The Value of Rhythmic Eating
Rhythm is everywhere we look. The waves of the ocean, our breathing, the seasons, the weather. There is a certain rhythm to everything around us. When we invite this rhythm into how and when we are eating, our body can relax and trust that consistent nourishment is going to be coming in regularly. Our body can function at its peak, the more we stay in a state of relaxation. Skipping meals can cause stress to increase in our body and can make the body think it needs to hold on to every piece of nourishment that comes in as it doesn’t know when the next time it will be fed. Additionally, when we eat inconsistently throughout the day, cortisol levels can increase where our digestion shuts down so that when we do finally eat we may not optimally assimilate our nourishment.
Eating inconsistently can also set us up to feel ravenous by the end of the day, which is when we may not make the most mindful choices of what would be nourishing for our body, mind, and soul. By setting a slower pace during our meals and eating at regular intervals, we will support our blood sugar levels to stabilize throughout the day helping us to feel emotionally grounded and mentally clear.
Eating in a rhythmic way will look and feel different to each and every individual. You can explore and discover eating consistently in a way that works for you and your unique body and life. An example day can look something like this:
Wake Up: Drink a glass of water
8:00 am: Eat breakfast
12:00 pm: Eat lunch
4:00 pm: Have a snack if needed
6:00 pm: Eat dinner
By committing to nourishing our body every 4-5 hours, our system can adapt to a new rhythm that can start to foster a trusting relationship with your body. This is where a relaxation response can thrive, where deep inner healing can occur, and where our digestion can function optimally. When we are relaxed we can more easily hear our hunger and fullness cues decreasing the likelihood of overeating and diminishing any patterns of overeating at night to make up for the nourishment that was desired and needed throughout the day.
Rhythmic eating is a practice. It is something we can keep on practicing every day. Some days will feel easier to eat rhythmically than others. When there is a day that you did not eat consistently, simply notice how that feels. When we know how we feel in our body when under nourishing ourselves it can sometimes inspire us to prepare ahead of time on the next overly busy day so that we can support our body in feeling the relaxation, clarity, and energy we desire to feel.