Intuitive Eating Over 40: How You Eat is How You Live

In midlife, your body is changing—but what if those changes weren’t something to fight… but something to listen to?

Some shifts are obvious: the fine lines around your eyes, the sleep that feels harder to come by, or the metabolism that’s suddenly moving at a more “leisurely” pace. Other changes? Not so easy to spot—especially if you’ve spent years ignoring or dismissing how you feel.

Maybe you’ve chalked up low energy to being “just busy,” or pushed past constant bloating because “that’s just what happens now.” But these aren’t inconveniences to ignore—they’re signals. Your body’s way of asking for a new kind of attention.

Intuitive eating is about reconnecting with your body’s cues—and for women over 40, that can feel like a radical act of self-trust. One powerful truth I’ve seen again and again in my work (and in my own life) is this:
👉 How you eat is how you live.

When you’re constantly rushing through meals, skipping them entirely, or trying to follow rigid rules, chances are you’re doing the same in other parts of your life—ignoring your needs, aiming for perfection, and putting yourself last.

I spent years white-knuckling my way through diets. If I wasn’t on a plan, I was convinced I’d lose control. No rules meant chaos. No tracking meant I’d spiral. I didn’t trust myself—or my body.

Learning about intuitive eating changed everything. It reminded me that I wasn’t broken—I was just disconnected. And the more I tuned in, the more peaceful, energized, and empowered I felt.

1. Your Body Is Talking. Are You Listening?

A cornerstone of both mindful eating and intuitive eating is awareness, especially of hunger, fullness, and satisfaction. But awareness doesn’t just mean knowing when you’re hungry. It means understanding how certain foods energize you (or drain you), how your emotions affect your appetite, and how stress shows up at the table.

It’s about practicing awareness. The first step to becoming more aware is slowing down. This can be easier said than done for those of us who have been chronic dieters, relying on others to tell us what we can and can’t eat and living more in our head than in our body.

How to become more aware:

• Take a breath before you eat. Literally. Pause for a moment.
• Eat without distractions (or with fewer of them – no one’s perfect)
• Step away from where you are for a moment is also often necessary – especially in a stressful environment. Go to another room or even the restroom to take a breather, especially if you are someone who can’t separate from the energy in the room.
• Pause halfway through your meal and check in: still hungry? Satisfied?

THIS is how you build trust with yourself again and again.

Your body is always giving you information—about energy, emotions, and what it needs.

To learn more about the 10 principles of intuitive eating, check out my post: How to Start Eating Intuitively.

A Recent Trip to Ireland and Checking In

I just got back from a trip to Ireland that tested my ability to check in with myself and practice eating intuitively. And, let’s just say… my digestion took a little vacation too. I’ll spare you the graphic details, but it involved some serious “Where’s the fiber?” moments and a growing suspicion that if I didn’t make some changes, I’d be feeling progressively worse.

Of course, I wanted to try all the amazing food—fresh scones, buttery everything, and more potatoes than my digestive tract knew what to do with. But somewhere between time zone changes, scones, sweets, and chips (also known as French fries), my body started giving me signs to get my attention.

At home, I eat in a way that keeps me feeling energized, regular (thank you, flaxseed), and on an even blood sugar keel. On vacation? Let’s just say I was riding the rollercoaster of sugar highs and snack crashes.

I had a choice: keep eating like I was in a bakery-sponsored food tour or listen to my body quietly pleading, “Hey, remember how good we feel with a veggie or two?”

So I slowed down, made some small adjustments (hello, fiber), and started feeling more like myself again. Still enjoyed the food. Still had the fun. Just with less bloat and more balance.

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2. Food and Life: The Parallels

If you eat chaotically, without pause, or from a place of guilt…
It might reflect a life where you rarely stop to care for yourself.

But when you:

• Slow down before eating
• Create calm around meals
• Make choices based on how you want to feel
  …you begin to reclaim not just your relationship with food, but your relationship with yourself. You build back trust in yourself as you give yourself what you truly need without guilt.

Practicing Eating and Living Intuitively

Recently, one of my clients had a big “a-ha” moment about her evening chaos… which honestly felt more like a scene from a sitcom than a self-care routine.

Every night, she’d walk through the door after a long, draining day at work—and immediately into the emotional tornado that is young children yelling “Mommy!” while simultaneously asking for snacks and screen time. All at once. Meanwhile, she hadn’t even taken her shoes off yet.

She realized her evenings felt like sprinting a marathon… in heels… with no water… while carrying backpacks and emotional baggage.

So, she made a genius move. She started changing into workout clothes before even leaving work and went for a 30-minute run before heading home. Just her, the pavement, and no one asking her to cut their apple just so.

Her job had her stuck at a desk all day, so being outside felt like the ultimate upgrade. She even started skipping lunch (with a plan—not a crash diet!) so she could leave a little early and squeeze in this soul-saving run.

That small, intentional shift wasn’t just about movement—it was her first real step toward living intuitively. Listening to what her body and brain needed instead of powering through on autopilot. And funny enough? Once she started meeting her deeper needs, she found it easier to eat intuitively too. She was no longer raiding the pantry at 9 p.m. out of sheer exhaustion or overwhelm.

Now, instead of dragging herself through the door like a half-dead houseplant, she walks in refreshed, grounded, and maybe even… dare I say… ready for the bedtime routine.

Moral of the story? Sometimes it’s not about doing more—it’s about doing what restores you. When you tune in and live more intuitively, you can show up for everyone else and eat mindfully… without first losing your mind (or hiding in the laundry room).

If you can’t seem to make time for yourself and you find yourself overeating at night, read my blog post ‘Five Ways to Stop Overeating at Night Starting Today.’

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3. Your Hormones Are Changing—So Your Habits Should Too

As estrogen, cortisol, and insulin fluctuate in midlife, your body needs steadier rhythms, not more extremes.

💡 Here are 5 small, consistent changes that support energy, metabolism, and mood:

• Begin your day with protein + fiber
• Eat regularly (don’t skip meals)
• Move your body with purpose, not punishment
• Prioritize sleep like it’s a supplement
• Create moments of stillness (just 2–5 min counts)

So what does all this actually mean for your day-to-day life? It means ditching the all-or-nothing mentality and giving your body what it really wants: consistency, nourishment, and a little compassion.

You don’t need to overhaul your life or go on some restrictive reset. You just need to show up—imperfectly, consistently, and kindly. Think of it like tending a garden: water it a little each day, get some sunlight, pull a few weeds, and trust that it’s growing… even if it doesn’t look perfect right away.

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4. Peace with Food = Peace with Yourself

You don’t have to eat perfectly to feel good in your body.

You just need to stay in conversation with it. Pay attention to what it’s trying to tell you. Things are changing, be ready to change what you let in especially if it no longer helps you feel your best.

When you approach food with curiosity—not control or chaos—you begin to build the kind of life where nourishment, joy, and trust lead the way.

Want to learn how to build a more peaceful relationship with food, even while your body changes in midlife? Reach out to me and get 2 actionable steps to help you move forward with your journey to better health even if you decide you don’t want to sign on for one-on-one coaching at this time.

I’d love to hear from you and learn what helps you or holds you back from feeling your best in midlife and beyond.

#womenshealthmatters #intuitiveeatingjourney #menopause #perimenopause #healthynotperfect