Intro to Intuitive Eating

You open your search engine and the first thing that pops up is the latest diet trend. Or maybe, you open TikTok and the first half of your doom scroll is the latest food fad. No matter where we turn, we can’t seem to get away from diet culture and if you’re a woman, you’re almost guaranteed to be served up some kind of weight loss content online. There are alternatives, though. It requires you learning to listen and trust your body, in a way you may not be as familiar with, though. It’s called intuitive eating (IE) and it you might just love it. Check out this intro to intuitive eating and see if it could be right for you.

What is intuitive eating?

So what is intuitive eating? According to Rhonda Krick, a registered dietitian at Cedars-Sinai, it’s a non-dieting approach to changing your eating habits. The primary focus of intuitive eating is to undo the diet culture lessons we have learned over time about counting calories, macros, and nutrients. Intuitive eating is about trusting your body to make food choices that feel good, without judging yourself. It’s eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full. It’s eating without the food rules or guilt, and just listening to what your body needs, instead. IE is about learning. Sometimes it means re-learning our natural cues about hunger and satiety (when you feel content), without all the other common food baggage like shame and guilt.

The science of intuitive eating

Intuitive eating may sound too good to be true, but there is a growing body of evidence backing up the value of IE. A 2021 study published in the journal “Eating and Weight Disorders” found that intuitive eating was linked to lower levels of disordered eating and better psychological health. The same study also found that “[IE] was positively associated with numerous positive psychological constructs, such as positive body image, self-esteem, and wellbeing.” Overall, researchers looked at 97 studies and found that people who practiced intuitive eating had improved physical, psychological and emotional outcomes, which is indicative of the potential. An older literature review from 2014 also discovered interesting trends. The biggest being that while weight loss and BMI did not go down, other indicators like psychological health, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels improved.

Benefits for those of us with chronic health issues

So, the question you may be asking is if you should you consider intuitive eating. The answer like always is, it depends. If you don’t have any risk factors, I think it can be a good option, and here are a few reasons why:

1. Less stress about food: No more obsessing over calories or macros. The idea is to remove these as gates to nourishing your body.
2. Better relationship with your body: Learn to trust your body’s signals and what it is trying to tell you.
3. Improved digestion: When you eat what your body actually wants, it tends to work better. For example, if your body says it really wants some greens, it could be that your body is asking for more fiber.
4. More energy: By giving your body what it needs, you might find you have more fuel for those long days. You may even avoid that 3PM slump.
5. Better management of chronic conditions: Intuitive eating can help ease inflammation and improve overall health.

Common misconceptions about intuitive eating

So the first time someone reads about this concept they might be tempted to say “oh, I’m feeling like cheesecake,” and since I’m intuitively eating it’s a pass to go and have some cheesecake. However, that’s not what we’re trying to say here. Let’s break down at a few misconceptions:

1. “It’s just eating whatever you want.” Nice try. There’s a difference between what you need and what you crave. This is about eating what your body needs, which isn’t always the same as what you crave.
2. “You’ll gain weight.” Actually, many people find their weight stabilizes. Looking at the data, it’s more common that people don’t lose weight, but they do maintain their weight.
3. “It’s not for people with health issues.” While you want to be careful, it can be adapted for various health conditions. You definitely want to reach the section about who IE isn’t for, before jumping into IE.

So how do I start with intuitive eating?

OK, think IE is for you? Here are some ways to get started:

1. Let go of food judgment: This means to change your idea about foods being good and bad. This can be really hard, especially for those of us that lived through the “fat is evil,” “you must eat artificial sweeteners,” and “hate all carbs,” phases of diet culture. It also means not tagging foods as good and bad. Instead it helps to reframe the way we think about food as serving us in the moment or not.
2. Honor your hunger: Eat when you’re hungry and checking in to see that you feel hunger and not thirst or boredom. It sounds simple but for some of us, this takes lots of practice. Especially undoing the emotional and psychological parts we may have preciously tied to good.
3. Make peace with food: Allow all foods into your life. No restrictions. This is really broad and can mean lots of things to lots of people, but ultimately, it’s letting go of fear of food that we may be carrying with us.
4. Challenge the food police: Similar to making peace with food, and letting go of judgement, this is eliminating the food police. They could take the form of calorie counters, Instagram influencers, or the trainer bros at your local gym.
5. Feel your fullness: Learn to recognize when you’re satisfied, not stuffed. This represents a shift for many of us who are used to feeling stuffed, rather than content. I love the Ayurvedic lens for eating when it comes to fullness. It’s about balancing our intake so the stomach is filled with solid foods, one-fourth with water and one-fourth with air. In this way, leaving room for “air” is the reminder to not eat until your stomach feels full. After all, we are not foie gras humans.

Intuitive eating and autoimmune conditions

If you’re dealing with an autoimmune condition, intuitive eating can still work for you. It comes back to learning to listen to your body and understanding how different foods make you feel. The more you know what works and doesn’t work for you, the more you can effectively manage symptoms and flare-ups. I have personally found this to be incredibly helpful after coming out of the hospital for an intestinal flare. In the hospital they kept me on a diet of liquids and clear broths. When I got home, even though I got the all clear to return to regularly scheduled programming, my body wanted soups, soft foods, and warming spices like turmeric, cumin and ginger. If you think about the last time you felt sick and felt like you had to have chicken soup or orange juice, that may have been your body intuitively telling you that you needed vitamin C and amino acid rich, warm broth.

Balancing healthy eating and enjoyment

One of the best parts about intuitive eating is that it isn’t about giving up health or the things you love. It’s about finding a balance between nourishing your body and enjoying the food you love. You can  have veggies and eat your cake, too! I call this “elective pain,” and wrote about it in an earlier blog, because it allows you to balance what serves your physical body and what foods bring you joy, understanding you are choosing your adventure.

Who is intuitive eating not for?

While intuitive eating can be beneficial for many, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s important to consult your medical provider if you meet any of these situations or if you have questions about IE. Here are some potential risks and situations where intuitive eating might not be appropriate:

1. Eating disorders: For those with active eating disorders, intuitive eating may not be suitable without professional guidance. The lack of structure could potentially exacerbate disordered eating patterns. Even for folks that have diagnosed eating disorders in the past, it’s important to get professional advice before moving to an intuitive eating approach.
2. Certain medical conditions: People with conditions that require strict dietary management (like celiac disease or severe food allergies) need to be cautious with intuitive eating and should consult their healthcare provider.
3. Diabetes management: While intuitive eating can be adapted for diabetes, it requires careful consideration and monitoring of blood sugar levels.
4. Emotional eating: For those who struggle with emotional eating, intuitive eating might initially lead to overconsumption if not properly implemented. It could also lead to disordered eating, so use caution.
5. Nutrition deficiencies: In some cases, intuitive eating might lead to nutritional imbalances if a person’s natural inclinations don’t align with their nutritional needs.

It’s crucial to approach IE with guidance from a healthcare professional, especially if you have chronic health conditions or a history of disordered eating. The most important thing is taking care of yourself and your body in the way that works best for you.

Curious to try intuitive eating?

Intuitive eating isn’t just about food – it’s about learning to trust yourself. It’s about making peace with your body and giving yourself permission to enjoy life and nourish it, at the same time. My own story? When I started intuitive eating and really listening to my body, my digestion improved and I found myself eating less. I felt better and I was even more energetic. It wasn’t magic – it was learning to tune in to what my body actually needed. An intro to intuitive eating would have been helpful to understand what I now know as my body’s own wisdom. Remember, this isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. If you are looking to explore IE and would like support, let’s chat. You can book your own exploratory session here. Not quite ready for that? Check out Wellspiration for more wellbeing content or subscribe to my Substack where I share personal stories, in addition. Until then, wishing you abundant health and limitless joy!

_{Medical Disclaimer:}

_{These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Information provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.}

Resources:

1. Cadena-Schlam, L., & López-Guimerà, G. (2014). Intuitive eating: an emerging approach to eating behavior. Nutricion hospitalaria, 31(3), 995–1002. https://doi.org/10.3305/nh.2015.31.3.7980
2. Linardon, J., Tylka, T. L., & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M. (2021). Intuitive eating and its psychological correlates: A meta-analysis. The International journal of eating disorders, 54(7), 1073–1098. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23509
3. Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (1995). Intuitive eating: A revolutionary program that works. St. Martin’s Griffin. https://students.aiu.edu/submissions/profiles/resources/onlineBook/h8x7p8_intuitive-eating.pdf.
4. Turner, Rosanna. (2021). What Is Intuitive Eating? A Nutritionist Explains. Cedar-Sinai blog. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/what-is-intuitive-eating.html
5. Tylka, T. L., & Kroon Van Diest, A. M. (2013). The Intuitive Eating Scale-2: item refinement and psychometric evaluation with college women and men. Journal of counseling psychology, 60(1), 137–153. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030893
6. Van Dyke, N., & Drinkwater, E. J. (2014). Relationships between intuitive eating and health indicators: literature review. Public health nutrition, 17(8), 1757–1766. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980013002139