Morning habits that changed my life

  

Most people count every single meal that enter their system and think about it for so long.

 we "should", "should not" eat this, that is what we tell ourselves. The problem is that many of these "shoulds" are based on limited or false information that comes from the outside without being sure of it.

we let some outside authority make these choices for us Instead of being guided by our own internal wisdom and appetites

which leads to losing touch with our ability to give our bodies what they need.  

we must pay attention to how we are eating not to what we should eat,

we often forget to allow ourselves to eat without feeling guilty to enjoy eating, to slow down and pay attention to our food.

Or what about diet revolution, usually, those who are dieting, have thought that dieting means cutting out anything sweet or containing carbs which is the least true idea.

this can change negatively our ways of listening to our bodies and determining how well we respond to what we are eating. 

these tips are very effective for teaching you how to listen to your body and how to nurture it in a healthy way:

1/Try Intuitive eating: 

Instead of getting ourselves out of that dieting mentality and feeling the need to count every single meal that we are eating trying to figure out what we need to burn off, We need to respect our bodies hunger and satiety signals, and becoming aware of what our bodies need, so we can better nourish our bodies.

You can start practicing eating slower, I know you’ve heard of this before, but you need to know that  by eating slower, you are giving your brain a chance to register that you are full so you start to tune into more of that satiety signals. So you may start to know that you are physically full but you may notice that you are no longer hungry.

You can slow down eating by taking a breath between each bite or putting your fork down when chewing and just be present with your food, enjoy the flavors and take your time ,usually 20 minutes at least.

2/Pay attention to your digestion:

Focus on how food makes you feel when you eat it? how your digestion feels throughout the day or after you eat certain foods? what your bowel movements are telling you? saying a lot about your internal health? whether it is constipation or diarrhea. These things let us know that maybe we need more plant-based foods that are providing us with some good quality of fiber, maybe we need more water maybe we’re having a reaction to a certain kind of food.

3/Cravings:

Sometimes we are carving for something, because we just want it, sometimes you just need a chocolate, ice cream a burger.. it is totally fine.

But on the other side it is important to have a better understanding of what our bodies are trying to tell us. For  example sometimes we are craving a certain kind of food maybe junk food because we are simply hungry, we haven’t eaten enough that day or perhaps we haven’t had enough of protein, fat, and fiber,  especially combined together.

Also other things like eating a lot of refined  carbohydrates or sugary foods can create blood sugar imbalances which can make us crave even more sugar. Or perhaps you have a certain  food you eat, that you associate with a certain time of the day  or a certain activity or maybe there is an emotional reason for it where you are stressed out or sad or even happy. Or maybe dehydration sometimes we think we're hungry but we are actually thirsty,  drink a cup of water and think of an apple if you felt you want to eat that apple then you are hungry if you didn’t need to then it is a false alarm.

Sometimes it is totally fine to go for it and listen to your body. But at the same time, we need to know the difference if our body really needs this chocolate or can live without it for today.

according to Ellyn Satter, a social worker, and registered dietician, normal eating includes:

• Going to a meal hungry and eating until you are satisfied. Not completely full to the way you can’t move or you need a big nap
• Being able to choose foods you like and getting enough of it - not just stopping because you think you should.
• Being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.
• Sometimes giving yourself permission to eat because you are happy, sad, or bored, or just because it feels good.
• Eating three meals a day - or four or five - or choosing to munch along the way.
• Trusting your body to adjust to over or under-indulging on its own

4/Do a mental check-in:

This is great to do Especially if you are feeling sad or down or anxious. a lot of time we feel stressed out, or we have so much pressure around us maybe because of work, family issues...

and this can have an effect on a number of different areas of our lives. Our digestion can be impacted by stress, our skin our hormones, inflammation levels. But often it seems overlooked because these are our normal days. It is just a part of life

so ask yourself: how am I feeling? what is bothering me? what is on my mind? why am I crying right now? and try this breathing technique. Pull your shoulders all the way up to your ears, then exhale with a whoosh and repeat until you feel calmer.

If you’re hungry, grab a quick, healthy snack.

If you’re thirsty, drink some water.

If you’re restless, take a break, and go for a short walk.

If you’re achy or stiff, stretch or try a few yoga poses.

If you’re tired, take a nap if you can. If not, try taking a two-minute vacation. Close your eyes and imagine yourself relaxing in a beautiful, peaceful place. Let your worries and exhaustion go for those two minutes while you soak up the feeling of calm relaxation.

 Have a conversation with someone, ask for help.

And Remember your body’s health matters so take care of it.