Intuitive eating is a style of eating which promotes a healthy attitude towards food and a positive body image. It works on the idea that your body knows what is best for it, and you should listen to what it needs.
The program was built on the idea that diets - like Slimming World, Weight Watchers, Atkins, and Keto - don't work, and lifestyle changes and personal care are more important for long-term health. No foods are "good" or "bad" when eating intuitively, and you are encouraged to eat what you enjoy.
The basic principle of intuitive eating is eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. Following this method properly can help you learn what your body needs and become healthier in the process.
Read more: Do I have a good relationship with food? Warning signs and when to seek help.
What is intuitive eating?
Intuitive eating is a way of eating which promotes a healthy relationship with food and good body image above all else. It aims to teach you how to use your hunger and fullness cues to eat the right amount for your body. It recognises that everyone is different, and needs different amounts of food.
The simple idea is that you should eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. This might sound simple, but for people who have experienced eating problems or disorders, it is hard to recognise those cues. If you've been restricting or dieting for years, you may ignore hunger cues and wait until your next planned mealtime before you eat. If you have a history of binge eating, you may ignore the fullness cues that tell you when to stop eating.
Trusting diet books or restrictive plans can lead you away from trusting your body and its intuition. To eat intuitively, you need to relearn how to trust your body.
The basic ideas of intuitive eating have been around since the 1990s, but have risen in popularity again over recent months on TikTok. Nutritionist and intuitive eaters are sharing how this was of eating can be beneficial for your mental and physical health, as well as helping you recover from disordered eating.
How to start eating intuitively
You need to learn how to distinguish between physical and emotional hunger. Physical hunger is a biological urge to eat. It means that you need nutrients and energy. Signals include fatigue, irritability, and a growling stomach. It is satisfied when you eat.
Emotional hunger is driven by emotional need. Your body does not require any additional energy or nutrients when you are emotionally hungry. Instead, feelings like sadness, loneliness, or boredom can create cravings for food, often your "comfort" foods. Emotional eating causes feelings of guilt and self-hatred.
There are a number of principles to help you successfully begin intuitive eating. These include:
- Rejecting the diet mentality. Intuitive eating is not a diet. It works by rejecting the idea that there is a diet "out there" that will work for you.
- Listen to your hunger. When you are hungry - eat. Respond to early hunger signs by feeding your body so that you don't become so hungry that you overeat.
- Not restricting types of food. Intuitive eating is more about how you eat, and not about what. When you are hungry, eat what you want to without attaching feelings of shame to certain foods.
- Respect your fullness. Listen to your body, and stop eating when it tells you that you've had enough. You may need to check in with yourself as you eat to see how you feel.
- Prioritise satisfaction. Eat food that tastes good to you, and sit down properly to eat it.
- Listen to your emotions without using food. Emotional eating is a way to cope with feelings. Instead of turning to food., try and find other methods of coping, such as taking a walk, meditation, or a new hobby.
- Respect your body. Avoid criticising your body - out loud or in your head. Recognize what you body does for you and remove the focus from how you look.
- Focus on health. Health is shaped by your overall eating patterns. By listening to your body's needs, you should be able to take in the nutrients you need. Remember - one meal or snack does not affect your health.
How can it help you lose weight?
Letting your own internal cues of hunger and fullness guide your eating can lead to improved body image and quality of life. Intuitive eating has been linked to healthier attitudes towards food, improved body image, and lower BMIs.
If you are overweight, intuitive eating could help you lose weight naturally by preventing any overeating. If you are underweight, it could help you gain weight by helping you to listen to your hunger cues.
