Intuitive Eating for Fat Loss? – AFL 2.4
In this video, I’m going to talk about intuitive eating and succeeding at fat loss.
I wanted to follow up the AFL 2.2 video in which I discussed counting calories and eating intuitively for fat loss and expand on how you can actually reach your fat loss goals while eating intuitively.
Now, before getting started I want to mention the freebie that comes with this video, which is Accelerated Fat Loss 101.
This eBook is designed to give you all the necessary tools you need to master your fat loss and reach your goals in an expedited fashion.
Successful Intuitive Eating
Those who have the ability to listen to their bodies cravings and needs and eat intuitively rather than to a fixed diet are the real masters of their nutrition. While I urge my clients to start mastering their nutrition from day 1, under most circumstances I advise my clients to track their calories first and then transition into intuitive eating.
While I urge my clients to start mastering their nutrition from day 1, under most circumstances I advise my clients to track their calories first and then transition into intuitive eating. Why?
Because most people are unable to successfully reach their goals without building up to a certain level of self-awareness and self-control prior to transitioning into intuitive eating.
Eating intuitively and being able to reach your goals without having any experience with tracking your calories is not only nuanced with layers of self-control and awareness but it also requires a certain type of mentality that allows you to persistently coerce your body to go the direction you want it to go; all while not using any quantitative tools to keep yourself accountable; such as MyFitnessPal.
When it comes to actively tracking to reach your goals, you need to master MyFitnessPal and IIFYM. The caveat to this is rather than actively mastering your nutrition you’re actively mastering the tools you are using. Fortunately, however, these tools do help you passively master your nutrition.
6 Tips for Intuitive Fat Loss
Your current nutrition mastery aside, I wanted to take the opportunity to share my top tips for cultivating a successful intuitive eating approach to your diet.
No. 1 Body Awareness
Firstly, as I already mentioned intuitive eating requires a substantial amount of body awareness.
This means recognizing your body’s natural hunger and satiety cues.
And in regards to fat loss, just because you are trying to lose fat doesn’t mean you need to constantly fight hunger.
Rather eat when you are hungry, but make sure your eating habits and dietary choices still allow you to reach your goals in a satisfied manner.
No. 2 Feeling Hungry
Which leads me to my second point, being slightly hungry and being malnourished are significantly different experiences and feelings.
If you intuitively eat for fat loss you shouldn’t feel stuffed or as though your meal is about to burst the button of your pants
Rather for you to be successful you want to abide by feeling satisfied, yet slightly hungry.
By doing so, you ensure that you are inherently in a moderate caloric deficit and that you’ll be losing fat.
No. 3 Eat Consciously
Next, I want to continue the theme of tackling intuitive eating mentally and emphasize how important it is for you to eat consciously.
By being mindful of the food you are putting into your mouth; be it flavor, smell, texture, or colors.Pay attention to your eating and don’t let yourself eat on autopilot.
Pay attention to your eating and don’t let yourself eat on autopilot.Every time you eat a meal or a snack you should be invested in the experience.
Every time you eat a meal or a snack you should be invested in the experience.Not only will this provide you with a newfound appreciation for food but it will also contribute to developing awareness for your mastery of nutrition.
Not only will this provide you with a newfound appreciation for food but it will also contribute to developing awareness for your mastery of nutrition.
No. 4 Eating Wholesome and Nutritiously
Fourthly, I want to move towards your food choices.
Eating foods that have little to no nutritional value may contain a surplus of great taste, however, it comes at the expense of absent satiating qualities.
By this I mean, snacks and addictive foods deliver on food pleasure but do not deliver in the satisfaction department.
This is why you can down an entire bag of chips, which could easily be 1,000 calories, yet still be hungry.
Whereas if you ate, 16oz – which is equal to a pound – of chicken parmesan you would most likely feel very, very full and have only consumed 500-600 calories.
Eat nutritious high-value foods will have the highest impact on your satiety for during your fat loss program.
It’s for this very reason that when you have a 1500 calories nutritious diet you will find losing fat to be a breeze versus someone who tries to lose fat eating 1500 calories of junk.
No. 5 Rethinking Your Activity
Moving on, I want to talk about your daily activity.
When you’re more active, you burn more calories. However, it’s important to remember that not all of your activity has to come during your workouts.
Try to think hard about how you can introduce some additional activity into your day-to-day life.
Try taking the stairs rather than the elevator, or instead of watching TV with the family try to go on a family walk.
Every little bit counts and adds up to your overall daily activity.
Either get creative with your current activity levels or make your workouts more effective at burning fat.
No. 6 Track Qualitatively
Lastly, will be in regards to qualitatively tracking your progress.Sure, knowing your body fat is helpful and is one of the best things to track quantitatively.
Sure, knowing your body fat is helpful and is one of the best things to track quantitatively.However, making progress with your fitness doesn’t necessarily mean seeing a lower number on the scale, which in all honesty has little translational value.
However, making progress with your fitness doesn’t necessarily mean seeing a lower number on the scale, which in all honesty has little translational value.I would argue how you feel and how you look are much more important, especially when it comes to adopting an intuitive lifestyle.
I would argue how you feel and how you look are much more important, especially when it comes to adopting an intuitive lifestyle.Now, one of the most common ways to track your qualitative progress is with progress pictures, I talked about this in much greater detail in my Power of Progress Pictures video.
Now, one of the most common ways to track your qualitative progress is with progress pictures, I talked about this in much greater detail in my Power of Progress Pictures video.A few
A few pointers on taking progress pictures, while in your bathing suit snap a few pictures from various angles and do so on a monthly basis and let your nutrition and fitness program advance you to your goal physique.Another useful thing to qualitatively track is how your body responds to your nutrition.
Another useful thing to qualitatively track is how your body responds to your nutrition.Create a journal or a note
Create a journal or a note on your phone and write down your experiences.
For example, how does your body respond to specific things you are feeding it.Do you feel satisfied? Are you left hungry? Does your meal have you craving more protein?
Do you feel satisfied? Are you left hungry? Does your meal have you craving more protein?
Conclusion
Eating intuitively for fat loss is one of the hallmarks of being at peace with your diet and yourself.
It’s not for everyone, nor is it appropriate at all times.For example, when you truly need the accountability of tracking your calories.
For example, when you truly need the accountability of tracking your calories.However, if you aspire to truly master your nutrition and acquire an intimate relationship with your body, it’s one of the most effective ways I can recommend.
However, if you aspire to truly master your nutrition and acquire an intimate relationship with your body, it’s one of the most effective ways I can recommend.Remember nutrition mastery does not come overnight it has to be fostered and cultivated over time.
Remember nutrition mastery does not come overnight it has to be fostered and cultivated over time.
I want to mention again that the freebie that comes with this post is the Accelerated Fat Loss 101 guide; this free eBook was designed to help you master your fat loss and reach your goals in an expedited fashion.
Click on the box below to get your free copy!
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And finally, I want to thank you for watching the AFL video on intuitive eating for fat loss. I wish you the best of luck fostering and cultivating your nutrition mastery.
That’s all for today – Cheers!