What is Intuitive Eating?

Do you find yourself stressing over the food you eat? Do you cycle through fad diets or spend money on exercise plans that you can’t seem to maintain? Do you feel guilty after enjoying a treat or feel the need to exercise to “make up for it,” later? Do you fantasize about being thinner or buy clothes that don’t fit to “motivate you,” to lose weight? If so, Intuitive Eating might be for you! 

The world is full of confusing and conflicting messages about food and exercise. Much of the advice is based on anti-fat bias - the idea that being thinner or having a lower body weight is healthier, morally superior, and more beautiful than living in a larger body. These messages however, have contributed to rising rates of body dissatisfaction, mental distress (such as anxiety and preoccupation), eating disorders and in many cases even death (eating disorders are a leading cause of death). 

Intuitive Eating was developed by two dieticians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, in 1995 to combat harmful messages about bodies, nutrition and exercise. They describe Intuitive Eating as a self-care eating framework, which integrates instinct, emotion, and rational thought. Intuitive Eating aligns with Health at Every size principles (the idea that bodies come in all different shapes and sizes and that health is achievable across a weight continuum). The Intuitive Eating framework is backed by evidence by over 100 studies to date, that demonstrate its effectiveness at reducing disordered eating behaviors, increasing self esteem and body acceptance and contributing to better health through stabilizing weight, and improving biomarkers such as blood pressure and cholesterol. 

Intuitive Eating helps us disentangle ourselves from the harmful messages of diet culture (anti-fat bias, health-ism & body hierarchies) in favor of food freedom, true health and wellbeing, body respect and liberation. Intuitive Eating does this by helping you drown out messages that cause you harm, and back into your body's innate wisdom (like hunger, fullness & satisfaction cues). It also invites people to gently incorporate nutrition principles and movement in ways that are sustainable and life giving. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Intuitive Eating and how it can help you - reach out to setup a free consultation call, today! I am a trained Intuitive Eating Counselor, experienced Eating Disorder Nurse and passionate about helping people find true health, wellbeing and food freedom!