What is Intuitive Eating?
Intuitive Eating is an evidence-based self-care eating framework that seeks to improve your relationship with food, exercise and body image.
It was created by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch in 1995.
This approach is weight-neutral, as it does not take the number on the scale or the BMI as an indicator of health, and has over 100 studies to date that demonstrate its long-term effectiveness.
It consists of ten principles that help you cultivate attunement to the physical sensations that arise from within your body to get both your biological and psychological needs met and removing the obstacles and disruptors to attunement, which usually come from the mind in the form of rules, beliefs, and thoughts.
Intuitive Eating Principles
Reject the Diet Mentality
Honor Your Hunger
Make Peace with Food
Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness
Challenge the Food Police
Respect Your Fullness
Discover the Satisfaction Factor
Respect Your Body
Movement—Feel the Difference
Honor Your Health—Gentle Nutrition
Benefits of Intuitive Eating
Psychological
- Less idealisation of thinness.
- Greater appreciation of your body and increased body confidence.
- Increased pleasure in eating.
- Improved general well-being.
- Increased attunement with body cues.
- Lower risk of eating disorders.
Biological
- Weight stability.
- Lower triglyceride levels.
- Higher HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels.
- Better glycaemic control.
- Greater interoceptive awareness.
- More variety in food consumption.
It’s for you if you want to:
Make peace with your body.
Increase self-confidence and inner peace.
Heal your relationship with food.
Reduce anxiety, guilt and shame about eating.
Reconnect with your hunger and fullness cues.