Intuitive Eating Principles: Beginner’s Guide to a Non-Diet Approach (2021 Update)
Have you heard of intuitive eating or a non-diet approach? Maybe it sounds too good to be true, and you’re wondering if it could even work for you? Worried you’ll gain weight? Lose weight?
The health and wellness industry is catching on that less people resonate with the word ‘dieting’ which has led to even more confusion around intuitive eating.
This blog post will give an overview of the 10 intuitive eating principles - what it is, who it’s for, and the latest research behind this way of eating to help you decide if this non-diet approach is right for you!
Let’s dive in!
ps - if you’re ready to go all in with a non-diet approach, click here to schedule a free strategy call.
What is intuitive eating?
Intuitive eating is a self-care model of eating, that empowers you to become the expert of your own body. Despite gaining more mainstream popularity, it was actually developed in the 90’s by Registered Dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch.
In the latest edition of their book, they describe it as, “...a compassionate, self-care eating framework that treats all bodies with dignity and respect.” There are nearly 150 studies which means it’s more than just “eat whatever you want” … these are evidence based research studies to support that yes, this stuff actually works!!
You were born an intuitive eater.
Maybe food rules dominated your childhood - “clean your plate” or “no cake unless there's a birthday”. Or maybe, you were exposed to diet rules at school, through social media, or other outlets (since dieting and food messages are everyyyywhere).
Think back to when you were a child, you likely ate what you wanted, as much as you wanted, played a lot, and rested when you got tired. You really didn’t think much about food, and trusted your body to tell you how much. Your caretakers provided the what/when, you decided the rest.
Over time, we learn to listen to external cues about what, how much, and when to eat. This can lead to restrictive behaviors, binge eating, emotional eating, and overall feeling stress or shame around food and our bodies. Intuitive eating helps you rebuild that trust with your body.
Basically, intuitive eating is just normal eating.
What are the benefits of intuitive eating?
With over 150 studies and more, intuitive eaters have been shown to have lower:
Disordered eating
Triglycerides
Emotional eating
Self-silencing
Chaotic eating
Binge eating
Judgement towards other bodies
Blood pressure
Body dissatisfaction
Intuitive eaters have also been shown to have higher:
Self-esteem
Well-being and optimism
Variety of foods eaten
Body appreciation and acceptance
HDL (good cholesterol)
Interoceptive awareness
Satisfaction and enjoyment from eating
Proactive coping
Psychological hardiness
Unconditional self-regard
Life satisfaction
What are the 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating?
Remember, these are principles, or guidelines, not rules. I like to think of it as a framework, a practice, and the lens through which I counsel clients, and how I make my own decisions around food. It’s not a diet, so there really is no pass/fail...you seriously can’t mess this up!
Every eating experience is a learning opportunity to reconnect with your body.
Intuitive Eating Principle 1: Reject the Diet Mentality.
The first principle of intuitive eating is to reject the diet mentality, and reboot your brain. Rather than getting all nerdy on you with the research behind dieting and the negative impacts it has on both our physical and mental health, consider your history with dieting.
Did it really work for you?
What has dieting cost you?
As with all principles, be curious about your journey that has led you to where you are, not judgmental.
Intuitive Eating Principle 2: Honor Your Hunger
It sounds so basic, but this can often be challenging after many years of ignoring or suppressing hunger cues. This principle is all about learning to reconnect with the body and the innate biological cues we all have.
Our bodies need to be nourished with adequate calories and carbohydrates. It sounds simple, yet I find so many clients don’t recognize hunger cues until they are ready to chew their arm off.
I’ve worked with many clients who came to me feeling very fatigued, low energy, and even experiencing gastrointestinal issues.
We often find that by simply eating to their needs, they start to see major improvements in their energy, focus, and clarity. They start to build a new awareness about what their body is trying to tell them, and are able to observe the subtle signs of hunger before becoming hangry.
Intuitive Eating Principle 3: Make Peace With Food
Ok before you shut your laptop or throw your phone, hear me out….this principle is all about giving yourself permission to eat...whatever you want, whenever you want, as much as you want. I know, I know! Putting foods off limits only leaves us wanting more. It’s like me telling you not to imagine a pink sock...that’s now all you can see or think about!
After you start eating some of your forbidden foods, it is totally normal to feel chaotic, and maybe even eating more than normal. You may even question if you’ll ever eat healthy again, or if you’ll ever want a vegetable.
Trust the process. I can tell you from experience and by working with hundreds of women in your shoes, you will experience habituation.
Even the most ‘guilty’ foods will soon feel less exciting and lose their appeal. This timeline looks different for everyone, based on your own history with food and diets.
Intuitive Eating Principle 4: Challenge the Food Police
We’ve addressed physical restriction in the principles above, however we also need to discuss the mental restriction that may be holding you back from a non-diet approach. If you are letting yourself eat what you want, but still experiencing guilt or shame around food, it’s likely you have food rules to work through.
With this principle, you start to acknowledge and talk back to the mean girl in your head that says you are ‘good’ for eating a salad or ‘bad’ for putting full fat ranch dressing on the salad. There was a time in your life when food was just food. A cupcake and apple were just that, one was not better or worse than the other.
This principle can definitely take practice, especially as you learn to talk to yourself compassionately and give yourself grace. The more you practice, the easier you will be able to take a neutral approach to food choices, without guilt or shame.
Intuitive Eating Principle 5: Respect Your Fullness
The fifth principle of intuitive eating is all about finding that sweet spot after eating. Aim to feel physically satisfied, but not overly stuffed. By working through food rules, and eating when you are moderately hungry, it will be easier to recognize the feelings of fullness sooner rather than later. If you’ve ever heard of mindful eating, this is where mindfulness and checking in during a meal can be helpful to assess as you go.
Intuitive Eating Principle 6: Discover the Satisfaction Factor
Have you ever been craving a cookie, but instead ate a cookie-flavored-protein bar, and thought hmm ok I still want the cookie? Yeah, that’s the opposite of feeling satisfied! In this principle, you rediscover the JOY of eating again.
Food is a huge part of culture - it’s how we celebrate, comfort, and connect with others. What if we learned to normalize this? Actually enjoying your food can and should be a part of a healthy eating pattern.
When you feel satisfied with your food choices, you’re also less likely to overeat in an attempt to fill up. You’re also less likely to overeat when you can identify when the food no longer tastes good, especially if you know you can have it anytime you want!
Intuitive Eating Principle 7: Cope with your Emotions with Kindness
It’s important to recognize that emotional eating/using food to cope is normal. It’s when it is your only coping mechanism, is when it becomes a problem. Recognize that food can provide the comfort or distraction we need in the moment, but ultimately it does not solve the root of the problem.
If you’ve used food to deal, consider seeing it as a positive alternative to many other destructive behaviors you could have engaged in. Again, compassion and kindness is key.
Once we can normalize that it’s normal to want gelato and wine with girlfriends after a rough break up, we can start to feel our feels, and collect other tools for our toolbox. Intuitive eating helps you to separate physical hunger from emotional hunger which is a huge first step.
Intuitive Eating Principle 8: Respect Your Body
Body respect is more than lOvE yOur BoDY. It’s learning that even if we all ate the same meal plan and did the same workouts, we would all look totally different. And what a BLESSING that we are all diverse, so unique, and wonderfully made!!
Accept your genetics. Be realistic. You likely won’t be the same size you were in high school...and that’s okay (and maybe for the better)!! When we focus on health promoting behaviors (ie eating enough, variety, satisfaction, movement) instead of weight itself, your body will settle at the weight that is healthiest for you - both physically and mentally.
Body image healing is also a process along with the intuitive eating journey. The truth is, you deserve to treat your body with kindness now instead of waiting til you are at a different size.
Intuitive Eating Principle 9: Movement - Feel the Difference
If you are forcing yourself to exercise, let me tell you my friend, you are doing it WRONG! Your body wants to move, it was designed to move. Learn to shift the focus to the feeling and joy of movement instead of focusing on the calorie-burn and numbers.
Learning to identify how you want to feel - ie more creative, energized, focused, empowered - THAT is what will make it easy to get out of bed in the morning instead of hitting snooze.
My goal for all my clients is to help them explore movement, and find the FUN in fitness again.
Intuitive Eating Principle 10: Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition
Being anti-diet is not the same as being anti-health, in fact it’s the opposite! Once you cultivate a healthy relationship with food and your body, you can make food choices that honor both your taste buds and your soul.
By starting to look at the bigger picture of health, you can learn that one meal will not ‘make or break’ your health.
You will not suddenly get a nutrient deficiency or diabetes after a vacation in Italy of just gelato and pasta. You also will not cure all diseases by eating one salad with pomegranates.
You don’t have to be perfect in order to be healthy.
The Science Behind Intuitive Eating
In addition to the benefits noted above, the most recent studies on intuitive eating continue to prove that it works...isn’t science just the best?!
A 2021 study followed young adults for 5-years, and showed that those who practiced intuitive eating were less likely to engage in dieting, restrictive behaviors, and binge eating.
Another 2021 study from March shows that those who practice intuitive eating have better body image, better self-esteem, and better wellness overall.
And to prove the fact that intuitive eating is not ‘eat all the cakes and cookies forever’, this study revealed that intuitive eating is associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake among adults.
I can speak from personal experience working with clients in my private practice for years now...the research is right, this stuff seriously works, and it is LIFE changing!
What’s the difference between intuitive eating and mindful eating?
I like to think of intuitive eating as a beautiful big umbrella in which mindful eating falls under. Mindful eating is the process of intentionally paying attention to your intake, whereas intuitive eating incorporates all the principles above. The two can really be used together!
Myth 1: Intuitive eating will make me gain weight.
3 things could happen when you learn to eat intuitively - you might gain weight, lose weight, or maintain your weight. If you have been chronically under eating, overeating, or stressed around food, it’s likely you aren’t at your natural weight.
By putting weight loss on the back burner, you learn to reconnect with your body. You will finally discover peace from food freedom and body confidence, regardless of the number on the scale.
Myth 2: If I allow myself to eat whatever I want, I won’t be healthy.
When you eat what you actually want, you will likely only need the amount that satisfies you. You will start to enjoy ALL foods while also feeling calm, leading to health of not just the body, but also of your mind and spirit.
Myth 3: I can’t practice intuitive eating because I have *insert medical condition here*.
If you have been diagnosed with a condition like diabetes, hypothyroidism, or celiac, it’s likely you may benefit from some nutrition interventions. Consider working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who practices from an Intuitive Eating or Health at Every Size Lens. These dietary restrictions can absolutely be honored in a way that doesn’t feel stressful or restrictive.
Myth 4: Anyone who is a nutritionist can help me eat intuitively.
Anyone, and I mean literally anyone, can be a nutritionist, but not just anyone can be a dietitian. If you are ready to take a non-diet approach, consider working with a Registered Dietitian who is also a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who can help you integrate the principles while also making positive changes to improve your health.
Ok I’m in...How Do I Get Started with Intuitive Eating?
YAY, I’m pumped for you. And just a reminder - you don’t have to be ready to start. It’s okay (and totally normal) to do it scared.
Read the intuitive eating book! I also give all my clients the Intuitive Eating Workbook to help write and process their thoughts. These are affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission, so no pressure to use it. It is just an easy space for me to put all my favorite books and things.
Podcasts - I have recorded podcast episodes on Fit Friends Happy Hour, but you can also just search intuitive eating for tons of resources.
Instagram - follow the hashtags #intuitiveeatingofficial and #intuitiveeatingvillage where you will find tons of awesome non-diet accounts and free resources.
Work with an Intuitive Eating Counselor - you can search the certified intuitive eating counselor directory here.
Schedule a free strategy call with me to chat more! I provide both small group and 1:1 Nutrition Coaching Services both locally in Indianapolis, IN and virtually.
The Bottom Line:
Intuitive Eating is NOT…
Fasting or keto
Your cheat day
Aligned or authorized for use with any weight loss plan or program (ie Noom, Weight Watchers, etc)
Counting macros, points, containers, or food groups
A diet
You cannot cherry-pick 1 or 2 principles and call it intuitive eating.
Intuitive eating is…
An evidence-based self-care eating framework.
Far more nuanced than “eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full”
A dynamic interplay of instinct, rational mind, and thought
About bringing pleasure back to the eating experience and connecting with your body
A self-connection journey of learning and discovery - not pass or fail
Has 10 principles which are guide posts (not rules)
An integration of mind-body knowledge, recognizing that life gets hectic and busy at times
Health at Every Size® aligned and weight-inclusive
About dignity and respect for all bodies
if you’re ready to go all in with a non-diet approach, click here to schedule a free strategy call to chat more