Intuitive Eating With A Vegan Diet

Welcome to today’s podcast! In this episode, we’re exploring the concept of intuitive eating within the context of a vegan diet. We’ll discuss how to listen to your body’s hunger cues, make mindful food choices, and find balance while maintaining a vegan lifestyle.

Transcript

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to another episode of Try with Tess.

I'm Tess and I'm so excited to have you here.

Today's episode is kind of juicy one.

It's intuitive eating with a vegan diet and we are going to go very deep.

But before we get into all of that,

You know I love starting with a little journaling and this week's ins and outs.

So grab your journal or just think about these prompts as we dive into them.

So the first journal prompt is what does my body need today to feel nourished and energized?

This one is all about like tuning in.

You may also discover you need for example more rest,

More hydration or just a big meal.

Just listen to your body and wear it down.

The second journal prompt is how can I practice more kindness towards my body this week?

And this can be anything from like a small movement to self-care or just simply changing the way you talk to yourself.

The third journal prompt this week is what foods make me feel very good?

Think about what fuels you,

What energizes you and also what makes you feel your best to reflect on the connection between the food and your well-being.

So just take some time to write down those answers.

Feel free to also come back to them throughout the week or at the end of the episode.

Now let's jump into this week's ins and outs.

So this week's ins is listening to your body.

Whether it's like hunger cues or your energy levels or the need to slow down,

Your body knows it best.

So tune in and trust your body.

The second this week's ins is vegan comfort food.

With the cooler weather coming in,

Things like warm bowls of like vegan chili or baked sweet potatoes or creamy like palm-based soups are so perfect for nourishing yourself.

The third this week's ins is walking in nature because it's just a beautiful way how to stay active and also how to clear your mind.

Plus it's grounding and very peaceful and it's very essential for staying mindful.

But now we will move to this week's out and the first this week out is obsessing over the perfect diet because we are just ditching any pressure to eat perfectly and embracing the flexibility and also the intuition as eating should be about joy and not about the stress.

The second this week's out is negative self-talk because we should all make a pact to just stop the inner critic in its track this week.

We are focusing on more kindness and on self-compassion instead.

The third this week's out is over-complicating meal planning because simplicity is the key and just a few ingredients and boom you got nourishing and also delicious vegan meal.

So just keep it easy and keep it fun.

We will now dive into today's main topic and it's intuitive eating on a vegan diet.

So this episode I think is going to be packed with information.

Also you can just grab the journal you already have started writing or if you are on a walk or doing something else just let it all soak in.

I know a lot of you have been like curious about how to combine like intuitive eating with a plant-based diet or vegan diet and honestly there is so much to explore here and it's just not about what you are eating but how you are eating the food and how you are connecting with your body and how you are nourishing yourself in more like compassionate and also sustainable way.

So let's get right into it.

Alright so I think that we should start with the basics what is exactly the intuitive eating and if you have heard the term but you aren't like 100% sure what it means like intuitive eating is an approach to food and eating that kind of focus on listening to your body's internal cues it can be like a hunger the fullness and also the satisfaction rather than any kind of like external rules or that trend and it's all about like tuning into your body's needs also honoring kind of these signals and building a very positive and not restrictive relationship with the food but now we can also talk about how does this whole approach with vegan diet because some people the idea of like intuitive eating can feel at all with any like type of dietary structure for example veganism but veganism has its ethical and also health considerations but here is the thing that intuitive eating isn't just a free for all but it's definitely not about eating whatever you want without like considering the bigger pictures it's all about like balancing your body's needs with your own values and also finding the sweet spots where like nourishment and also I would say the mindfulness and also like compassion can all like blend together or all meet so today we are going to explore how you can kind of like align your intuition and intuitive eating principles with a vegan diet in more like sustainable way so let's start by breaking down the core principles of eating more intuitively how you can actually apply it to the plant-based lifestyle the first principle of intuitive eating is rejecting the diet mentality and this one is so huge especially for anyone who like ever felt they had to follow like a set of strict food rules or diets in order to be healthy and veganism or plant-based diet when it's done right isn't about like restriction it's all about like the abundance that all the veggies fruit and plant-based food is offering you and there is just so many beautiful plant-based food available there and when you just approach the veganism from like mindset of like abundance rather than like sacrifice and it can be just incredibly freeing and this also means just of letting go of like any guilt or shame around your food choices even if you are like navigating the world of vegan junk food which can be like let's be real pretty tempting and whether it's just like a big salad full of like cauliflower cheese or vegan burger and fries all food have their place in intuitive eating just let's start with that and the key is to listen to what your body is craving and why it is craving and also eat more mindfully without kind of like labeling the food either they are good or they are bad and the next thing is honoring your hunger which is all about like recognizing when your body actually needs the nourishment and also responding to the need with kindness and also with veganism or just a plant-based diet it can be sometimes a little bit tricky especially if you are like new to plant-based eating and you are just still figuring out how to feel full and also how to feel more satisfied but plant-based foods are often lowering calories but rich in nutrients compared to like regular or normal diet so it's very important to learn first how to fuel your body properly for example if you are eating i don't know a salad and you will find yourself still hungry um hour later or 30 minutes later it doesn't mean that you are doing anything wrong it just simply means that your meal didn't have enough protein healthy fats or complex carbs so maybe you just need to add some quinoa to your salad some beans tofu or avocado and it's all about like learning to understand your body's unique needs and on the vegan diet it can also take time but it's so worth it when you've done it right so this also brings us to our next principle which is very closely tied to hunger and it's feel your fullness so feeling your fullness is about like tuning into your body during and after meals also noticing when you actually have enough food and then stopping before you feel overly full or uncomfortable and on the vegan diet this is especially important because like plant-based food tend to be higher in fiber and also they have higher water content which can also make you feel full more quickly but not always for longer periods so it's all about like finding that balance where you are still eating enough to satisfy your hunger but you are also checking in with your body to see when it's actually the time to stop and also a big part of this is just slowing down while you are eating so you should take your time to really taste and enjoy your food and also just really enjoying each bite and also this mindful practice can help you to stand in tune with your body signals and also kind of like prevent overeating or also under eating i have the feeling and the fourth tip is kind of like challenging the inner voice or just letting go of any internal voices or also external pressure telling you that what you should or shouldn't actually eat and this can be also very hard when you are vegan because let's be honest there's just a lot of noise out there about what it means to be like a perfect vegan you may also hear things oh you shouldn't eat like processed vegan food or you need to be eating only whole foods or don't eat too much carbs but intuitive eating encourage you to kind of like challenge these voices and trust your body instead so if you are craving a vegan donut or some i don't know vegan cheese it's completely okay because there is not such a thing as a perfect way to eat even on a vegan diet the goal is just to nourish your body and enjoy your food without feeling like you are breaking some kind of rule book which is often like invisible and often only in your head and the next principle is one of my favorite and it's about truly enjoying your food both in flavors and also the experience of eating as veganism often like opens the door to like a whole new world of flavors and also textures and cuisine so when you embrace that that eating becomes exciting and also very much joyful part of your day so you can also ask yourself what do i really want to eat what kind of food will make me feel satisfied so it can be like a bowl of i don't know creamy vegan pasta or spicy fry or i don't know something like vegan chocolate cake that's completely okay and the satisfaction is really the key and it's not just about the taste it's about how you are making your meal as a full experience and also how you set up the table you can also put some jazz music and just take your time to really feel satisfaction and also really enjoy the meal and eating should be a pleasure and just a very big part of life not just you know that eating means to an end or i don't know how to explain that the next principle is cope with your emotions with kindness we all know that the emotions can really affect our eating habits whether it's i don't know like just a stress or boredom or sadness or even like a happiness and while there is nothing wrong with like enjoying the food for comfort sometimes it's very important to recognize when you are eating to cope with emotions rather than hunger and on the vegan diet this can sometimes look like turning to comfort food whether it's like a big bowl of i don't know pasta or vegan cookies that's completely okay but the key here is to approach your emotional eating with kindness and curiosity not like judgment you know so you should always ask yourself am i hungry or am i just eating because i am feeling stressed or because i'm sad and the answer is yes that you should try to find other ways to comfort yourself like i don't know taking a walk journaling or also maybe talking to a friend instead of eating the stress out then seventh principle is respect your body this one is especially big because in the context of intuitive eating veganism respecting your body means accepting your body as it is rather than trying to force it to look or feel in a certain way based on some kind of you know society pressure or just unrealistic expectations i would say and veganism isn't about like changing your body it's about nourishing it with the food that aligns with your values and make you feel good and a part also of respecting your body is recognizing that everyone's needs are just different and what works for someone else might not work for you and it's completely okay so listen to your body honor it needs and also give it the nourishment it deserves it also doesn't have to be through food but it can also be through rest or just a movement so we are now going to move until the next point and it's movement and movement it's another important aspect of intuitive eating because the key here is to focus on how movement makes you feel not how it makes you look and on the weekend that especially it's important to stay active and also stay energized in a way that feels good for you whether it's i don't know yoga walking training in in the gym or i don't know dancing in your living room the goal here is to move in a way that brings you joy and also supports your overall well-being and also like a food exercise shouldn't feel like punishment it should be something that is making your life richer and makes you feel stronger more alive and more energized the next point is honor your health with general nutrition so finally we will get to the nutrition this is where we look at the bigger picture of how you are nourishing your body over time rather than obsessing over every single meal or food choice and with the vegan diet this means making sure you are getting all the nutrients your body needs so it's protein iron b12 it can be also omega-3 calcium but without like turning eating into like a stressful experience it's all about the balance and you can absolutely enjoy a wide variety of plant-based food while you are also being mindful of your nutrient intake so you should just pay attention to how different foods make you feel and also aim to eat more colorful diverse diet that also leaves you feel more energized and more satisfied so i think guys that that was it we also got like nine points so this is like a small like framework of intuitive eating and how beautifully it can also align with the vegan lifestyle so the key takeaway here on this episode is that intuitive eating is all about right reconnecting with your body letting go of any like external rules and external pressure and also building a relationship with the food that is rooted more in compassion for yourself for the body for animals and also just the world around you and if you are vegan or you are thinking about going vegan like intuitive eating can be incredible tool to help you approach food with more mindfulness joy and also balance and it's all about making peace with food honoring your body needs and also just aligning your diet with the values in a way that feels natural and also more sustainable for you so i hope that you find this episode insightful and if you want to learn more about intuitive eating or vegan nutrition feel free to reach out to me i'm always happy to chat and don't forget to share this episode with a friend who may also benefit from this conversation so thank you so much for tuning in today remember that intuitive eating isn't about perfection it's about learning growing and also like finding what works best for you so take your time be kind to yourself and also trust that your body knows what it needs so i will catch up you in the next episode until then stay mindful stay nourished and most importantly stay kind to yourself thank you again see you next time