What exactly is intuitive eating? Why has it become so popular in recent years? Is it a trend, or is it here to stay? And most importantly, how do you go about it?

This is probably not the first time, nor the last, that you hear about intuitive eating. This approach to eating has existed since 1995 and is certainly not going away. The enthusiasm for the method has indeed gained popularity and media attention over the past few years.

Many trends and diets have appeared and disappeared over time, as people have realized that restrictive diets do not live up to their expectations or cannot be maintained continuously in the long term. An alternative approach like intuitive eating is often much more beneficial in the long run.  

The time has come to take care of yourself and listen to yourself; isn't it time to ask yourself whether this approach is right for you?

What is intuitive eating?

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

Intuitive eating focuses more on the mindset shift associated with eating and trusting your body's signals. The method has proven to be much more sustainable than traditional diets and is associated with a wide range of benefits.

Intuitive Eating 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 the practice of intuitive eating might look like.

1. Reject the diet mentality: diets often fuel false hopes. As a general rule, they are doomed to fail. The more you restrict yourself, the more you crave the foods you deny yourself. And when you slip up, which is often disproportionate, you feel guilty. And the strict diet starts again, accompanied by a feeling of sadness.
2. Honor your hunger: A strict diet does not allow the question: "Am I still hungry?" or "Am I really hungry?" Asking the question is answering it. A diet does not allow you to ask yourself these questions. It imposes a strict diet and feelings do not matter. Honoring your hunger means taking the time to assess your sensation of hunger, and above all to understand the reason why it is triggered. It is possible that the meal is simply far behind and that you need a good snack, as it is possible that it is emotional. You need to gently tame the signals from your body, to eventually be able to experience emotions in a different way.
3. Make peace with food: Stop forbidding yourself certain foods (except in cases of allergies or intolerances, of course). Give yourself permission to eat what you want. Instead, ask yourself: what do I really want? For what reason? You will be surprised after a while. Your body will ask you for what it needs.
4. Challenge the food police: Stop categorizing foods as good or bad for health. Moderation makes the relationship with food much healthier and may help prevent eating disorders such as orthorexia (the obsession with eating healthily) or bulimia (the obsession with foods one deprives oneself of).
5. Discover the signals of satiety: We should all be able to feel our body's signals when it is full. It is important to learn to recognize these signals. To do this, take a break in the middle of your meal and listen to what your body is telling you.
6. Rediscover the pleasure of eating: eating is a pleasure. And unfortunately, diets often take us away from it. TAKE THE TIME. Without screens, without distractions. Taste, feel, enjoy. You will feel satisfied.
7. Face your emotions with kindness: once you realize that hunger comes from emotions, you need to experience them. There are other ways to experience them than through very sweet, salty, or fatty foods. Go for a walk, listen to music, write, or talk it out. Introspection will lead you to recognize your emotions and find the best way for you to experience them.
8. Respect your body: Avoid putting yourself down, appreciate your body.
9. Exercise and feel the difference: intuitive eating encourages physical activity not to burn calories, but to feel good in your skin and to give yourself moments of self-care. Feel the benefits of physical activity on your body. Nothing beats the feeling after a good yoga session (see the article here: The benefits of yoga and simple poses)
10. Honor your health: Trust your intuition! By listening to your body, it will ask you for foods that will be good for both your body and your taste buds.

I can already hear some skeptics shouting loud and clear: yes, we want pizza, bacon, hamburgers, with no restrictions! It’s going to ruin people’s health! It’s too good to be true! In response, here is:

Some myths about intuitive eating:

• It is a diet TO lose weight

Weight and dieting 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 food from the perspective of nourishment and satisfaction. Even if your weight may or may not change by following the principles (though it often leads to weight loss, as ultimately eating becomes healthy over time), you will notice positive changes in your mindset and overall health.

• Intuitive eating does not take health into account: "eat what you want, when you want."

Intuitive eating does not 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 satisfy hunger and for pleasure, but they will ALSO do so for what makes them feel good physically and mentally. Someone who eats a healthy meal will also do so because they feel a sense of well-being after enjoying it. Intuitive eating helps you detect your body's nutritional needs.

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

People dealing with allergies, intolerances, or special dietary needs should NEVER start eating what they should not eat, at the risk of their health. If you suffer from an illness, you can always choose the foods you want, and that are good for your health. The choice is so wide. You have to see the glass as half full and look at the horizon of what options are available despite medical particularities.

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

Have you realized that prohibition arouses desire? That cheating arouses guilt and sadness? It is being accustomed to a diet made of restrictions that triggers strong cravings. The hardest part at the beginning is to break free from behaviors related to the diet. At first, a poutine will surely be tempting, but as time goes by, someone who knows how to listen to their needs will no longer seek a reward in poutine, but rather in their everyday meals and will be able to identify when they are no longer hungry.

Getting Started with Intuitive Eating

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

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

If you are ready to start, consider choosing one of the principles above and begin 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/eat-better/eating-habits/intuitive-eating-5-tips-to-get-started?gclid=Cj0KCQiApsiBBhCKARIsAN8o_4hohCESfQdu5b06ohyQOVF8mC4bfsJIFLCLgT31ONG-WvCW24BWNBEaAvUIEALw_wcB

Article written by Audrée Hogue