Intuitive eating... What’s the hype?

Honestly… What does that even mean? It’s a term people may or may not have heard. But what I’ve found, especially online, is that most people don’t really know what it actually means. A lot of people seem to think intuitive eating is just about eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full. And yes, that is part of it. I’d even say it’s a big part... but it’s so much more nuanced than that.

Let’s start at the beginning

We are born intuitive eaters. Eating, in fact, is an instinct we’re born with. It’s what keeps us alive. Research shows that babies actually come out knowing how to eat. They cry when they’re hungry and turn away when they’re full. Kids naturally know how to regulate their calorie and macronutrient intake based on what their bodies need, especially when they’re given a variety of foods and not pressured.

The sad reality is that over time, we lose the ability to eat intuitively. We watch a parent diet and pick up on their eating habits and beliefs. We learn that being thinner is better, and that weight gain is bad. So what happens when a 13-year-old goes through puberty and gains 20 or more pounds, just as their body is meant to? We start to diet. Over time, we build up rules and belief systems about food. We learn to “control,” “monitor,” and “restrict” ourselves. That takes us further and further away from our innate ability to eat freely and without guilt. That’s what leads to yo-yo dieting, weight cycling, obsessive food and body thoughts, binging, and even eating disorders.

And yet, even through all of these distressing behaviors, we still blame the food. Or we blame ourselves for not being able to “stick to the diet.” So we get stricter and stricter. We tell ourselves, “This time I’ll stay on the diet!” But what if dieting is the problem? What if your body already knows what to do, and the key is actually listening to it…. not your food rules?

So how do you actually do it, you may ask?

That’s where I come in. I’m a registered dietitian who specializes in disordered eating and eating disorders. The process involves developing a structured way of eating that’s supportive, not restrictive. It means unlearning and challenging all the food rules and beliefs you’ve carried for years. It also means doing exposures. That might look like eating a delicious brownie at 10 a.m. on a Wednesday, noticing the guilt or shame that may come up, and working through it without restricting later or feeling like you have to eat eight more just because you "broke a rule."

What it doesn’t involve is following some influencer on TikTok who posts “what I eat in a day” and says they’re practicing intuitive eating. It doesn’t involve going on a GLP-1 because you heard it “gets rid of the food noise.” It’s hard work to undo everything we’ve been taught, but it’s worth it. And I am here to help.

If you are interested in getting started on your intuitive eating journey, reach out to book a session.

Dani Roberts. RDN, LDN, CEDS