March 20, 2024• byleahk
We are officially 5 days away from my “instagram exit” date– which is also my birthday, March 25th. If you want to learn more about my decision to stop using IG as a marketing channel for my business, you can listen to this solo podcast episode or read the essay I wrote here.
As I’m about to exit the app, something I’ve been asking myself is: What are some of the things that my IG community enjoyed/ got the most value from when I was active on IG?
I heard from folks in my community over and over again that they loved it when I shared what I’d called, “real life intuitive eating moments.”
In these videos, I’d share my thought process behind choosing what to eat. I’d give the relevant background information on the situation including things like my hunger level, what I was craving, what foods I have on hand, how much time I had to cook, and what the rest of my day looked like/ how long I needed the food to sustain me for in the context of my schedule.
Then I’d share what meal or snack I decided on given all these factors.

Folks in my IG community shared that it was so helpful to see what intuitive eating looks like in practice. It wasn’t just theoretical tools, but it was an actual application of how it looks to use those tools in real time.
I really enjoyed recording real life IE moments and using them as teaching opportunities. You told me you loved watching them, I loved making them– it was a win win.
I’m currently in a very experimental season with my business as I play around with new marketing channels and new ways to serve you with valuable free content. I thought that bringing back real life IE moments would be a fun place to start.
When it comes to the format for sharing these RLIE moments (lets just abbreviate like that from now on), I thought about writing them out with accompanying pictures here, on the blog, and/or sharing them on Youtube… Or both?
I currently have a poll up on IG (I’m not gone yet) asking what people prefer, and as of now, it’s pretty much a tie, so I figured I’d start with both and see what sticks
So If you’re more of a Youtube person, here’s our first ever RLIE moment on Youtube👇
And if you’re someone who prefer’s to read vs. watch…
Today’s RLIE moment:
This morning I was downstairs figuring out what to eat for breakfast at 8:45 am ish. Typically, I prefer to eat a little later in the morning (around 10am) because my appetite is better, but today my plan was to eat something then go to a coffee shop to bang out some work before my first call at 1pm– this meant I needed to eat before going to the coffee shop around 9am. Even though I didn’t have a big appetite, I ate from a place of logic.
Remember, intuitive eating isn’t just about intuitive, it’s a dynamic interplay of instinct, emotion and logic.
The first question I always ask myself is: what sounds good right now?
When it comes to breakfast, I’m typically asking myself: do we want a sweet breakfast or a savory breakfast? This morning, I wanted a savory breakfast. Al, my partner, was eating a toasted bialy with butter and that smelled good to me which helped to clue me into my preference for savory.
The next thing I did was run through the savory options I could do: toast with eggs was an option but I didn’t feel like involving a pan this morning. A frozen Tjs scallion pancake with an egg was another option but again– the pan sitch. Plus, I had eggs yesterday and I ended up feeling a little nauseated by them (this happens to me sometimes with eggs, I think it’s related to where I’m at in my cycle).
I considered getting something savory from the coffee shop (they have breakfast sandwiches, cheese pastries, avocado toast and stuff) but I didn’t feel like getting a whole meal there. I wanted to just go there, get a drink, and bang out some work.
Looking in the fridge to try and get inspo, I saw the Tupperware of leftover oatmeal I made 2 days ago.
“This would keep me full for a good while since it’s high in fiber it has lots of staying power… but its not exactly savory,” I thought to myself.
Well, whatever, it’s good enough, my priority is just eating something that will sustain me so I can get to work (can you tell I was excited to get to work today? I’m working on some research for a podcast episode that should be out soon).
So, I had the oatmeal. I added butter and brown sugar and reheated it, and it was fine.

It wasn’t the kind of meal that really hit the spot, but that’s real life as an intuitive eater. Not every meal is the most perfectly satisfying meal. Sometimes we eat more from a place of practicality– using what we have on hand, saving time, saving money, etc.
But the important thing is, as an intuitive eater, there are plenty of chances to satisfy your cravings. So when you don’t get exactly what you were craving at one meal, you can get it at the next.
Where as, when you’re dieting/ restricting, there is so much pressure to capitalize on certain experiences to get your cravings satisfied, because opportunities to eat what you actually want are scarce.
I often hear from clients that they feel like they gotta get all the yummy foods in at special events, holidays, and on trips. This of course, can lead to eating past comfortable fullness.
Want to learn how to become an intuitive eater? Apply to my 1:1 coaching program, The Embodied Method and I’d love to help you get there!
Last modified: October 4, 2024