You have probably tried diets & strict eating plans and may be wondering, is intuitive eating just another diet? In contrast to diets, intuitive eating offers a sustainable approach to nourishing your body and fostering a healthier relationship with food. But what is intuitive eating? Intuitive eating is an outline with 10 principles on how to stop dieting & start listening to your body. Let’s explore the fundamental principles of intuitive eating and how it can empower you to regain control over your eating habits and well-being.
What Is Intuitive Eating?
Intuitive eating is a philosophy and approach to eating that encourages a return to our natural instincts when it comes to nourishing our bodies. It’s about tuning into your body’s signals, respecting your hunger and fullness cues, and making food choices based on your individual needs and preferences. I know this feels scary if you have been dieting for some time because you may think, “I will only eat pizza and cookies all day.” You won’t! When you learn to listen to your body and how to properly nourish yourself, you will be surprised on how peaceful you can feel around food.
The Ten Principles of Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating is based on ten core principles that guide individuals on their journey to a more harmonious relationship with food. These principles include:
- Reject the Diet Mentality: Let go of restrictive dieting and the idea that there’s a one-size-fits-all solution to nutrition.
- Honor Your Hunger: Listen to your body’s hunger signals and respond with nourishing food.
- Make Peace with Food: Allow yourself to enjoy all types of food without guilt or judgment.
- Challenge the Food Police: Silence the inner critic that judges your food choices.
- Discover the Satisfaction Factor: Savor and enjoy your meals, finding pleasure in eating.
- Feel Your Fullness: Pay attention to your body’s signals that you’re comfortably full.
- Cope with Your Emotions Without Using Food: Develop alternative coping mechanisms for emotional distress.
- Respect Your Body: Accept and appreciate your body, regardless of its size or shape.
- Exercise and Feel the Difference: Engage in physical activity that makes you feel good rather than as a means of punishment.
- Honor Your Health: Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds while also being gentle with yourself when you don’t eat perfectly.
Intuitive eating works because it acknowledges that everyone’s body and nutritional needs are unique. It promotes a positive and sustainable relationship with food, reduces anxiety around eating, and can lead to improved physical and mental health.
Intuitive eating is about recognizing that your body knows what it needs, and by listening to it, you can experience a healthier, more fulfilling relationship with food. It’s a journey to self-acceptance, mindfulness, and well-being, one meal at a time.
My clients that have chosen to embrace the principles of intuitive eating, have found themselves free from the constraints of diet culture, enjoying their food more, and nurturing a healthier mind and body.
Some resources to get you started:
- The Intuitive Eating Workbook
- Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition – by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
