Forget The Spreadsheet. You're Not A Math Equation.

Should you be tracking your macros?

I've gotten that question twice in the last week.("Macros"= your macronutrients--protein, carbs, and fat.)

The short answer is no. You've got better things to do

Counting every gram can lead to food obsession, robbing your day of time and energy.

Besides, it's not an exact science.

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And forget counting calories.

The one number worth tracking? Protein. It's the nutrient most people miss.

When you prioritize protein and focus on minimally processed foods, everything else naturally falls into place

You don’t need an app or spreadsheet to eat well. You just need awareness--of hunger, fullness, and how food makes you feel.

Once you start tuning in, your body becomes the best tracker there is.

The key is practicing intuitive eating.

If you're like me and have spent the better part of your life dieting, it's a little scary to rely on how you feel, rather than totaling what you've had so far, which means you have this many calories left to spend.....

Chronic dieting trains you to ignore your body’s signals. You ignore hunger, become ravenous, overeat, and the cycle continues.

Intuitive eating is the key to having a healthy relationship with food. It's particularly good for people who "feed" their stress or boredom.

Intuitive eating starts with assessing your hunger.
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Ask yourself:
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​“How hungry am I, really?”

If you're not at level 3, take a moment to decide what you're feeling. What's a better way to manage your boredom or stress or "That really looks good, I have to have some of it..." feelings?
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If you're level 3 or above,eat as slowly and as mindfully as you can.Start with protein and vegetables/whole grains, saving starches for last, if you're still hungry.

Pay attention to what you're eating, preferably sitting at the kitchen table without the distraction of your phone or tv.

Put your fork down between bites and chew each bite thoroughly.
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Halfway through your meal or snack, pause and reassess:“Where am I now on the hunger-fullness scale?”​
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Keep going, slow down, or stop, based on how you feel, not just what’s on the plate.

Remember: anything left on your plate can be saved for later. That was a huge lesson for me, especially if I was eating a take-out meal. I'd finish the whole thing without thinking. Then one day it occurred to me, "I can eat half of this and tomorrow I won't have to wonder what I'll have for lunch!"

Funny thing: half is always plenty!​
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Take a minute after the meal to consider how you feel--did you eat beyond being full? Did you eat enough? Or did you feel “just right?”

Okinawans follow the adage,hara hachi bu,which means stopping when the stomach is 80% full. This kind of mindful eating is part of the reason Okinawa has a higher percentage of centenarians than anywhere else.
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​Your body is smarter than any app.

Channel your mental energy from math to mindfulness.

Intuitive eating can break the diet cycle and achieve true food freedom.

It's a journey of listening, not counting, the only nutrition plan built just for you!
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