I've used the term.
It's in the media.
And social media influencers are certainly (mis)using it.
So what is this Intuitive Eating thing?
Another diet? Something where you only eat donuts and ignore health? Another fad?
No to all of the above.
Intuitive Eating is a foundation for developing a new and positive relationship with food and your body.
It was initially developed by two leading Dietitans in the US who were fed up with seeing their clients go from diet to diet, feeling wretched and like they'd failed no matter what they did. The same Dietitians that I became certified through and completed supervisory training hours with.
The process is evidence-based and can be considered an antidote to the diet culture BS that we are surrounded by everywhere. It's about getting back to your roots and learning to trust your body and its signals.
Specifically, it empowers you to pay attention to your needs and preferences as opposed to the new diet your gym is promoting. And that in turn, organically cultivates healthful behaviours where individuals feel good in their bodies, enjoy their bodies at a natural healthy weight and have a positive relationship with food.
The war within is over. Sounds pretty amazing doesn't it?
And Intuitive Eating is my specialty.
This is the framework and lens that I work with clients through to develop life-long positive habits that promote health and happiness.
There are 10 principles of Intuitive Eating and each is intertwined and interconnected.
What's interesting is that even on this blog, there's snapshots in time of me naturally finding these principles for myself. Starting to move away from the pursuit of a thinner body and accept what my body naturally is, listening to and being grateful for my body's signals rather than ignoring them and moving my body with joy, not punishment.
Intuitive Eating is a process and one that can provide an individual with the ability to :
- stop overeating
- stop obsessing about food and her body
- stop the all-or-nothing thinking
- stop the binge and restrict cycle
- stop feeling controlled by cravings
- trust her body
- enjoy her body
- enjoy food
- feel good
And in a larger sense this is ending the vicious dieting cycle of restriction, cravings, over-eating and rebound weight gain.
It allows for an individual to respect and honour her body, end the internal war, become intuitive and where relevant, find her natural healthy weight.
And that's what we are all completely deserving of.
For an Introduction to Intuitive Eating - download your free audio guide from me here.
And if you'd prefer to receive more support in this process, I'm currently available for 1:1 coaching or you can learn about my online program - Live More, Obsess Less here.
You can also check out this episode of my podcast What The Hell Do I Eat? where my co-host Monica asks me to define exactly what Intuitive Eating is and isn't, that unconditional permission to eat doesn't mean eating 30 donuts a day and how it could really help you.
