Despite
food being
essential for living, for decades, we have grown to become weary and
hyper-aware of the things we eat due to obesity and other associated
morbidities having been on the rise in recent years.
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Many diets work
by restricting the things we eat, with the ultimate goal being to lose weight;
others focus on receiving the proper amount of nutrients.
On its surface,
intuitive eating may seem like another diet fad, but in fact, it is not. It is
a way of viewing food as an asset to make better choices for the body. As a
result, this change in perception can profoundly impact
physical health and
overall well-being.
What is intuitive
eating?
Intuitive eating was introduced in the late 20th century, but the term
itself was not coined until 1995.
Evelyn Tribole
and Elyse Resch wrote the book “Intuitive Eating” and laid out the foundation
of what intuitive eating is.
The concept
itself is simple: focus on the attitudes towards eating instead of how, when,
and what to
eat. Although seemingly obvious, decades of fad diets and
conflicting or faulty research have led many to believe that certain foods are
“bad” for us and that if we do not maintain a strict
regimen, we run the risk
of being unhealthy.
Intuitive eating
relies on our body’s natural governing system when it comes to eating, which is
honoring hunger. By simply eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are
full, you can theoretically live a healthy life.
However, before
diving into intuitive eating, it is important to recognize the different types
of hunger. Physical hunger is the biological urge to eat due to the continual
need to replenish nutrients. On the other hand, emotional hunger is eating in
response to your emotional state.
During periods
of sadness, loneliness, or boredom, many experience craving for certain foods.
These foods often tend to have less nutritional value in nature and serve the
purpose of providing comfort.
When we eat
these comfort foods, it gives us a boost in mood, but its effects are only
temporary. After a short while, it is not uncommon for people to feel guilt or
self-hatred for indulging.
Intuitive eating
can help people be conscious of the different types of
hunger and allow us to
promote our physical health and well-being by being more in tune with our
body’s needs.
The 10 principles
of intuitive eating
The philosophy of intuitive eating is best laid out by its authors into
10 core principles summarized below.
1. Reject the
diet mentality
This first principle refers to the decades of harm that diet books and
magazines have caused to the general population. Especially with diets
unsubstantiated by research, many will try to convince listeners that they can
achieve quick, easy, and permanent results.
Although there
may be some truth to certain claims, the process is by no means quick or easy.
As a result, people often fail these diets and feel worse about themselves.
2. Honor your
hunger
It is important not to ignore your basic biological urge to eat.
On its surface,
going long periods without eating seems like an ideal choice for losing weight,
but this can ruin your sense of hunger.
After going long
periods without eating, all intentions of moderation and conscious eating
become ignored. Due to the risk of overeating, it is important to recognize and
acknowledge your first signs of hunger.
3. Make peace
with food
Do not worry about which foods are “good” or “bad”, as limiting your
food options can lead to intense cravings for the foods you are cutting out.
Additionally,
when you indulge in these foods, you may inevitably feel guilt. Therefore, it
is important to give yourself unconditional permission to eat.
4. Challenge
the food police
The food police are the self-imposed rules and thoughts that have been
placed in people’s heads from years of conditioning. We often view it as “bad”
to indulge and “good” to eat minimal
calories. Instead, it is important to
challenge these views and beliefs to undo the years of conditioning.
5. Discover
the satisfaction factor
The satisfaction factor refers to the environment you create when
eating. If you make the environment more enjoyable, it will be easier to feel
full.
Take the time to
figure out what makes your meals more inviting.
6. Feel your fullness
Similar to how we should listen to our body when we are hungry, we
should also listen for when we are full. It is common to have the desire to
finish your plate, but with intuitive eating, we should take a pause.
During these
pauses, ask yourself how the food tastes and how full you feel. By being
mindful of eating, you can curb the feelings of needing more food.
7. Cope with
your emotions with kindness
Eating is not just a physical process. There are very strong emotional
processes involved as well, particularly comfort.
By addressing
negative emotions such as
anxiety,
loneliness, boredom, and anger healthily and
productively, you are more likely to no longer require food to help cope.
8. Respect
your body
Although excessive weight is generally
unhealthy, it is also important
to recognize that everyone is different.
Body types are
unique and can affect how we accumulate fat. Because of this, we should recognize
that the standard model of what a person should look like may not always apply.
Instead, focus
on self-love and improve your body image.
9. Movement:
Feel the difference
Similar to intuitive eating, moving around for the sake of exercise is
better than exercising for the sake of results.
This means
focusing on doing movements and exercises that you find enjoyable, like a brisk
walk in the morning.
10. Honor your
health: Gentle nutrition
Find the perfect balance between your physical health and the foods
that bring you joy. The goal is to not focus on eating perfectly, but with that
being said, eating junk food all day every day is not good either. Instead,
focus on balance, variety, and moderation.
Why choose
intuitive eating?
Intuitive eating focuses on every aspect involved in eating, it is more
than a diet.
Many people
worldwide struggle with their relationship with food; with intuitive eating,
the stigma around body image and eating can be greatly reduced.
A 2014 review of
intuitive eating and other similar programs found that participants had
improved levels of self-esteem, body image, and overall quality of life, while
expressing lower levels of depression and anxiety.
Additionally,
people on the intuitive eating program had high follow-through rates. After two
years of practicing intuitive eating, completion rates were as high as 92
percent.
Similarly, a 2013 review
of 26 studies focused on the health benefits of intuitive eating. They were
able to find participants generally had healthier psychological attitudes,
lower
body mass index (BMI), and better weight maintenance. However, it is
important to note that weight loss was not one of the benefits of intuitive
eating.
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