YES!!! You are the expert of your body.

It can be challenging to find a balance in healthy living due to the abundance of diet trends that exist today. These diets often promote extreme or restrictive eating habits, which can be detrimental to both physical and mental health in the long run.

That’s the greatest reason why you need to pay attention to what your body tells you.

The K.I.S.S. ~ Listen to what your body speaks!

We are great at serving everyone else, but we don’t take time to listen to our bodies. We miss what our bodies are trying to tell us.

A fancy way of saying that is interoception.

Interoception is a lesser-known sense that helps you understand and feel what’s going on inside your body. 

It’s that sense of what’s going on in your body, and being in tune with it.

Some of these senses are feeling hungry, full, hot, cold, or thirsty. When you have a hard time sensing them, it becomes a self-regulation challenge.

Therefore, you just do what you “think” you’re supposed to do with no facts or feelings to back it up, because you aren’t sensing anything.

This can be very discouraging to anyone wanting to change or better their lifestyle.

Here are a few things to think about when it comes to fighting the diet trends and finding balance in your healthy living.

1. Avoid CONCRETE Restrictions

Restricting food groups or drastically reducing calories can lead to deprivation and binge eating. Instead, aim to have a balanced and varied diet, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Allow yourself to enjoy the occasional indulgent treat to avoid feeling deprived. You know what you can handle. You know the status of your health overall, your body report card.

2. Listen to Your Body

Every person’s body has its unique needs, and these needs can change depending on various factors such as age, activity level, and stress levels. Try to tune into how your body reacts to different types of food and adjust your diet to meet its needs. Listen to your hunger cues, eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full, and strive to eat intuitively.

3. Intermittent Fasting

When battling the diet trends, look to the “olden days” to shed some light. Our bodies have built-in fasting based on the seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter). Consider the seasonal foods that are available. All of it works together to create harmony in how you live. Depending on your metabolic flexibility, somewhere around a 14- to 18-hour overnight fast might be best for you. It can also help kickstart the production of ketones. Further, fasting can help you find a sweet spot for eating a balanced and nutritious diet.

Keep in mind that none of this happens overnight. So give yourself time to experiment. Keep a log or journal of how you feel when trying new things. 

You don’t have to follow the diet trends. The only diet that matters is what works for YOU!!!

“Train for life. Love your journey!“