SO. MUCH. YES.

I know how scary that sounds, and I fully support whatever helps someone become more mindful and aware of what they are putting in their mouth.  However, when it comes to nutritional needs, we’ve gotta start giving our body more credit.  It’s an AMAZING creation, fully able to self-regulate…we’ve just been told too many times that we can’t trust ourselves, so we give away our power to a set of rules or a calorie counter or food journal.  

If you do want to track your food intake, I would encourage you to do so.  But this time, don’t focus so much on what you are eating or what the nutritional breakdown is.  Instead, track your hunger and fullness levels, how satisfied you felt from your meal or snack and how you felt after eating it.  Start noticing – with curiosity rather than judgment – if the food you are eating is doing what you want it to do.  Does it keep you full and satisfied and energized for a few hours after you eat it?  If not, get curious as to what might.  Let the food journal help you become aware of patterns and use it as a tool to learn about YOUR body and what it’s communicating to you through it’s signals and how it feels.  

Essentially, you can trust yourself, and you can make decisions without outside validation, if you are willing to get curious and listen.  

Emily Fonnesbeck RD, CD