What is Intuitive Eating and is it for Me?

So you've heard of intuitive eating (IE) somewhere along the way but still not entirely sure how it fits in or what it means?

Although I could write a book on what IE is, let me summarise it for you in 6 crucial points:

1. It is a way of re-connecting with your natural body cues and create an eating pattern that feels safe, stress-free and sustainable.

Intuitive eaters are mindful of their needs, know how to respond to hunger and fullness cues and make eating choices based on the beautiful mix of what they want and need in any given moment, rather than relying on external rules.

Intuitive eaters are able to move through feelings of hunger, fullness and satisfaction without restriction or guilt. It's important to note that it's not about going on a diet or losing weight – it's about adopting an approach that works for you in the long run.

2. It means being mindful of your basic needs as a human regardless of external rules.

Intuitive eating means knowing how to respond to hunger and fullness cues and make eating choices based on a beautiful mix of what you want and need in any given moment, rather than relying on what Aunt Karen (and the last diet you did, and the fitness model showing a 'what I eat in a day' snapshot, and the weight loss ad on the billboard on your way to work) says they eat or their thoughts about what and when you should eat!

It is being considerate of your bodies natural instinct towards food. And on that note...

3. It takes us back to our childhood (in a good way).

Kids are great role models of intuitive eating. They are quite capable of telling you when they are full or when they are hungry and often know exactly what they do and don't want to eat - based on what their BODY is telling them. Before the bribery and coercion they might face from us as adults, which might look like... 'have one more mouthful of veggies or you won't get dessert', they are naturally all-stars at intuitive eating. All of the external factors that told you how to eat drove you away from your intuitive eating patterns that you would intuitively have had!

Returning back to intuitive eating can be a form of honouring your younger self and can actually be an extremely healing, albeit sometimes uncomfortable, journey back.

When you start exploring eating through an intuitive lens, it can be uncomfortable because many of the things you've been told to do throughout life might be challenged!

IE helps to shed light on the roadblocks that may have been unconsciously influencing your relationship with food for many years.

(e.g., emotional eating habits developed during childhood, dieting behaviors that have become ingrained over time). As you become more aware of these obstacles, it becomes easier to change them so that you can achieve healthier habits that last long term.

4. It isn't about counting calories or numbers of any kind (*sigh of relief*).

Intuitive eating honours your body's natural internal cues of hunger and fullness regardless of what others say you should do or how much you weigh.

Because intuitive eating encourages you to think about what health 'looks' like beyond a number, true intuitive eating isn't about weight loss or gain. You can be an intuitive eater at any size or weight. There is no one-size fits all approach to intuitive eating (in fact, there are many!). What matters most is finding what works for you in terms of honoring your body's natural cues, listening to hunger signals, achieving deep personal health goals and feeling good about the food choices you make day-to-day.

Intuitive eating allows you to eat when your hungry, stop when satisfied AND recognise exactly when food will be useful for comfort or stress relief. Yes! Emotional eating is a healthy part of an intuitive eaters toolkit!

5. It challenges diet culture and the language used to describe eating.

Intuitive eating also challenges diet culture and the language used to describe eating. Dieting can be harmful, both in terms of health and wellbeing. It's not sustainable for most people because it doesn't teach them how to live with food in a healthy way that works for their lifestyle.

6. It diminishes guilt, shame and deprivation felt towards food.

Enjoy food in a sustainable way rather than feeling guilty or deprived because they're not eating "diet" foods or following an unsustainable fad diet plan that doesn't work long term (or even short term).

There are different approaches to Intuitive Eating (IE) based on where you are currently at and what you need. This is why it can feel overwhelming or confusing about how IE can be a healthy and sustainable approach. But don't worry - IE is all about one step at a time and avoiding the 'all or nothing' approach to food that is all so common (read more about addressing all-or nothing eating patterns here).

Intuitive eating helps you develop a better relationship with food by breaking down negative associations around certain foods or types of food (like "healthy" vs "unhealthy"). This helps you learn how much you need, when your body is hungry, when it's full--and ultimately encourages you not only eat what feels good but also nourish yourself based on those cues rather than outside labels or expectations about what foods should do for your body.

Want More?

If you want further information about this approach, the best evidence based resources can be found on the site of Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch which explains everything from why some people struggle with diets all their lives while others never do; how weight loss plans don't work long term because they ignore natural hunger signals; why diets often lead us back into old habits later on down the road (and why willpower isn't enough).

No matter what your experience with food has been like so far (the good, the bad and the ugly) you likely have some beliefs around food that could stand updating based on new information about how our bodies work together with our minds for optimal health.

So, are you ready to give intuitive eating a try?

The first step is to become intensively aware of what is currently going on in your relationship with food.  Beyond this, talking to a professional about intuitive eating can be great to explore your patterns in depth and how to replace them, as needed, with healthier, more intuitive ones that lead to an easier food relationship.