Intuitive Eating- what is all the fuss about? 

January 31st 2023   By Eden Massey, Big Picture Student/Aspiring Future Dietitian and Kylie Spicer, APD

Have you heard of intuitive eating? While it’s not the most popular trend out there, there is a good chance it has crossed your path. Looking it up on the internet provides a bombardment of videos and blogs from every fitness, beauty, health and lifestyle infuencer about what Intuitive Eating is all about, stories on how it worked for them and why you should do it. So, why is it so popular? How much of the information out there is real and is it all a marketing ploy to sell you another wacky diet?

Here we will simplify the science and give you a breakdown of the basics of Intuitive Eating.

What is intuitive eating?

Intuitive eating is an evidence-based mind-body approach to health that encourages you to trust your body and make food choices that feel right for you. Intuitive eating teaches you to have a healthy relationship with food and to listen to your body's natural signals such as hunger, fullness and how different foods make you feel. This then helps guide eating.

We’re all born with the ability to know when to eat and when to stop eating, as well as what foods are satisfying and make us feel good. However, most of us start to become disconnected and less trusting of our internal cues with the influence of family, friends, media and diet culture. Our body is a complex system designed to keep us alive, so when we learn to listen to it, we can trust that our body signals will guide us to feeding it in an appropriate and healthy way.

Why should you eat intuitively?

Intuitively eating focuses on honouring your body's natural hunger and satiety cues. It helps to develop a healthy relationship with your body and food to improve your overall well being. Some of the benefits of intuitive eating include:

• Improved physical health with links to improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure and reduced markers of inflammation.
• Weight regulation through allowing you to listen to your natural hunger and fullness cues, leading to a more balanced sustainable approach to food and weight management.
• Decreased levels of depression and anxiety as feelings of shame and guilt associated with eating are removed.
• Higher self esteem as you develop a more satisfying relationship with food and with yourself, enjoying food without guilt or shame.
• Increased energy as by listening to your body you are more likely to make healthy food choices that provide the nutrients your body needs.
• Lowered levels of disordered and emotional eating by breaking the cycle of disordered eating such as bingeing and restrictive eating.
• Better digestion as you eat when you are truly hungry and stop when you are full. This can reduce feelings of bingeing and restrictive eating.

How to eat intuitively

Eating intuitively involves listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues and making food choices based on those cues. Steps you can take to start eating intuitively include:

• Ditch the diet mentality: Reject the idea that certain foods are “good”or “bad”and that you need to follow strict rules to achieve a certain weight or body shape.
• Learn to recognise your hunger and fullness cues: Pay close attention to your body’s signals and start to understand when you are truly hungry and when you are full.
• Make peace with food: Give yourself permission to eat all foods without guilt or shame.
• Practise mindful eating: Take the time to savour and enjoy your food, without distractions like TV or phones.
• Find your own balance: Everyone has different needs and preferences, and these can change day to day. Listen to your body and find out what works for you.
• Respect your body: Listen to the messages your body is giving you and respond in a way that honours it.
• Take time to reflect: Reflect on how you are feeling emotionally and physically during and after meals. It can help you to better understand your relationship with food.
• Be patient: Remember that learning to eat intuitively takes time and practice, so be patient with yourself and don’t expect to get it perfect overnight.

It is important to note that intuitive eating is a process, it’s not something you just do overnight. It takes time and practice to learn to listen to your body’s signals and respond to them. It’s also important to work with a professional, like a dietitian, if you have a history of disordered eating or an eating disorder.

One of the major goals for the dietitians at Bright Diets is to help people develop a positive and healthy relationship with food and with their body. We work with our patients to find the best way to get back in tune with their body and let go of strict diet rules. If you are looking for support and accountability to reach your health goals, contact our team.