We think it’s time to cast off the diet mentality, and today’s nationally recognized “No Diet Day” is the perfect opportunity to kick start a healthy, permanent lifestyle change. There’s no need to subject yourself to trendy diets or punishing juice cleanses; and, in fact, most experts would agree that dieting isn’t the best way to lose weight and stay healthy. Instead, we would suggest trying out the principle of “intuitive eating.” 
First coined in 1995 by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, “intuitive eating” is an elegant solution to the diet-obsessed culture we live in. This elegantly complex practice trains you to eat based off of your body’s own signals, relying on instinct and intuition in choosing your day-to-day nutrition. It puts you in charge of your meal and doesn’t position food as a good or bad entity. You don’t have to punish yourself for having that slice of cake, and you don’t have to brag about only having a kale salad for lunch.
Teaching yourself to eat intuitively is a process. To get the most out of it, a food journal is an absolute necessity. Begin to take notes about what you eat, why you eat it and how you feel afterwards. Learn to trust yourself with food and feel the signals your body sends you when you’re full. You may find that you feel best after a smoothie for breakfast, or maybe a couple eggs and toast. Maybe you feel the most energized with a light lunch and a large dinner, and maybe (like most people) you’ll find that fast food makes you feel sluggish and uneasy. Whatever the case, note these observations and use them to guide your meal choices. By tracking the foods you eat and your emotions towards them, you’ll also be able to discover if certain foods trigger certain eating habits, and you’ll become hyperaware of the eating decisions you make from day to day. By listening to your body and adapting to the eating habits that make you feel the best, you’ll find that you will be happier, well fueled and far more satisfied.
Best of all, mindful eating has benefits beyond just health. It allows you to re-discover the sheer joy of eating, rather than just wolfing down your food and rushing on to the next thing. Focus on the experience -- try not to eat lunch at your desk or in your car, but take the time to really be present in the moment and get in touch with your body's relationship with food.
Does intuitive eating sound like a concept you’d try? Give it a go and let us know in the comments below! 
