I was at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) recently, and the above statement was made by one of the presenters. Now, I have a disclaimer before I begin debunking this statement: this topic is near and dear to my heart. I, for one, have benefited greatly from an intuitive eating approach. This philosophy has given me freedom in my relationship with food and has allowed me to tune-in to my individual needs. With that said, lets look at what intuitive eating is and what the research suggests about it.
What is Intuitive Eating? There is more information on the 10 principles here.
1. Reject the Diet Mentality
2. Honor Your Hunger
4. Challenge the Food Police
5. Respect your Fullness
6. Discover the Satisfaction Factor
7. Honor Your Feelings Without Using Food
8. Respect Your Body
9. Exercise Feel the Difference
10. Honor Your Health
Similarly to HAES (in Myth #3), intuitive eating is regularly misunderstood. As you can see from the principles, intuitive eating is about learning how to listen to our bodies again. If we are over-filling ourselves with food, not eating fruits and vegetables, eating only highly processed and sugary foods, or even eating diet foods (that lead to hunger, low energy, grouchiness, or abdominal pain), I would argue that we are not really listening to our bodies’ needs. Intuitive eating isn’t about eating all the time or about overriding hunger/fullness signals. Intuitive eating is about listening to your body and learning what amounts (and types) of food give you the most energy to live your life fully.
Does research on Intuitive Eating validate any role in obesity? Let’s take a look:
-Intuitive eating linked to reduced fat tissue, increased insulin sensitivity, and increased well-being in college students
-Intuitive eaters are associated with decreased binge eating, emotional eating, and poor self-esteem.
-Dieting, not intuitive eating, predicts future weight gain, disordered eating, and binge eating. In fact, one study suggests that girls who diet in high school are 12 times more likely to binge than girls who don’t. In a twin study, dieting predicts future weight gain.
From what the research suggest, I cannot see a causal relationship between intuitive eating and obesity. But, more importantly, I can see links between intuitive eating and a healthier relationship with food. Are you an intuitive eater? What are your thoughts on its role in health and weight? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section!
This post is by Janet Zimmerman, a University of Memphis Nutrition Student and Schilling Nutrition Therapy, LLC Intern. You can follow Janet on Twitter as well at http://twitter.com/JanetZimmerman
I’m reading the book. I agree with you. I think this is the way to go–aren’t we sick of diets! It’s important to get the message right, whether someone is reading the book or working with a professional. The authors emphasize that it’s a process, so you have to give yourself time and the chance to experience it. It’s helping me personally key in my eating habits. I was happy to notice that I do practice some of the principles already (yay), but as a dietitian, it’s eye opening and giving me another tools and approach to work with me clients.
Nour,
Thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you found Intuitive Eating and are discovering more about the intuitive eating approach for yourself and your clients. I agree with everything you said: Intuitive Eating is a process, I’m SICK of diets and their consequences, and Intuitive Eating is a great tool to use with clients! Thanks again for reading and commenting!
Janet