Ditch The Diets: How Intuitive Eating Can Transform Your Relationship With Food

The words intuitive eating have been floating around the nutri-sphere for the last while, often without explanation. ‘What is that?’, you might be asking. “Oh is this going to drop my dress size’. Well, no, here’s the catch, we won’t be focusing on the scales. Stick with me and by the end of your read, we may have taken the first step in learning how to embrace a ‘ditch the diet’ mentality and move towards a place of eating intuitively. 

First of all, what is Intuitive Eating?

Intuitive Eating (IE) is an evidenced-based, mind-body health approach, comprising 10 Principles and created by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch almost 30 years ago. It is a weight-neutral model, which means its goal has nothing to do with your weight and does not aim to alter it.

Intuitive eating is an approach that leans into listening to your body’s internal cues rather than following external dieting rules. In pilates, the practice is most effective when we tune in and listen to our bodies. We know forms of movement can and should look different from person to person. Eating is no different. There is no pass or fail, right or wrong, when it comes to eating intuitively. 

Many might explain it in a way that is ‘just listening to hunger and fullness cues’. Although the central concept is to listen to these cues, there are 10 principles, and hunger and fullness are 2 of them, so there is a little more to it. 

Here are the core principles of IE:

1. Let Go of the Diet Mentality: Move away from the cycle of diets and embrace a healthier relationship with food.
2. Recognize Your Hunger: Learn to understand and respond to your body’s natural hunger signals.
3. Make Peace with Food: Allow yourself to enjoy food without guilt or restrictions.
4. Challenge Food-Related Thoughts: Question and discard negative thoughts about food that stem from diet culture.
5. Find Satisfaction in Eating: Enjoy the experience of eating and find what satisfies your hunger and cravings.
6. Understand Your Fullness: Pay attention to signs that you are comfortably full and stop eating accordingly. 
7. Handle Emotions with Compassion: Develop healthier ways to cope with emotions rather than turning to food.
8. Respect Your Body: Appreciate and care for your body as it is, rather than striving for unrealistic standards.
9. Feel the Joy of Movement: Engage in physical activities that you enjoy and make you feel good
10. Honour Your Health with Gentle Nutrition: Make food choices that honour your health and taste buds while making you feel good

Hmmmmm …. I don’t think so

I know what you are thinking. If I ate like this, I would be 99% donuts and never stop eating. I want you to challenge that thought. Research consistently demonstrates that dieting and food restriction aimed at weight loss often result in weight gain over time. Additionally, an emphasis on weight can lead to body dissatisfaction and weight stigma, which are detrimental to overall health. Studies have also shown that individuals who practise intuitive eating experience fewer instances of binge eating.

Remembering this is something that is innately built into us but a skill many of us have to relearn after years of ignoring our bodies signals. Thinking of babies who are breastfed ‘on demand’, with a natural instinct of when they should feed. 

Intuitive eating can bring peace back into eating. 

Gentle nutrition

I believe that IE is the foundation of healthy eating, and the bricks and mortar are the healthy habits that we can gently add in once the foundations are solid. 

For example, today I felt like steak and chips. It had been ages since we had this meal, and I really fancied it. I added a little small side salad with some cherry tomatoes because I knew the freshness of the salad would taste great, but that the fibre and colour would support my gut microbiome as well as satiety for the evening. If I felt I wanted it, I would have gone for a second portion without giving it a second thought.

Tomorrow, I have a busy day at work on the cards with one meeting scheduled between 12-2pm. I know that if I don’t eat before the meeting, my hunger will be at the top level, and once I get my lunch I will likely overeat, potentially feeling sick. Prior to the meeting, albeit not super hungry I will make sure to have a substantial snack like yoghurt, granola, and a piece of fruit. Even though I don’t necessarily crave this, it is still a wise choice as I will concentrate well and will actually prevent me from overeating later that day.

We can eat intuitively, whilst making individualised healthy choices simultaneously.

Still not on board?

Intuitive eating is not something you will be able to adopt overnight, and there is a structure in how we can get there which can be supported by working with a registered dietitian, or by furthering your own learning in the field for which I have left some learning suggestions below. 

Disclaimer: Intuitive eating may not be suitable for individuals with active eating disorders, certain medical conditions, a history of chronic dieting, those in nutritional recovery, or athletes with specific dietary needs. Please consult a healthcare professional to determine if intuitive eating is appropriate for you.

To Learn more:

Just Eat It – Laura Thomas, PhD | Registered Nutritionist | Wellness Advocate (laurathomasphd.co.uk)

References:

Tribole E. (2017). Intuitive Eating: Research Update. SCAN’s Pulse. 36(6):1-5.

Tribole E and Resch (2013). Intuitive Eating, 3rd ed. St. Martin’s Press: NY, NY.

Tribole E and Resch (2017). Intuitive Eating Workbook: 10 Principles for Nourishing a Healthy Relationship with Food. New Harbinger: Oakland, CA.