become intuitive about what you eat!
GAIN NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE
Honestly this was going to be my first choice for this post but listening to your body won it by a hair! Becoming a nutritionist was probably one of the best things I could've ever done for myself. It completely introduced me to a new way of looking at foods and eating healthy. Not only did it completely change my lifestyle around but it has taught me so much about how to eat and how to eat right! When you learn about the health benefits of different foods it will become natural to add them to your daily meals and diet! I almost have a little food dictionary built up in my brain haha after all the different foods I have learned about and added to my daily diet. FOR EXAMPLE:
HEMP HEARTS Contains omega's 3 & 6 which promotes cellular health High in protein High in fiber which improves digestion Nutty flavor, so they taste delicious on everything!
SAUERKRAUT Contains probiotics Probiotics protect brain health & supports stress and mood Beneficial digestive properties I add 1 spoonful of sauerkraut to some of meals to support digestive health!
QUINOA High in protein, containing all 9 EAA's Contains minerals magnesium and iron High in fiber which eliminates toxins Perfect food to add to your meals to increase your nutrient and protein intake.
IT SHOULDN'T BE HARD
The most important thing I want you to take away from this post is don't stress or overthink about what you eat! What you choose to eat should not be difficult. But if you find you do struggle with choosing the right choices, then I believe that gaining nutrition knowledge is going to ultimately make you a more intuitive eater.
TAKE AWAY MESSAGE
1. Build a love relationship with food and avoid hateful relationships with food 2. Make feel good food choices 3. Listen to your body 4. Gain nutrition knowledge 5. Don't stress or overthink about what you eat Your goal should be to create a normal, easy, loving relationship with food! Leave a comment below if you have any questions.