Intuitive Eating: the 10 Principles and How They can Radically Change Your Relationship with Food and Body

Did you know that we are born intuitive eaters? We are born with an understanding about what food we need, how much and how often. Babies do this naturally and without thought. One day they drink so much milk you're sure that they're going to burst! And then the next day, their milk needs may be lower than you expect. This can cause panic in parents, but if you let the baby lead you, you will always notice that there are rhythms, patterns and reasons that their eating changes. Same is true for toddlers- they can eat cups and cups of fruit one day and have zero interest in fruit for the next few days. If we step out of the way and let the toddler choose how much they will eat, you can see that by the end of the week, they got all their needs met, it's just not in a "structured and predictable way." It's in an intuitive way.

Here's a fun example of what I noticed with my son when he was about 2 years old. He had been sick for a few days with a high fever and we were in the middle of a heatwave. We didn't have AC, so he was sweating excessively with the combo of fever and heat. The day he started to feel better and have an appetite, I thought he needed a lot of fruit because I thought "he needs water!" He had zero interest and I was so perplexed. After his many refusals, I got out a bag of Pirates Booty- and he ate the whole thing! This little child ate an entire bag of Pirates Booty! Why? Because his body knew it needed salt, not sugar, from all the salt he had sweat out the past few days. This also increased his thirst, so he drank a lot of water as well. I was amazed! His body was right and my assumptions were wrong.

Before we dive in to the principles, here's a little history on Intuitive Eating: Intuitive Eating is a concept that was officially coined by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch in 1995. It's no surprise that at the height of "fat is bad" food trend, this concept didn't sit well with most and was not popular at all. It wasn't until more recently that people gravitated towards this type of thinking we have become less diet focused and more body size inclusive. We have been indoctrinated to believe that we can't trust our own body cues and that we need rigidity, rules, structure, and DIETS to tell us how to feed ourselves. I call bullsh*t on that and have helped many people learn how to feed themselves in an intuitive way. The principles below lay out the process of how to relearn how to be an intuitive eater (because remember, you were BORN one already). The first principle is the most important one, and one that may people get caught up on. So let's dive in!

1. Reject the Diet Mentality

The first step to intuitive eating is letting go of the diet mentality. Diets create a cycle of deprivation and failure. According to research, 45 million Americans go on diets each year, yet 95-97.5% of these diets fail. That means you have a 2.5-5% of long term success with a diet! Can you imagine going to the doctor for birth control and they recommend one with those numbers! You'd leave and never go back. Did you know that the biggest predictor of weight gain is intentional weight loss? So if we never intentionally tried to lose weight, we would be our natural weights without struggle. Rejecting the diet mentality is the foundation of intuitive eating and by letting this go, you can focus on enabling yourself to enjoy various foods without guilt. Embrace the idea that you can eat freely, choosing foods that satisfy you without shame.

2. Honor Your Hunger

Listening to your body's hunger signals is essential in intuitive eating. Start by identifying what genuine hunger feels like compared to simple cravings. For example, if you notice a growling stomach or low energy, it’s time to respond. Studies show that individuals who eat in response to hunger cues are less likely to overeat later. The more you connect with these signals, the easier it becomes to nourish your body when it truly needs it. Many people don't really know what their hunger feels like- by using intuitive eating, you can begin to see that it's not a black and white "I'm hungry or I'm not hungry." There are shades of grey, like a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the most hungry you have ever felt and 10 being the most full you've ever felt. Learning what the numbers in between feel like are a helpful way to be better able to listen to and respond accordingly. For example, if you wait until you are a 2 out of 10, you are more likely to overeat when you get access to food because you are SO HUNGRY! Eating when you notice you're at a 4 or 5 gives you a lot more calm with your food choices and portions, helping you to eat in better alignment with what you truly need.

3. Make Peace with Food

Unconditional permission to eat is vital for a positive relationship with food. Remove those mental barriers that place foods into “good” or “bad” categories. When you can enjoy your favorite foods without guilt—like a slice of pizza or a piece of chocolate cake—you'll find a more relaxed eating experience. A survey indicated that when individuals stop labeling foods, their cravings for those foods diminish significantly. This is called giving yourself both physical permission to eat (the literal act of eating) and emotional permission (fully embracing that you can eat the food without guilt, shame or remorse).

4. Challenge the Food Police

The “food police” are those persistent thoughts that categorize certain foods as acceptable or unacceptable. To fully embrace intuitive eating, challenge these thoughts. Instead of viewing a cupcake as off-limits, remind yourself that all foods can fit into a balanced diet. Celebrate your food choices without guilt. For instance, enjoy that cupcake at a friend's birthday party without dwelling on the perceived "wrongness" of indulging. The opposite of the food police is the food rebel. The food rebel is the protective part of yourself that comes in to make sure you that you can eat whatever the hell you want to and as much as you want to! But just like a teenager who is rebellious and makes some bad choices, this causes more harm than good. The food rebel is well intentioned- wanting you to be autonomous and be able to make your own choices- it just takes it a little too far. If you say bye to the food police, in time the food rebel won't have anyone to fight with.

5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor

Eating should be enjoyable! Focus on truly savoring the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food. Engaging in this mindful eating can lead to greater satisfaction. For instance, take a moment to appreciate the taste and smell of a well-cooked meal. Research indicates that people who enjoy their food are less likely to overeat, as they feel fulfilled and pleased with their meals. Next time you eat, try to not be distracted so you can focus on the foods you are eating. What do you love most about the food? What is your favorite texture? Do you like to blend some of the food items or keep them separate? Doing this you may notice that you don't actually like some of the food you thought you did! I remember when I ate a Snickers after repairing my relationship with food and learning intuitive eating and I was SHOCKED that I couldn't stand the taste! My whole life I told myself I loved them and believed I was out of control when they were around. All I had to do was allow myself to really taste it and realize that I didn't like them.

A vibrant and nourishing meal laden with colorful vegetables.

6. Feel Your Fullness

Just as you should honor your hunger, recognizing fullness is equally important. Learn to listen to your body during meals, assessing your comfort level. Check in with yourself about halfway through your meal. A study found that mindful eaters tend to eat about 20% less than those who are distracted while eating, leading to healthier portions and less overeating. A fun trick is to ask yourself, "does this bite taste as good as the first bite?" Our bodies have a mechanism in them that makes food not taste as good once we have satisfied our food needs- cool right?!

7. Cope with Your Emotions without Using Food

Many of us often turn to food for comfort in times of stress, sadness, or boredom. A key aspect of intuitive eating is finding alternative coping strategies. Reflect on what triggers your emotional eating and explore healthier outlets such as journaling, walking, or connecting with friends. This is where counseling can be very helpful. Most of us use food and identify as "emotional eaters." Instead of seeing that as a bad thing, can you see it as interesting and be curious about it? Eating when not hungry isn't the problem, it's a symptom that something else is going on, that there is an unmet need, and that you need support in learning how to identify what you're feeling and what to do about it. The most common reasons I hear people going to food is 1) boredom, 2) frustration, and 3) loneliness.

8. Respect Your Body

Respecting your body is vital in the intuitive eating journey. Focus on appreciating what your body can do rather than how it looks. We have been on a body positive kick and while I love that, some people never get to the place of loving it and feeling the pressure to love it ends up causing more distress. If this resonates with you, body neutrality may be a better option. Being neutral about your body instead of super positive or negative means that you see your body as the vessel that helps you live your life and it isn't something to feel ashamed about and also not something to celebrate. It just is. For others, this journey of intuitive eating may help you feel more positive about your body and that's great too! Either or, respecting your body will help you embrace intuitive eating better.

9. Exercise — Feel the Difference

Our bodies are designed to move and have a true need for it. We aren't meant to be sedentary all the time. Exercise is beneficial for us for so many reasons, but diet culture does a lot of harm to that relationship. For lots of clients we even rename exercise to find a word or phrase that feels better. Exercise for a lot of people is a loaded word that has strange rules attached to it like it has to be 60 minutes, it has to be a certain kind of difficult, you have to sweat a certain amount, you have to suffer, etc. Try renaming it to something that feels more aligned and supportive such as joyful movement, getting the wiggles out, moving anxiety through, or connecting with your body. Whatever resonates- use it! Engage in exercises you genuinely enjoy, such as dancing, swimming, gardening, or yoga. For instance, consider how energizing a 30-minute dance session can feel compared to an hour of forced gym workouts. When you focus on the joy of movement rather than calories burned, you establish a healthier relationship with exercise.

10. Honor Your Health — Gentle Nutrition

While the emphasis is on pleasure and satisfaction, that doesn’t mean neglecting health. Incorporate gentle nutrition by selecting foods that nourish your body while still enjoying your favorite treats. For example, focusing on getting enough protein and fiber throughout the day while also eating carbohydrates and fats to give your body everything that it needs. Every macronutrient is needed and gentle nutrition is a way to incorporate all of them in a way that is intentional. The key is to strike a balance between satisfaction and well-being. Think of this like parenting yourself: what would you feed your child or someone else you love so that they could be healthy and strong? Would you only give them salad? Would you only give them sweets? Probably not. Same goes for you- putting some time and thought into your food is a way you take care of yourself and your health.

A Path Towards a Healthier Relationship with Food

Intuitive eating is a journey that enhances your relationship with both food and your body. By incorporating these 10 principles, you'll gradually transform how you view meals and nourishment. This process requires patience and practice, but over time, it can lead to a more joyful life where food is no longer a source of stress. Embrace the joy that food can bring, and remember that nourishing your body can also nurture your overall well-being. And a bonus from this: you can take this intuitive eating into your life and live more intuitively in all ways! I've had clients change things in their home to feel more aligned with their needs, change their wardrobes so they feel good in what they're wearing, change their schedules so that they better align with their natural energy levels, and more!