Self Help Recovery Tools
‘Normal’ is a harsh term to use when discussing any type of human behavior, there is no set normal pattern as it differs from person to person.
You were born a normal eater so the idea is to get your own ‘normal’ food pattern back in place and be in touch with your intuition and body wisdom once again.
One person may respond to food much differently from another person, this is why it is important not to compare your eating patterns with someone else. You may be misled when trying to idealize yourself with what others are doing and be aware that people are all different shapes and sizes. Everyone is born with a particular mold and ‘set point weight’ and your body knows exactly what this mold is and when it has been tampered with.
Because you were born a normal eater; all you have to do is clear the rust of your natural food regulator and allow it to work again.
To get your ‘normal’ back you will have to think ‘again’ like a normal eater.
Please bear in mind this is only a guide and generalization – everyone is different.
Most normal eaters feel like eating every three – five hours, whether it be a snack or meal, this can vary from person to person. Your body in general usually needs at least three meals a day.
This is diet behavior
You do not need to count calories and weigh food to gain and maintain a healthy body weight.
Natural eaters are flexible around food, they are able to address what it is there body wants and have eating patterns that don’t stand in the way of enjoying themselves. If you are on a diet you may be thinking about food continuously, this will take focus away from other aspects of your life, you will probably become depressed and forget how to enjoy yourself.
If you are continually obsessing about food, activities that others are enjoying may turn un-pleasurable
A good example is when eating out with friends. You may just order a salad while everyone seems to be able to tuck into food you really want to eat.
What happens when you get home, you feel deprived so you feed yourself all the food you think you missed out on, feel guilty, maybe vomit, and then start your diet again.
By eating a variety of foods stops the deprivation; this may also take away the obsession.
If you are following a diet it may state that you have A, B, or C for breakfast, same for lunch and eat D for dinner, however with this you are given yourself a set amount each day, like following an instruction manual.
It helps to realize that your body does not work this way, you are not born with an instruction manual
People generally do not use the same amount of energy each day, you may feel like eating more food one day and less the other, this is perfectly normal, your body is continually balancing itself out. It will tell you when it is hungry and when it is not.
Normal eaters can feel full and squeeze in a desert purely for taste. However normal eaters tend to do this sometimes rather than all the time. They are probably aware that they don’t really feel like the desert however as a ‘one off’ they go ahead and eat it for the taste. This awareness keeps their eating pattern regulated, most times when normal eaters don’t really feel like something they will perhaps wait until they are really feeling like eating before they have it.
Every women probably knows this whether they are in touch with their normal eating or not that they have either an increase in appetite or crave something before their period is due. Whether it be chocolate, toast and butter or pizza, it is perfectly normal. Studies have revealed that a women’s food intake can increase up to 17% for the two weeks before your period it due.This urge to eat is strong and many woman try and fight against it, however this fight is almost always lost.