Eating Intuitively

I started reading this book about weight loss called Intuitive Eating. I am really loving the principles that lay the foundation of this weigh loss program. I do not believe in all the diets that say "Loss up to 10 lbs in one week!" Although you may have lost those 10 lbs, it's most likely water weight instead of fat. 

One thing that sparked my interest and made me want to write was a little section about willpower. I have always been taught that if you want something, it requires a little bit of willpower. Tribole and Resch define willpower as an "attempt to counter natural desires and replace them with proscriptive rules." When one goes on a diet, this is exactly what they are doing. The diet says not to eat carbs, so you are countering your bodies need for energy by replacing your carbs with protein or something else. Willpower is not a part of the Intuitive Eating program. The book explains that listening to your personal signals will reinforce your natural instincts rather than fight them. When you fight them, you are setting yourself up for a backlash--which is also talked about in the book. You may start to rebel against these rules or overeat after you finish the diet. 

Successful weight loss occurs gradually, but remember, the number on the scale doesn't matter; how you feel matters. Hopefully I will be able to write some more insights about this book on the blog, but if not, I am sure you can pick it up at your community library. I have already ordered a copy for myself.

Challenge: Get rid of the scale and start listening to your body and what it is telling you it needs.