There are so many myths about Intuitive Eating, so I decided to tackle one of the more common questions I get, “Will I eat junk food forever?” 

How many of us have heard this or wondered about it themselves? When I first heard about Intuitive Eating, I thought the same thing, “You mean I can have all the donuts I want? Won’t I eat them all the time?” Influencers and health coaches love to claim that Intuitive Eating isn’t ~healthy~ because you have permission to eat whatever you want without the need to exercise it off. So, of course, diet culture twists that up. 

But, the great thing is yes, you CAN eat whatever you want when you want, but that doesn’t mean you’ll constantly be throwing back sodas and cheeseburgers (unless that is your preference). 

So, how do I know that for a fact? Good question! There is this thing called “The Habituation Theory.” In short, this theory theorizes that the more you have access to or are exposed to something the less you desire it. Let’s apply this to food. 

Okay, you order yourself two donuts for breakfast on Monday. You are excited to eat the donut. You know that you always have access to the donut and you don’t attach morality to the donut. You know this donut will provide you the fuel and energy that you need to kick start your Monday morning. You eat the two donuts and are satisfied. 

Tuesday, you order the same two donuts. You once again enjoy the donuts and are satisfied. No ifs, ands, or buts. You start your Tuesday morning.

It’s Wednesday and you kind of don’t want the same two donuts but you order them anyways. You eat them but you realize you aren’t staying full for very long after consuming the donuts. You realize that maybe pairing the donut with a protein could help with satiety. 

It’s Thursday and you really are tired of donuts. You keep thinking about avocado toast or a smoothie. You get the donuts but struggle to finish them. You really need a break from donuts. You notice your belly starts to hurt and think that maybe another breakfast option would 1. Be more filling and 2. Make you feel better after eating. You have lost all excitement for the donuts. 

This is my example of how the habituation theory works. You truly won’t eat donuts every day for the rest of your life. It just isn’t possible! Naturally, your body will start to crave something else that contains nutrients that you aren’t getting from the donuts. Don’t get me wrong. Donuts are not BAD at all! They do provide you with carbs, fat, and other nutrients that you need, but my point is that your body really won’t let you eat those foods that get a bad rap.  

The reason we think that we will eat one particular food forever is because when we diet we have those set lists of foods we “can” have and “can’t” have. So, the foods that are off limits on the diet bring us excitement. When we have a “cheat” meal or “fall off the wagon” we eat as much of those foods as possible. You know, the binge and restrict cycle? So, that is why when you give yourself unconditional permission to eat whatever you want you actually may be able to listen to what your body is craving and nourish it to the best of your ability. You may realize you're craving salads all of the time because you love the freshness and crunch it gives you, or you may realize that sandwiches are super convenient during your lunch day and you enjoy them and they make you feel GOOD! Because in the end, that’s what matters and that is what Intuitive Eating is all about. 

References: Tribole, E., Resch, E. 2012. Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works. 1st Edition. St. Martins Press.