Just learned about intuitive eating. It's a thing. But it's sort of what I've been doing forever, and I didn't know there was a term for it. I never liked the diet mentality, depriving myself according to specific rules and regulations, counting calories (here an earlier post, "stop counting calories"), or labeling foods as good or bad. I've also never liked the sensation of being so full that it doesn't feel good anymore.

Having grown up in food cultures I love food and have never felt guilty about enjoying it, or the need to binge on ice cream or sweets. But I "intuitively" used to eat a lot more bread and pasta, pizza (homemade) and baked stuff (homemade). Could never figure out a way to get rid of those ten baby pounds I put on after having my children. Until I became a little more explorative, inquisitive, and informed about nutrition and my body's particular needs. Now I eat lots of vegetables, especially greens, very little bread and grains, small amounts of animal protein and dairy, and very little sugar or natural sweeteners, but a fair amount of fats and lots of avocados. I'm not a big fan of fruit, but find citrus in a winter salad, or roasted pears with olive oil, salt and pepper delicious. I also love those antioxidant berries, and a banana here and there to add variety to my green smoothies. And I take sea vegetables, bee pollen, spirulina, and cacao beans as supplements because our soils, even organic soils, are depleted, and the micronutrients and minerals our body needs to repair our cells must come from somewhere. But that's what works for me. Your needs will be different.

Intuitive eating heals the dieting mind and the good food/bad food guilt trips, but is only a stepping stone to a much deeper conversation with your body on what you thrive on. And that requires a bit of nutritional understanding, acknowledging the state of our agriculture, and listening in to how your body feels after certain foods. Your constitution is unique, your body's needs are unique. Deep eating evolves out of a combination of science and intuition.