Balancing Intuitive Eating and Health Concerns

[Guest guest]

Sara,Thanks for your thoughts about insulin resistance. I have Type II diabetes and I'm trying to balance IE and keeping blood sugar in balance. I know it does not serve me well to restrict sweets, nor is it necessary. I'm working at enjoying everything I eat while being mindful about what I eat. 

Portion control is sometimes a dirty word for ex-dieters, but I'm trying to change my mindset about portions so I actually desire smaller portions. I'd love thoughts on this from others who struggle with health issues. It does change the equation, but I still feel like eating intuitively is a better option than a dieting, on-off mindset.

 

Balancing IE and the insulin resistance that comes from PCOS is something I still struggle with.  The cravings for sugar/carbs...the excessive hunger that is either caused by the excess insulin or the excess testosterone that comes with PCOS (I've heard both cited as a reason)...both wreak havoc on my desire to listen to my body

I've found that I do better all around, in terms of IE, my symptoms, etc. etc. if I do play some small attention to my food choices.  The idea of " eat it until you don't want it anymore " hasn't worked for me because my body continues to crave the sugar, and I'm not talking the kind of cravings that can be distracted by a walk or bubble bath!  And I do find that I need to eat at semi-regular times instead of waiting to feel hunger, otherwise the

insulin/blood sugar reaction makes it that much harder for me to eat intuitively when I do eat next.I've had the best luck when I added stuff versus the diety restricting food.  I will add small amounts of protein throughout the day to help balance out the rises in insulin, make a conscious effort to choose more fruits and vegetables.  I balance that with IE by not being anal about it..and I find that it's easier for me to overcome the ravenous hunger, to listen when my body is full or almost full, to listen when my body REALLY doesn't want that next bite but my head thinks it does.

I've seen my symptoms reduced in the past between medication, physical activity (my choice to do so, not diet/ wl oriented), doing the above, and IE.  Sometimes hearing/reading everyone say, " But eat what you want!  Don't eat at set mealtimes!  No rules!  No

rules whatsoever for IE! " (or at least that's the impression I get) makes me rebel against having to pay any attention at all to nutrition.Have fallen off the bandwagon in recent months in all aspects and have been trying to remind myself that it IS ok to balance a few loose nutrition rules with IE if that's what my body needs.  Because it is what it needs.  And I eat more mindfully when I make a few minor adjustments to minimize the insulin response.

Thanks for bringing up the PCOS.  I'd love to hear from others who are trying to balance PCOS or insulin resistance with intuitive eating.Sara