Intuitive eating, what exactly is Why has it become so popular over the past few years Is it a trend, or is here to stay And most importantly, how is it doneend?

This is probably not the first time, nor the last, that you have heard of intuitive eating. This approach to food has been around since 1995, and it is surely not here to go away. The craze for the method has indeed gained popularity and media attention over the past few years.

There are so many trends and diets that have come and gone over time as people realize that restrictive diets don't work as expected, or can't be adhered to on a long-term basis. An alternative approach like intuitive eating is often much more attractive in the long run.

Now is the time to take care of yourself and listen to yourself, so isn't it time to ask yourself whether this approach is not for you?

What is intuitive eating?

This approach is completely different from any diet that exists. Precisely, because it is NOT a diet. It's a non-diet approach that teaches you to listen to your body, its signals, its needs. It aims to break the vicious cycle of strict diets or eating habits, to ultimately heal your relationship with food. No more counting calories or carbohydrates, no more restriction. And we can even add: more willpower needed.

Rather, intuitive eating focuses on changing the mindset associated with eating and relying on your body's signals. The method has been shown to be much more durable than traditional diets and is associated with a large number of benefits.

Intuitive food principles

On the one hand, it is important to understand that these principles are NOT rules. Here are some simple principles to help you understand what practicing intuitive eating could look like.

1. Dismiss the diet mentality: Diets often fuel false hope. Usually, they are doomed to fail. The more you restrict yourself, the more you crave the foods you deprive yourself of. And the moment you make a misstep, which is often disproportionate, you feel guilty. And the strict diet begins again, accompanied by a feeling of sadness.
2. Honor your hunger: A strict diet does not allow the question: am I still hungry, or again: am I really hungry. To ask the question, is to answer it. A diet does not allow you to ask these questions. It imposes a strict diet and the feelings do not count. Honoring your hunger is taking the time to assess your feeling of hunger, and especially to understand why it is triggered. It is possible that the meal is simply far behind and you need a goodbonne snack, as it is possible that it is emotional. You have to slowly tame your body's signals, eventually being able to experience emotions in another way.
3. Make peace with food: Stop prohibiting yourself from certain foods (except in cases of allergies or intolerances, of course). Give yourself permission to eat whatever you want. Instead, ask yourself: what do I really want? Why? You will be surprised after a while. The body will ask you for what it needs.n.
4. Challenge the Food Police: Stop classifying foods as good or bad for you. Moderation leaves the relationship with food much healthier and may prevent eating disorders such as orthorexia (obsession with eating healthy) or bulimia (obsession with foods that you deprive yourself of).
5. Discover the signals of fullness: We should all be able to sense our body's signals when it is full. You have to learn to recognize these signals. To do this, take a break in the middle of a meal, and listen to what your body is telling you.
6. Rediscover the pleasure of eating: eating is a pleasure. And unfortunately, diets often keep us away from it. TAKE TIME. Without screen, without distractions. Taste, feel, enjoy. You will feel satisfied.
7. Face your emotions with kindness: once you realize that hunger comes from emotions, you have to live them. There are other ways to experience them than through foods that are very sweet or salty, or fatty. Go for a walk, listen to music, write, or verbalize. Introspection will lead you to recognize your emotions and find the best way for you to experience them.
8. Respect your body: Avoid devaluing yourself, appreciate your body.
9. Exercise and Feel the Difference: Intuitive Eating encourages physical activity not for the purpose of burning calories, but to feel good about yourself and have some time for yourself. Feel the benefits of physical activity on your body. Nothing better than the sensation felt after a good yoga session (see the article here:The benefits of yoga and simple postures)
10. Honor Your Health: Trust Your Intuition! Listening to your body, it will ask you for foods that will do both your body and your taste buds good.

I hear refractories from here shouting loud and clear: yes, we want pizza, bacon, hamburger, without restrictions! It will ruin people's health! It's too good to be true! In response, here is:

Some myths about intuitive eating:

• It's a diet FOR losing weight

Weight and diet are NEVER at the center of intuitive eating. Intuitive eating is NOT a diet, but rather a way to remove the association of food with diet-based rules and start looking at foods from the point of view of eating and satisfaction. While your weight may or may not change by following the Principles (although it often causes weight loss, as the diet ultimately becomes healthy over time), you will notice positive changes in your mindset and your body. general state of health.

• Intuitive eating doesn't take health into account: eat what you want, when you want.».

Intuitive eating doesn't mean spending the day stuffing yourself with chocolate, ice cream and poutine! On the contrary, one of the principles is to honor your health. An intuitive eater will not only eat to quench his hunger and for fun, he will ALSO eat what makes him feel good physically and mentally. Whoever eats a healthy meal will also do so because he feels a feeling of well-being after having eaten it. Intuitive Eating helps you detect your body's nutritional needs.

• You cannot follow the practice if you have special dietary needs.

People with allergies, intolerances or special dietary needs still MUST not start eating what they should not eat, at the risk of their health. If you have an illness, you can always choose the foods you want, and which are good for your health. The choice is so wide. You have to see the glass half full and see the horizon of what is available as a choice despite the medical peculiarities.

• Having the right to eat everything means you will binge all the time.

Did you realize that the ban arouses envy That cheating arouses guilt and sadness It is being used to a diet of prohibitions that arouses strong envy. The hardest part is getting rid of your diet-related behaviors at the start. At first, a poutine will surely be tempting, but time goes by, and someone who knows how to listen to their needs will no longer look for a reward in poutine, but rather in their everyday meals and will know how to identify when they have not. not hungry any more.m.

Get started with intuitive eating

Note that for some people, this approach is difficult to achieve without support. People who have been on weight loss diets for years, or those struggling with eating disorders should get help. It is a re-education of eating behavior that must be undertaken, often accompanied by work on self-esteem, self-confidence.

The end goal of this approach is to transform your relationship with food and your body, while aiming for health. Stress and guilt will be reduced.

If you are ready to begin, consider choosing one of the above principles and start implementing it in your life. Then gradually work on the remaining principles over time.

References :

1. https://www.psychologies.com/Nutrition/Equilibre/Alimentation-equilibree/Articles-et-Dossiers/Qu-est-ce-que-l-alimentation-intuitive
2. https://montougo.ca/manger-mieux/habitudes-alimentaires/lalimentation-intuitive-5-conseils-pour-sy-mettregclid=Cj0KCQiApsiBBhCKARIsAN8o_4hohCESfQdu5b06ohyQOVF8mC4bfsJIFLCNvCwaW3124B

Article written by Audrée Hogue