Let’s face it. College dining halls can be overwhelming. It should be the time of day when you’re catching up with friends and refueling before you’re onto the next big event of the day. Fun instead of stressful, right?! We promise there is a way to enjoy your dining hall experience – enjoy the food, enjoy the company and walk out feeling ready for whatever your classes have for you next.

While I 100% agree that engaging in physical activity for internal, healthy-minded reasons is good for the body, mind, and soul. However, engaging in physical activity for external, not-so-healthy-minded reasons is not and can lead to increased stress, a weakened immune system and even depression.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt so consumed with calorie counting that you start to no longer see food for food, but as instead as a total number of calories. Instead of choosing foods because they are your favorites or because you know they are going to look and taste good and be satisfying, you choose them because the “number” is appealing or maybe the calories in that food item are so low that you feel that the food item is “better” suited for your diet.

One of my favorite topics when working with clients is not the latest vitamin or food trend, and it’s definitely not calorie counting. In fact, it’s a basic human need for survival—hunger. Learning to identify and honor your hunger is an essential part of feeling energized, focused, and positive. It also happens to be an essential part of reconnecting with your body and healing your relationship with food.

Get started with Intuitive Eating and say goodbye to diets for good.

We are all born with the innate ability to be intuitive eaters. As babies, we cry when we are hungry. We purse our lips and shake our heads in disagreement when we’re no longer interested in food. We know when to start and when to stop eating. Over time, there are many factors that may interrupt this natural cycle of eating, such as parental influences, dieting beliefs, clean plate club philosophy, and cultural stigma placed on food. We begin to ignore those natural signals by avoiding or restricting foods or food groups; ultimately hindering our ability to listen to our bodies Intuitive eating focuses on nourishing your body and learning to reconnect with those natural signals to self regulate, allowing you to find a weight that your body is meant to thrive at (not just a number you are seeking).