Counting macros and tracking calories may
be great ways to maintain control over your diet when you're trying to lose
weight, but the downside is they're unsustainable over the long run and can
easily lead to unhealthily obsessive habits. Eating healthy doesn't have to be
a numbers game though. If you're trying to lose weight as part of a long-term
lifestyle change, intuitive eating might be your answer.
According to nutritionist Laura Tilt,
intuitive eating is "a way of eating that encourages you to tune into your
body's hunger and satiety cues to help you determine when, how much, and what
to eat rather than following external rules like diets, or lists of good and
bad foods." It's essentially eating what you like, but being aware of your
mind and body signals, not just your taste buds. She explains, "By really
tuning in whilst eating, we can become better at identifying the move from
hunger to satiety — and then fullness. Stopping when we're satisfied rather
than full is a skill, but one that's worth experimenting with in terms of
reaching a healthy weight."
