There is so much confusion around nutrition, as I have discussed in previous blogs. So much of it gets misconstrued by diet culture. I get questions all the time on what Intuitive Eating is and is not, so I decided to set the record straight.

Intuitive Eating is not another diet trend. In fact, it is not a diet at all. The definition of diet is “a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly to reduce one’s weight.” Intuitive eating does not focus on your weight or weight-loss. In fact, you are instructed to put weight-loss on the back burner as you dive into IE. Weight-loss is not the goal. It is a weight-neutral framework. This means it is an approach to improving overall health regardless of BMI or body size. 

Intuitive Eating is not rigid. It does not have strict rules. It does not tell you what to eat or when to eat. You get to decide because you are your nutrition expert. You know what sounds good to eat or when you are hungry. There is so much freedom with Intuitive Eating. 

Intuitive Eating is not linear. It does not have a “start” and “stop” date. Many diets are several months or 30 days, but IE is a lifetime. That sounds daunting, but I promise it is not. Once you embark on your IE journey, it could take weeks, months or even years to work through the 10 principles of Intuitive Eating. Why can it take so long to completely embrace IE? Unfortunately, diet culture will always be around, and because of that there will always be triggers when it comes to your relationship with food or body image. However, with IE, you learn how to manage those emotions or thoughts, and activate the tools you’ve learned to combat those triggers in a healthy and positive way. You may struggle some days, but that does not mean you are a failure. It means you are human living in an unrealistic toxic dieting world. So you take from those days and learn to help prevent the lows. Food holds so much meaning! So that is why there are so many layers, thoughts, feelings, and emotions around the subject. 

Intuitive Eating is not just the hunger/fullness diet. There is so much to learn about your hunger and fullness. You don’t just eat when you are hungry or finish when you are full. As I said above, there are no rules so you get to navigate. Sometimes that may look like eating a meal when you aren’t super hungry because you know you won’t be able to have dinner for multiple hours at an event. Sometimes that looks like eating until you are mega stuffed, and that is okay! No guilt, no judgement, no shame. Instead, you learn from each experience and approach each situation with curiosity. 

Intuitive Eating is not a junk food diet. Yes, you get to eat all foods. There are no good vs bad foods. You get to eat foods that satisfy you, that bring you joy, that fuel your body, that nourishes your body, and that honors your health. As you work through the principles of IE and give yourself true unconditional permission to eat, your “forbidden” foods will start to become normalized. You begin to eat in a way that feels good to you. So, if you struggle with high cholesterol, you choose not to eat red meat out at dinner, not because you are worried that it will cause you to gain weight, but because you want to honor your health and nourish yourself without compromising your cholesterol levels. That is referred to as “Gentle Nutrition.”

What Intuitive Eating is…

Intuitive Eating is backed by evidence. How many diets are back by evidence? Seriously, none of them within the last five years have any evidence to indicate that they actually work. (Yikes!) 

Intuitive Eating allows you to get in touch with your inner cues and signals. You begin to trust your body when it signals that it is hungry, full, tired, satisfied, or craving a certain food. You trust that your body knows best, because, it does! You give over the control dieting has on you to gain back the control of your own body. 

Intuitive Eating focuses on healing your relationship with food, your body, and your mind. Your mental health is constantly worsened when you are weighing yourself, counting calories, or worried about breaking a “diet rule.” You can learn to live without being at war with yourself. You have the time and energy that previously was focused on dieting to use for something more beneficial. 

Intuitive Eating has many benefits, including: 

• Body appreciation and acceptance

• Improvement of overall health

• Lower blood pressure and cholesterol

• Improve quality of life

• Decrease binge eating

• Decrease stress levels

Intuitive Eating is life changing, truly! If you feel stuck in the dieting cycle, there is a way out. Don’t let dieting steal anymore from you. As Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CEDS, stated, “ Diet culture is the life thief. It steals your time, energy, and health.” Take back the reigns of your life. If you are curious to learn more about IE, connect with me or any other anti-diet RD to begin healing your relationship with food. 

References:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diet

https://christyharrison.com/blog/the-life-thief

https://www.intuitiveeating.org/resources/studies/