Monday Health & Wellness

Learning When to Stop Eating

This weekend, my body slowed me down.

Not by choice… just reality.

I had plans—things I wanted to do, people I wanted to see—but my body had other plans. And instead of pushing through like I normally would, I listened.

And in that stillness, I started thinking about something I’ve been noticing more lately…

My eating habits.

I realized something about myself…

I can go all day and eat just one meal.

I’ve done it plenty of times.

But when I really sat with that truth, I had to ask myself:

Did I feel my best doing that?

And the honest answer is… no.

I wasn’t hungry, so I didn’t eat.

But not being hungry doesn’t always mean your body doesn’t need nourishment.

Lately, I’ve been doing better.

Eating more than once a day.

Keeping things simple.

Smaller meals.

Nothing extreme. Just… paying attention.

And I’ve found myself being drawn back to something deeper—

my Japanese culture and how it approaches health and wellness.

Not in a strict way… but in a mindful way.

That’s when I came across something that really resonated with me:

Hara Hachi Bu

The idea of eating until you are about 80% full.

Not stuffed.

Not overly full.

Just… satisfied.

What I love about this isn’t about dieting.

It’s about awareness.

It’s about learning to pause and ask:

“Am I still hungry… or am I just eating because it’s there?”

Because the truth is…

There’s a difference between:

“I can eat more”

and

“I actually need more”

With my gut issues, this matters even more.

Eating one big meal can be a lot on the body.

Going too long without eating can throw things off.

But smaller meals… more often… stopping before I’m full?

That feels different.

That feels better.

And here’s what I’m learning…

Stopping at 80% isn’t about restriction.

It’s about respect.

Respecting your body enough to not push it past what it needs.

I’m still learning.

Still paying attention.

Still figuring out what that “just right” feeling is for me.

But I know this much…

Not overeating.

Not undereating.

Not ignoring my body.

That’s the goal.

Because at the end of the day…

Learning when to stop is just as important as knowing when to start.

Lady Flava 🌻