Why Should I Practice Intuitive Eating?
Alternatively: Thank U, Next to All Diets for Good
There are fad diets, evidence-based diets, weight-loss diets, cleanses; I bet you’ve heard them all and maybe tried several for yourself. The upcoming message now, which I am totally here for, is a rise in Intuitive Eating.
But what does it mean to eat “intuitively” or “mindfully?”
This concept sends the very idea of “dieting” on its way and opens a whole new world of healthy relationships with food, leading to improved health, better wellbeing, and lasting good habits. Never again will you be looking at food through a measurement lens, like this carrot to the right. No food is off limits or rejected. Simply put: Intuitive Eating is a movement that gives you freedom! We should all be saying “thank u, next” to the idea of dieting.
In her Intuitive Eating Workbook, Registered Dietitian Evelyn Tribole describes it as “…a dynamic mind-body integration of instinct, emotion, and rational thought. It is a personal process of honoring your health by paying attention to the messages of your body and meeting your physical and emotional needs.” Learning how to eat intuitively is a process and a journey that requires you to focus inward and pay attention to every aspect of your physical body, cognitive thoughts, and emotional reactions.
Evelyn Tribole, MS, RDN and Elyse Resch, MS, RDN take students through their own personal journey by explaining and practicing the 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating:
Reject the Diet Mentality
Honor Your Hunger
Make Peace with Food
Challenge the Food Police
Feel Your Fullness
Discover the Satisfaction Factor
Cope with Your Feelings Without Using Food
Respect Your Body
Exercise: Feel the Difference
Honor Your Health: Gentle Nutrition
Practicing these principles and changing your approach to eating can completely turn your world around. It isn’t just a way of eating; it’s a way of thinking about food, attuning to your body, and honoring your needs. There is a lot of scientific evidence that supports improved mindfulness and body awareness in connection to eating behaviors and outcomes.
Want to take one small step in trying Mindful Eating today?
Mindful Eating is all about practicing nonjudgmental attention to a food by simply noticing every aspect of it, paying attention to all the details of physically eating, and most importantly, slowing down. This is a great way to start practicing attentiveness. Follow these steps:
Pick up a raisin, a piece of dark chocolate, or a peppermint.
Hold it in your hand. Feel it between your fingers.
Notice the smell.
Hold it against your lips and notice the texture.
Place it in your mouth.
Notice how it feels on your tongue.
Notice how it feels against the roof of your mouth.
Notice the texture.
Notice the flavor.
Take one bite and notice the effect it has.
Continue slowly chewing until you need to swallow.
You can go through this process bite-by-bite with an entire meal if you want to take it a step further. Next level attention? Switch your fork to your non-dominant hand and see how much more you have to focus!
Try it today and drop a comment below to share your experience! And as always, follow me on Instagram and Facebook at @OnTheMoveNutrition to keep up with the latest, including intuitive eating & mindfulness workshops!
Cheers & Namaste!
-JMJ