Confusion and misinformation are everywhere in the nutrition world, including surrounding intuitive eating. Let's go through common questions and misunderstandings of this new method of healthy eating together so we can find the truth and get off on the right foot in our journey with food!
Overview of Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating promotes a healthy relationship with food and encourages mindful consumption practices. It is paying attention to an eating experience with all of the senses (seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling, and feeling) and witnessing, without judgment. When focusing on health-related behavior rather than weight change, body image improves. Read more about what intuitive eating is, here.
So “Is intuitive eating just eating whatever I want?”
Yes and no! Intuitive eating gives you the freedom to eat what you want when you want without guilt, but the importance is focusing on how food makes you feel. Determining if you are eating due to emotions (sadness, stress, boredom, etc.) or physical cues (stomach rumbling, headache, etc.). So asking yourself important questions like “why am I at the fridge right now? Is it because I am hungry or am I just bored?” or “Why am I craving soda? Could I be dehydrated? Do I just want water instead or do I truly want a cola?”.
Also, taking pauses before, during and after meals to see how we are feeling, while thinking through the diversity of our plates, allows for mindful eating and are important reminders in eating what we need, not just what we want. You begin to notice that highly processed foods may not provide the sustained energy your body needs, naturally leading you to a balanced variety of foods over time. Your cravings will likely shift and you will feel more at one with your body, mind, and food choices. Intuitive eating includes focus, thoughtfulness, and awareness. If you are eating just anything (ignoring your body's cues), it defeats the idea!
Other Common Questions
“Is intuitive eating all instinct?”:
We are born with the incredible ability to tell when we are hungry and full, but we have been taught to override those feelings for the sake of diet. Intuitive eating rebuilds the bond between body and mind and trusting your body’s cues. So yes, a major pillar of intuitive eating is our bodies’ instincts, but it takes care, consciousness, and attention to understand and listen to those cues.
“Will I lose weight by intuitive eating?”:
Each body will respond differently to the mindful nature of intuitive eating. Weight loss is not the point nor the goal, and if that is the user's focus, those thoughts or desires actively oppose the teachings of intuitive eating. Keep in mind intuitive eating is supposed to provide your body with what it needs first while still making room for wants, so it is likely to result in the weight fluctuations natural for your body's height, frame and fitness.
“Is intuitive eating just another diet in disguise?”:
Nope, intuitive eating is the complete opposite of dieting. The word "diet” is to have a special course of food to restrict oneself, often for the goal of weight loss or medical reasons. The idea of intuitive eating is to eat what your body wants and needs whenever, not adhering to any strict schedule, regiment, or type of food, without any guilt.
“What if I always want junk food and can’t stop myself from eating it?”:
The fear of only craving and eating “junk” food is common, but with time, patience, and practice, foods once seen as special or forbidden lose their interest. Often, when restricting something, we end up wanting it more. But, if we remove the pressure and guilt, foods that once had power over us stop being so novel. Your body will naturally begin to crave different foods, especially nutrient dense options because of how they make us feel.
“How do I have control over emotional eating?”:
Emotional eating is a normal human coping mechanism and not inherently "bad". Intuitive eating encourages you to first ensure you are eating enough to meet your physical needs. Once a foundation of adequate nourishment is established, it's easier to explore other coping mechanisms for emotions like stress, boredom, or sadness, rather than using food as your only tool. Please read more about emotional eating here:.
Common Misconceptions:
“Intuitive eating is for people who are in thin bodies or do not have chronic health conditions”:
Intuitive eating is for everyone that has the means to do so, and research is proving this form of mindful consumption is fantastic for managing conditions like:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Chronic headaches/migraines
- Heart disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
- Autoimmune disorders
- Hypermobility disorders
“If I eat intuitively I don’t need to worry about exercise.”:
Exercise is important for any human no matter what way you are eating. Nutrition and joyful movement are important components of the intuitive eating framework (principles 9 and 10). The difference is that exercise is for well-being and enjoyment, not punishment or calorie burning, and nutrition involves listening to what makes your unique body feel energized and satisfied.
“There is no structure”:
While there are no particular patterns of eating, times of day, or counting of calories, there is a flexible structure when eating intuitively. Rather than following rules there is a 10 step framework to help guide your choices and your body's internal wisdom sets the structure. As we are all unique in our own ways—what intuitive eating will look like for each individual will be different.
Takeaways!
While misconceptions may still exist, and it can be difficult to find the truth, trusting yourself with what and how you consume is the most important part. Intuitive eating makes food choice and timing personal and centered on your needs and wants, so no one can tell you what is right and wrong! If questions and self doubts remain, rely on trusted sources such as dietitians, general practitioners, verified/peer-reviewed papers, credited blogs, and websites.
