Why “just listen to your body” often isn’t enough

I talk a LOT about listening to your body. Listening for when to move and how, what to eat and how much, when to rest. 

And I really believe in it. Learning to tune in like this has helped me feel much more on my own side, rather than constantly fighting against my body.

But if I’m honest… there’s a gap between that idea and what actually happens in real life. Because when I only focussed on listening to my body, it was very easy for life to get in the way. Whether it’s work, caring responsibilities, social time - even there just being nothing in the fridge. Some days I would fully intend to “just tune in” - and then I get to the end of the day and realise I haven’t really moved, I’ve eaten a bit randomly, and everything just felt a bit off. Not because I didn't want to move or eat well, but just because the day got away from me.

Which is why I’ve realised that a lot of my health behaviours these days are actually supported by something I’d call intuitive planning.

Intuitive planning: balancing your body’s needs with the reality of life

For the things I want to prioritise (moving regularly, building strength and stability, eating in a way that actually nourishes and satisfies me) I don’t just leave it entirely to chance. I have a loose plan.

For example, when it comes to movement, I have a handful of things I want to achieve in a week (a mix of swimming, physio, pilates, and walking) - and then I have some specific time slots to fit them in. I know I enjoy exercise more in the morning (and it’s less likely to be disrupted by other things), so I've structured my days to allow time for movement most weekday mornings. At the start of the week, I’ll look at my calendar and sketch out what might fit where. Then each day, I check in and adjust based on how I actually feel.

The same goes for meal planning - when I shop, I make a list of the lunches/dinners I’ll have that week. Meals that I know I’ll enjoy, that will fill me up, that leave me feeling good. And then when it comes to actually eating, I check in again: Do I still fancy this? Is this what I need today? If not, I swap things around.

None of this is complicated - but it’s something we often skip when we’re trying to make changes.

My ongoing note in my phone of "dinners" - gives a backlog to choose from, and a plan for the week!

This only works if it’s flexible

The important thing about my plans is that they’re not rigid: I’m not setting in place a very concrete plan about what I’ll do, which I then feel guilty about when I fail. This promotes the kind of “all-or-nothing” thinking which makes it much harder to keep going with health changes.

Instead, it’s about having a loose structure which supports my goals (which are grounded in my values and identity - see here for more) - then checking in about whether that plan still feels good or not.

What also really helps is having back-up options - what psychologists call “coping plans”. So if a morning doesn’t work, I might shift movement to the afternoon. If I have zero energy to cook, there’s something in the freezer.

It’s not just plan A - it’s “what will I do when plan A doesn’t happen?” (because, realistically, it won’t always).

Why this works

Our days are full of decisions - and when we’re tired or stressed, our brains will tend to look for the easiest option. Having a rough plan takes some of that pressure off. It means that Sunday-evening, slightly-more-rested you is making a few decisions for Thursday-lunchtime, overwhelmed you. And that version of you will be very glad you did!

Personally, I find this particularly valuable with intuitive eating. When we’re eating to a rigid diet plan, our decision load is reduced (even if we’re miserable and hungry!). If we’re eating intuitively, you can suddenly have more decisions to make - what to eat, when, what will actually satisfy you. That freedom is important, but it can also feel like a lot. A bit of gentle planning helps narrow things down, without taking that flexibility away.

Making your intuitive plan

If you’re finding that your good intentions don’t quite translate into real life, it might not be about motivation. It might be that:

• the plan you made doesn’t really fit your life, or include things you actually want to do or eat

• you’re relying on “I’ll see how I feel”… in a life that doesn’t always leave much room for that

So the question is: where could a little bit of planning make things easier for you?

Not a strict routine - just something light-touch, flexible, and built around what you already know works for you.

I’ve shared how I do this, I’d love to know how you do it too - reply and let me know!

Need a little help?

If you tend to struggle with turning good intentions into something that actually fits into your life, this is exactly the kind of thing I focus on in my Gentle Reset guide. It’s 7 short emails to help you make changes that feel realistic (and actually stick). If you haven’t signed up yet, you can do that here:

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