In the constant barrage of diet fads and unrealistic body image expectations, it’s easy to lose touch with our body’s natural cues and develop an unhealthy relationship with food. Intuitive eating offers a refreshing alternative, promoting a mindful approach to nourishment and self-care.

What is Intuitive Eating?

Intuitive eating is a non-diet approach that emphasizes listening to your body’s internal hunger and fullness signals to guide your eating choices. Developed by two registered dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, it focuses on reconnecting with the wisdom of our bodies and cultivating a peaceful relationship with food.

Unlike traditional diets that restrict what and how much you can eat, intuitive eating encourages a more flexible and intuitive way of nourishing yourself. It’s about trusting your body to know when it’s hungry and full, and choosing foods that satisfy you both physically and emotionally.

Core Principles of Intuitive Eating

Intuitive eating rests on ten core principles:

1. Reject the Diet Mentality: Ditch the idea of quick fixes and fad diets. Intuitive eating is about long-term health and well-being.
2. Honor Your Hunger: Pay attention to your body’s hunger cues, like stomach growling or feeling shaky. Don’t wait until you’re starving to eat.
3. Make Peace With Food: Give yourself permission to eat all foods, without guilt or shame. Restrictive labels like “good” or “bad” only create cravings and unhealthy fixations.
4. Challenge the Food Police: Stop the inner critic that judges your food choices. Intuitive eating is about self-compassion, not self-punishment.
5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor: Eat until you’re comfortably full, not stuffed. Savor your food and pay attention to when your body feels satisfied.
6. Respect Your Body: Appreciate your body for all it does, and move your body in ways you enjoy, not as punishment for eating.
7. Feel Your Feelings: Don’t use food to numb emotions. Develop healthy ways to cope with stress and difficult feelings.
8. Respect Your Fullness: Notice your body’s fullness cues and stop eating when you’re comfortably satisfied.
9. Honor Your Health: Make food choices that nourish your body and make you feel good. But don’t obsess over every bite.
10. Nurture Your Intuition: Listen to your body’s wisdom and trust yourself to make healthy choices.

Benefits of Intuitive Eating

By letting go of diet restrictions and reconnecting with your body’s natural cues, intuitive eating offers a multitude of benefits:

• Improved body image and self-esteem
• Reduced stress and anxiety around food
• A healthier relationship with food
• Increased awareness of hunger and fullness cues
• A more balanced and sustainable approach to eating
• Improved overall well-being

Getting Started with Intuitive Eating

Transitioning to intuitive eating may take time and practice. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Tune into your body’s signals: Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues. Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re comfortably full.
• Practice mindful eating: Slow down and savor your food. Focus on the taste, texture, and smell of what you’re eating.
• Challenge food rules: Question the labels you put on food. Give yourself permission to enjoy all foods.
• Focus on nourishment: Choose foods that make you feel good, both physically and emotionally.
• Be kind to yourself: There will be setbacks. Don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track with the next meal.

Intuitive eating is a journey of self-discovery and self-compassion. By reconnecting with your body’s wisdom and ditching the diet mentality, you can cultivate a healthy relationship with food, improve your body image, and nourish your well-being for life.