People who first learn about living intuitively often have the “you can eat anything you want” mentality. While this is technically true, intuitive eating is not a free-for-all where nutrition doesn’t matter. Health still matters! But when you remove rules and restrictions, you will start craving more nutrient-dense foods. Here are a few different ways you can start to improve your nutrition while still being intuitive.
Start With Nutritious Foods You Love
A good way to start improving your nutrition is to start eating more nutrient-dense foods you already enjoy. You can make a list of foods that you currently eat regularly that are also considered healthy. While healthy is subjective, just think about the nutrients in the foods.
For example, make a list of all your favorite fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other whole foods. If there are certain types of proteins like eggs or chicken you like, write those down. This can also include packaged foods like cereal, bread, granola, yogurt, and many other food items.
Try New Things, One at a Time
Don’t go out and get an entire shopping cart full of new foods you have never eaten before! This is a recipe for disaster. You might end up with a lot of healthy food you don’t enjoy, which will lower your satisfaction factor immensely after each meal. It can lead you to binge on other foods and not be very intuitive since you aren’t enjoying what you are eating and feel forced to eat them.
If you want to try something new, choose just a few new items along with other healthy foods you know you enjoy.
Cook One New Recipe a Week
Another great way to start focusing on nutrition is just to cook one new recipe a week. Again, you don’t want to do too much, too quickly. You never know what your body will respond to and what you end up liking. Choose one new recipe a week that includes many nutritious foods that you like, then plan with meals you have had before for the remainder of the week.
Use Seasonal Produce to Your Advantage
Seasonal produce is great because it gives you a little inspiration to try new things. You might not think much about winter foods like cranberries, apples, and brussels sprouts, but suddenly, creativity strikes when you get seasonal produce.
