Being intentional with food has transformed my relationship with eating and my waistline.
Here’s how this simple strategy helps me make better choices without restriction.
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Video Version
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Why I Love Being Intentional
When making food decisions, we use different parts of our brain.
The prefrontal cortex understands future consequences—it can weigh up that eating 4 donuts now will leave you feeling sluggish later.
This part separates humans from other animals.
The alternative is the amygdala, a more primitive part that only cares about the present moment. Its directive: avoid pain, seek pleasure, stay alive. Ask this part if you should have another donut?
It says yes, every time, because it can’t think about future consequences.
Being intentional uses the prefrontal cortex instead of the amygdala.
This makes all the difference because it lets you weigh up the nuances and make decisions that are good both now and for the long term.
When we’re tired or hungry, we default to amygdala decision-making.
By being intentional ahead of time, we avoid making poor food choices in those vulnerable moments.
Plus, thinking about future food is actually fun. We get a little dopamine boost from anticipating something delicious.
And when you make decisions with your prefrontal cortex, you build self-trust—you’re not eating whatever, feeling gross later, and eroding trust with yourself.
My Intentional Food Choices Strategy
Here’s how I apply this in real life.
I recently made my son’s birthday cake. I love raw cake mixture—it’s delicious and nostalgic from making cakes with my mum growing up. But I used to make myself feel sick from eating too much of it.
This time, as I walked into the kitchen with Finbar to make the cake, I paused and checked in: How do I want this to go?
Do I really want to feel sick from too much cake mixture?
I decided I did want some cake mixture, but not right then.
So after we put the cake in the oven, I scraped out the bowl and set aside a little portion to have with my dessert that night.
It felt powerful and good.
This might sound too good to be true.
But our brains are remarkably powerful.
I used to really struggle with baking, but now that I set an intention beforehand, it’s rare for me to overdo it on whatever mixture I’m making.
Your prefrontal cortex may not have been used much recently for food choices, but you can build that muscle.
How to Apply This Concept
(Your Weekly Home Play)
This week, experiment with setting intentions around food.
Here’s the tiny habits recipe:
After I walk into the kitchen (or after I walk into a restaurant), I’ll pause and ask myself: How do I want this to go?
Remind yourself: I’m doing this because I want to be a naturally healthy person. I make better choices when I’m intentional.
That’s it.
Just pause, set a little mental intention, and see what happens.
Let me know your thoughts. Are you on board with the idea of being more intentional OR does it feels too far-fetched right now?
Have a delicious week being intentional.
In your corner
Jules xx
(Your favourite Australian Food Scientist)
PS. The Naturally Healthy Club is coming soon!
If you want help being more intentional with your food choices so you become a Naturally Healthy person who eats what they want (but not too much) so you feel peace around food and weight AND feel great in your clothes (even in midlife) then join me in the Naturally Healthy Club.
Join the wait list to learn more and get exclusive bonuses.
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See All Joyful Eating for Natural Vitality Podcast Episodes
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