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So since dieting is not sustainable and creates the crazies physically, mentally and relationally around food what in the world is a holistic and sustainable alternative?  Essential this calls many to RELEARN how to eat.  It causes us to question what NORMAL eating even looks and feels like.  

What would it look like for you to trust your body to tell you what food it needs, when it needs it and how much it needs?  This is what intuitive eating strives to do.  We were all created with our bodies natural ability to tell you everything you need to know about food.  Have you ever watched a baby or toddler eat.  They eat so freely, have preferences of what sounds good, stop when full even if there is food on their plate.  They eat intuitively.

Intuitive Eating is based on 10 principles from the book Intuitive Eating 3rd Edition by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch.  It is a gentle way of eating that strongly encourages you to look at your mind and your personal relationship with food.  It is not just about nutrition, and actually encourages you to put nutrition on the back burner for a while because we have to heal our mind and emotions around food FIRST.  Theses principles work towards gaining body attunement, which means to listen to and respond to your body’s natural queues.  The principles also work towards removing the obstacles that might get in the way of your natural ability to attune to your body.   Here is a BRIEF overview of each of the principles.  

1. Reject the diet mentality. 

This is a difficult thing to do.  Think about the amount of years you have spent stuck in thinking about and practicing all different kinds of diets.  The average American makes 3-4 diet attempts per year!!  We live in a culture that praises those who go on diets and call it “taking care of yourself.”  Intuitive eating teaches that you are the expert of your own body.  Only you know when to eat, how much to eat and what to eat.  This principle might be the hardest especially if you have been dieting for years, grew up in a dieting home and have been praised for your weight loss efforts.  I want to encourage you to pay attention to the ads on TV and magazines, social situations with your friends and everywhere else you go in your life and notice how much dieting/food restriction/cleanses/Whole 30/Keto/ WHATEVER is discussed.  The value of people is not based on the size of their body. 

2. Honor your hunger.  

This principle is all about eating when you are hungry as well as evaluating your level of hunger through out the day.  This principle is about allowing yourself to eat when you are at a medium stage of hunger and not waiting until you are “HANGRY.”  Honoring your hunger is a form of taking care of yourself and attuning at a deep yet simple level.  

3. Make Peace With Food.  

It’s time to stop fighting with food and give yourself unconditional permission to eat.  If you have been restricting for years you are probably reading this and thinking that I am crazy.  It is likely over the years of restriction you labeled foods as “good” and “bad.”  This principle puts all foods on the table and encourages no more moral categorizing.  And I want to remind you in this moment that your body KNOWS what you need.  It’s time to start trusting it.  

4. Challenge the Food Police. 

It is time to stop beating yourself up about what you eat.  This is making you probably feel crazy.  If you ate that cookie today you can just enjoy the cookie and move on.  Challenging the food police encourages eaters to put an end to monitoring those unreasonable rules dieting has created.  Your food police is likely buried deep deep down and you have likely been turning to them as a guide on what to eat or what not to eat.  Turn to your own body attuement instead.

5. Respect Your Fullness. 

Like honoring your hunger this principle is similar in encouraging you to respect your fullness. When you feel full you can stop eating.  Part of intuitive eating is putting all foods on the table and not restricting.  You can always eat those leftovers tomorrow because ALL FOOD IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO YOU.  Think about honor and fullness on a scale.  1 being really hungry and 10 being very full.  We don’t feel good when we are neither super hungry or super full so find a happy spot in the middle.

6. Discover the Satisfaction Factor.  This principle looks at really tuning into your mind, body and senses and asking yourself “What sounds good to me?” Do you want something hot, cold, hearty, light, soft, chewy, salty or sweet to eat?  When we eat what sounds good to us in the moment research shows we enjoy the food so much more.  Research also shows that as we eat something satisfaction is extremely high the first few bites then goes down as you continue to eat.  When was the last time you ENJOYED the food you were eating?

7. Honor Your Feelings Without Using Food.  

Food is emotional.  We eat to celebrate and to morn.  This is not a bad thing.  This principle encourages eaters to be aware of their emotions and HONOR them.  I specialize in helping people with their emotions in my private practice.  It is my soap box and something that is near and dear to my heart.  Emotions are messages that tell you important things.  Emotions are also fleeting.  The come and go – usually in a matter of minutes.  Honor your emotions by taking care of them instead of only turning to food when stressed, overwhelmed, board, angry or shameful.  

8. Accept Your Body.  

This one is HARD!  The shape of your body is largely based on genetics.  If you have been a dieter for years you have probably noticed the limitations of your body, and that most of us don’t fit into the thin ideal.  Get those airbrushed women and men off your social media feed and begin to follow those who celebrate body diversity.  Lets stop beating ourselves up and begin to step into gratitude about what our bodies are capable of.

9. Exercise: Feel the Difference!

This principle is all about joyful movement.  How many times have you started an exercise routine because it was a part of a diet?  When was the last time you engaged in some sort of movement and thought to yourself “Wow this is really fun!”  Move your body because it feels good! 

10. Honor Your Health.  

This LAST principle incorporates gentle nutrition into your life.  Nutrition is important.  Intuitive Eating does not throw nutrition out the window.  It is important to remember that you do not need to eat PERFECTLY to be healthy.  I recently heard looking at nutrition balance from a weekly basis instead of daily is super helpful and taking the pressure off eating perfectly every day.  Eat food you love.  Some will be healthier than others and thats OKAY. 

I want to hear from you!  What principle is easy for you?  Which one is the most difficult?  

If you are struggling with your weight, body image or your relationship with food reach out we are here to help.  Email us, call us or schedule a session to see how some counseling could help change things for you.  Also check out the book Intuitive Eating, I promise it is worth the read!

Warmly, 

Chelsea

Encounter Counseling Center offers quality individual, couples and Christian Counseling services in Grand Junction, Colorado.