Practicing gentle nutrition means choosing food that is nourishing, appetizing, and fulfilling. In simple terms, gentle nutrition is the practice of choosing enjoyable and appetizing foods, while being conscious of their nutrient content as information. Because gentle nutrition emphasizes listening to your body, it can help you build sustainable healthy habits. If this sounds incredibly vague, that’s because it is! It is essentially the marriage of health knowledge and acknowledgement of your body’s wants and desires. Gentle nutrition looks different for everyone, with a few common core tenants – freedom, health, and joy.
All in all, gentle nutrition is about identifying your priorities, goals, and desires, and fitting them into a realistic routine that honors your schedule. Gentle nutrition also prioritizes healthy eating to support overall health, instead of focusing solely on physical appearance.
Choosing to practice gentle nutrition can be scary; what if you have a difficult time experimenting with honoring your cravings, while still working to make healthy food choices? Freedom is on the other side of fear, however. Let’s travel into the minds of someone who practices gentle nutrition and someone who doesn’t.
We are not on this planet to obsess over our diets, deny the needs of the body, and isolate ourselves through weight fixation. In order to practice gentle nutrition, it’s essential to learn how to tell your inner critic to be quiet, so you can focus on your intuition. You deserve to live in freedom, which includes both healthy food and indulgences, so that you can feel emotionally and physically full.
Which storyline do you identify with? Which storyline communicates more abundance and joy?
At the Mindful Eating Dietitian, our number one goal is to empower you to build a positive and flourishing relationship with food. We want to provide you with the tools needed to reach your health goals, while having fun and rediscovering the joy in healthy eating. Through personal nutritional counseling, honest conversations, and accountable community, we will help you thrive through gentle nutrition.
Hannah Fliess
Senior at Florida State University. Hannah plans to pursue a Master of Science in Nutrition Science & Dietetics. Hannah is incredibly passionate about intuitive eating through gentle nutrition. She loves distance running, matcha lattes, and dark chocolate!