09/01/2026
I think we sometimes assume that more freedom is always more helpful, and for people who have felt boxed in by rigid food rules, exercise expectations, or wellness plans, it makes sense that freedom can feel like the answer.
But no structure at all can be difficult too.
Hunger, fullness, energy, cravings, fatigue, and other body signals do not always arrive in a perfectly clear language. Stress, medications, chronic conditions, years of dieting, neurodivergence, caregiving, hormonal changes, busy schedules, and plain old exhaustion can all make those signals harder to interpret.
In those situations, some external structure can actually make things easier to understand.
That might mean having a loose meal rhythm instead of waiting until hunger becomes impossible to ignore. It might mean planning a few dinners ahead so every evening does not require a brand-new decision (I mean…you guys know my love of Mealime). It might mean using a food log (I have several apps I recommend), energy check-in, or medically relevant data to notice patterns you could not easily see otherwise.
That does not necessarily mean giving your body less of a voice…Sometimes it means giving yourself enough context to hear that voice more clearly (because who HASN’T questioned if they’re misinterpreting things?).
The goal is not maximum structure or maximum freedom. It’s finding the amount of support that helps you respond to your needs without feeling controlled by the system you are using.
So instead of asking, “Should I be more structured or more intuitive?” it may be more useful to ask:
What kind of structure helps me understand myself more clearly? We’ll be discussing that in this month’s upcoming Substack, so be sure to subscribe if you aren’t already!
