At Informed Eating Academy, I aim to educate individuals about food and how it impacts their unique bodies. To become an informed eater, you must acquire knowledge and apply it to your daily habits. By understanding the mind-body connection and gaining insight, anyone can become an educated eater.
Diet- The term "diet" can be triggering because it implies that certain foods are "good" or "bad," which leads to restriction and, eventually, a return to old eating habits. This cycle often results in feelings of guilt, shame, and self-doubt, making it difficult to achieve our goals. It's time to break this pattern! We know that diets don't work, but we often find ourselves drawn to them because we search for a quick fix. However, the word "diet" refers to the food we choose to consume. Making an informed decision to have cake today does not make you a "bad" person. It's essential to take a step back and consider the bigger picture.
Food for thought- Consider this scenario: You've decided to join a "diet challenge" with a friend, and she recommends a specific workout and diet for you to follow to achieve the same results as her. However, it's important to remember that each person's lifestyle and genetic makeup are unique. What works for your friend may not necessarily work for you. For instance, your friend's daily food may satisfy her, but it might make you crave sugar or feel excessively hungry at night. Additionally, your friend may suggest replacing your usual breakfast of eggs with yogurt and berries, but what if your body doesn't respond well? What if it leaves you tired, bloated, gassy, irritable, or even more hungry? This plan is not a one-size-fits-all solution. That's why understanding your body and lifestyle is critical to making informed choices about what works best for you.
Intuitive eating is the craze right now... The "no rules" approach to Eating can be misleading. We can genuinely eat intuitively with proper information about what we consume and how it affects our bodies. "I can eat whatever I want" or "eating a salad means I'm on a diet" does not equate to Intuitive Eating. Unfortunately, some have used intuitive Eating as an excuse to consume excessive amounts of processed, carb-heavy or alcoholic foods without considering the impact on their health. This approach can lead to unforeseen health issues or worsen existing conditions.
Furthermore, eating based solely on intuition does not guarantee that our chosen foods benefit our unique bodies. It's important to understand that body positivity and healthy Eating are not mutually exclusive. Informed Eating balances both extremes and helps people make informed choices about their food.
Informed Eating It gives you back your power! It's about you, not other people, and what works for them. It's the ability to build an understanding of how your body works. It's learning about food and your body so that you can make decisions that best fit YOU. It's knowing what's in your food, the ingredients, the macros, and the micros, and making decisions based on what you know to be true for YOU. Informed Eating gives you back your power to make decisions from a place of knowledge, not shame or guilt from either side of the spectrum. You gain the tools you need to make choices toward your health goals. There are no food rules! You learn how to read food labels and how foods affect your body so that when you go to that party and decline cake, you won't have to say, "no thanks, I'm on a diet," or "I am an intuitive eater, of course, I can have that" but rather, you can say "no thank you, I don't feel like it today" or, you can make the informed decision to have the cake and know how you will feel later, YOU CHOOSE!
The bottom line- I created Informed Eating Academy because client after client saw results, ONLY when they gained the knowledge they needed to make more informed choices. When they knew the facts, they were able to make choices differently that they ever had before. They stopped going by what others told them was best for them and started making choices for THEIR body. Restrictive eating and a "no rules" mentality can both be detrimental to your health. The best thing you can do is step back and take a look at the big picture and get real about what kind of rules you have placed on yourself and decide if those rules are working for you and your desired health. The best thing you can do is take back your power and start making informed choices.
Until next time, happy eating.
Tasha