One of the most common questions I hear from clients is, \u201chow much should I be eating?\u201d From
\ncalorie counting apps and fitness magazines to diets, keto and intermittent fasting, it\u2019s hard to
\nknow what to do.<\/p>\n
But here\u2019s the problem with all of these: they focus on rules and that pull you away from the best
\ncalorie counter of all: your body! In fact, no one (I repeat, no one!) can tell you the right amount
\nto eat for you \u2014 because no one else lives in your body.<\/p>\n
When you learn to tune into the signals your body is giving you about hunger and fullness, you\u2019ll
\nlearn the right amount to eat. Humans are dynamic and don\u2019t need to eat the same amount
\nevery day. In addition to your gender, age, bodyweight, body composition, and genetics, the
\namount you need to eat can depend on:<\/p>\n
Learning to listen to and trust messages from your body can take practice and patience,
\nespecially if you\u2019ve been dieting and ignoring hunger and fullness cues for a long time. To start,
\npay attention to what hunger feels like to you. Some ways people experience hunger include:<\/p>\n
You may experience only one of these symptoms of hunger or many of them, but pay close
\nattention because sometimes hunger shows up in unexpected ways.<\/p>\n
The other piece of the puzzle is identifying fullness. Fullness typically first shows up in the
\nstomach as a physical feeling, but it can also be the absence of some of the symptoms of
\nhunger that you might experience such as improved mood (less irritability) and better
\nconcentration and focus. As your stomach starts to become full, food sometimes becomes less
\nappealing and doesn\u2019t taste quite as good as those first bites when you were very hungry.<\/p>\n
If you find yourself overeating to the point of feeling stuffed or uncomfortable on a regular basis,
\nyou may need a little more practice tuning into your body. Try pausing mid-meal to check in with
\nyourself to see how you\u2019re feeling. Remember, tell yourself that the food will still be there in 15
\nminutes so give your body a chance to digest. You can always go back to it. And be mindful of
\nthings that can get in the way such as:<\/p>\n
If this is a new way of thinking about food and how much to eat, be patient with yourself \u2014 it
\nmay take some time to relearn those innate cues you were born with. Over time you will find
\nyourself naturally being able to identify hunger and fullness instead of focusing on calories or
\nother portioning rules.<\/p>\n
As you learn this new way of eating, if you feel like you\u2019re snacking or eating all day long, you
\nmay not be balancing your meals or eating enough at a meal. Check out our post on how to
\nstop snacking all day for more tips.<\/p>\n
Sarah Gold Anzlovar, MS, RDN, LDN is a registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor,
\nand the owner of Sarah Gold Nutrition, a virtual private practice and nutrition communications
\nconsulting business in the suburbs of Boston. She empowers busy women to ditch diets and
\nlearn to eat to feel their best without the stress<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of the most common questions I hear from clients is, \u201chow much should I be eating?\u201d From calorie counting apps and fitness magazines to diets, keto and intermittent fasting, it\u2019s hard to know what to do. But here\u2019s the problem with all of these: they focus on rules and that pull you away from …<\/p>\n