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Part of intuitive eating is eating and doing things because it feels good. It sounds hedonistic but as I practice it I’m seeing it for what it really is.

As I read Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works, I’m finding that there are different stages to “because it feels good”.

First it felt good to indulge in as much previously forbidden food as I wanted. It was freeing, liberating, yummy. It felt good.

But now what feels good is eating vegetables. Not because they taste better or have more nutritional value. That’s not what makes eating it feel good. Well maybe it does, but indirectly.

As I practice intuitive eating more, I’m finding I notice my body’s reactions to different things more. I find I feel better after eating vegetables than I do a bag of chips for example.

We got my favorite chips the other day: sour cream and onion. Mmmm. They go so great with sandwiches and burgers don’t they?

So that was the plan. Pulled pork sandwiches and chips. Love.

Love until shortly after eating them that is.

For the rest of the evening my belly felt gross. I felt icky. I had heartburn. I just didn’t feel good. I felt so gross after the chips that a few days after I opted for a salad with my burger instead. The memory of how gross I had felt after the chips stuck with me and I just couldn’t do it again. Next time I’ll try a mix of chips and salad. Ohhh or chips on my salad. Giggle.

I’m still eating chips. I’m just a bit choosier about when I eat them now.

Because it feels good. And the more I add hiking to my list of travel activities, the more I want to feel good.

–Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash