How To Become More In Tune With Your Body

This post comes from our Australia contributor, Miann Scanlan. Follow along with her on Instagram @freepeopleaustralia!

The wisdom our bodies hold is truly profound. They respond to every little thing going on in our lives and talk to us about everything from what nutrients it needs, to what road to go down for that big decision we have to make. The problem is that we continually silence them by ignoring them for the sake of convenience or because we don’t understand what they’re saying.

What we think our bodies are asking of us is often confused by the overwhelming surplus of conflicting health information, including health trends, which can be dangerous if we don’t first listen to our bodies. Because of this, it’s easy to get so caught up in trying to eat right that we stop eating in a way that’s right for us. Over the course of the past two years I decided to stop pretending that I knew what was best for me and instead asked my body to guide me. Learning to communicate with your body can be one of the most effective tools for your health and your happiness.

Ever heard the expression “trust your gut”? There’s a lot more to the saying than mere colloquialism. That gut feeling, whether for intuitive purposes or what to eat, is what we need to tap into, because the organs in our bodies shed a lot of light on what nutrients they might be depleted in or what the gut is rejecting – if we know how to listen.

When you’re reaching for that coffee to give you a lift in the afternoon, that’s your body trying to get your attention. Are you getting enough rest? Are you eating slow release energy foods? When your head is pounding, your body is in fact asking you to drink more water or not abuse it with alcohol, but we confuse this with being asked to pop an aspirin.  When you feel like you need to sleep after eating, that’s your body telling you to it’s been overloaded with the wrong types of food for you at the time. The longer you go on ignoring and masking the signals of your body, the quieter they become until you reach the point where your body does not communicate with you at all.

Adopting these two practices into your daily routine will help you start to bridge the gap that may exist between your mind and your body.

tuning into your body

Extend your craving response time

Being in a society where time is literally money, our attention is often focused on the task at hand and responding to what our body is really asking is trumped by convenience or routine. Next time you feel a craving, take a moment to come in to the body and ask what it really wants before making a knee jerk reaction like reaching for something to temporarily scratch the itch.

When you have a feeling, wait about 10 minutes before responding. This will give you ample time to gauge the craving, perhaps even let it pass and meditate on what it really is that you want or need. Practice being still, breathing, and taking note of what your body is trying to tell you.

tuning into your body

Do a post-meal body scan

About fifteen minutes after eating, do a body scan and make note of what you feel. Allowing time for what you have ingested to well and truly enter the stomach and work it’s way through the system is the perfect time to assess and decipher the physical signals our bodies are sending us about what it’s beginning to digest.

How do you feel after eating? Are you tired and lethargic? Maybe there’s a heaviness or nausea in your belly. You might have eaten a big plate of food but still fifteen minutes later feel ravenous and hungry. You could be craving high fat, sugary sweets after eating a lot of salt. Record these physical feelings in a notebook citing what you ate (without letting the ego step in and cast judgment).

Not only will you have a record of what your body does and doesn’t like, but you’ll be better able to respond to future cravings and urges to nourish the body in a way it really wants – because the messages our bodies send are in direct alignment with what it needs to nourish and thrive.

Personally, I finally worked out that nuts make me tired, so instead of snacking on them throughout the day to get me between meals, I swapped them for a banana which gives me natural energy. I also became accustomed to that energy rush after drinking a big juice full of goodness in the mornings, so I gave up coffee and no longer need it.

tuning into your body

When is a time you have truly listened and tapped into what your body is telling you?

Find Miann at miannscanlan.com & instagram @miannscanlan and @freepeopleaustralia.

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9 years ago

great post, so many awesome tips.

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9 years ago

Such great advice! Im one of the rare few that doesn’t drink coffee so I am always fascinated how connected peoples mood is to drinking coffee. Maybe if they listened to their body they wouldn’t be so attached to coffee?

Meara
9 years ago

I like the advice on a body scan after eating. It’s not always easy to just take the time to see if that delicious meal was really what you needed. That may mean you shouldn’t eat that and it’s hard to let go of old habits. As for coffee, it does have a ton of health benefits, but like anything we take it in excess and ruin it for ourselves. I have finally accepted I can do a half cup of strong black coffee in the morning, and not every day but any more and I’m sick.

Jessica
9 years ago

I enjoyed the post! I’ve been a daily coffee drinker for years, like many college students. I have found that upon waking up in the morning, it helps to boost my energy if I do something active, whether it be cleaning or running an errand or doing my hair & makeup, instead of automatically going on the internet to Pinterest and reading the FP blog ;)

9 years ago

This was lovely to read! Stumbled across it and as I started reading it I thought “wow I’d love some chocolate biscuits” but I’m not going to get some because I know my body is actually full and doesn’t need more food and it’s just an after dinner habit I’ve become accustomed to. Thanks for sharing :)

Mandie Fae
9 years ago

My body is highly sensitive to what goes into and I’ve learned ways to balance my reactions to substances that it may not respond well to.
Such as if I’ve given into a sugar craving and crash, I’ve found that eating a fruit can balance me and I don’t feel grumpy or lethargic. And even better, I know that usually if I have a sugar craving, simply eating a fruit will fulfill that need for me :)
I’m also affected by seasons, in summer I can not consume caffeine as it makes me very lightheaded, but in the winter I rely on it to get me through my day.
Bodies are wonderful and they know so much, listening to them is truly the best way to care for yourself.
Thank you for this post <3

Anna
9 years ago

Thanks for sharing this and reminding me to practise mindfulness. :)

9 years ago

When i get a headache, the first thing I do is drink lots of water to see if I’m just dehydrated. Also when i start feeling a bit off, i consider when i last ate and how i ate incase it just might be hunger.

9 years ago

Love this article! It inspires me to take that extra time to talk to my body. I’d love a recipe for that green juice/smoothie, it looks delicious!

9 years ago

THINK POSITIVE, this is the most important tip to being more in tune with your own energy. Mind over matter is a very powerful thing.

9 years ago

Thanks for sharing and great advice! I shall start taking note of what my body feels after eating a meal =)

9 years ago

Great post. I think we all need to get back to listening to our bodies. It’s hard to do in our modern world, but it can make such a difference!