Have you ever watched a YouTube vlog about intuitive eating? Or have you recently listened to a podcast where a nutritionist seemed to have groundbreaking advice telling you to ditch diets, and start intuitively eating? Well, intuitive eating seems to be growing in popularity in the past couple of years, with more people seemingly swearing by its positive impact on their physique. Is it legit or just another social media fad?
What is Intuitive Eating?
Intuitive Eating (IE) is an anti-diet approach based on one’s internal needs, whether physical, emotional, or other influences. It encourages listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues, rather than following strict diets or food rules. Unlike diets, IE does not focus on specific foods, a calorie level to reach, or even eating at certain times. It is all about reconnecting with one’s body while fostering a healthy relationship with food. It may not lead to weight loss, but it is rather aimed at promoting a positive self-image.
History of Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating was developed by the nutritionist-dietician duo Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch in their book entitled Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works, first published in 1995. At the time, Tribole and Resch were considered radicals, as they were the first to defy the limitations and negative consequences of traditional dieting practices. Since then, intuitive eating has gained popularity, and has been supported by ongoing research in the fields of nutrition and psychology.
Scientific Backing to Intuitive Eating
Studies have shown an association between IE and improved psychological well-being, better body image, and lower levels of disordered eating behaviors. Research suggests too that IE may lead to better long-term weight management compared to restrictive dieting approaches. There have been other studies contributing to the growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness and benefits of intuitive eating as a healthy approach to eating and well-being. Nevertheless, the research “The Intuitive Eating Scale-2: Item Refinement and Psychometric Evaluation with College Women and Men” (2013) focused on the development and validation of a scale to measure IE behaviors.
Intuitive Eating vs Emotional Eating
Following your intuition could seem a plausible solution; especially, if you are trying to end a vicious dieting cycle. However, IE can easily become a slippery road if you are not cautious enough when listening to your body’s urges. This is when emotional eating—a condition where food is used primarily as a tool to cope with emotions, such as stress, sadness, or boredom—surfaces. Misinterpreting the body’s cues could potentially lead to overeating or binge eating. That is why it is essential to approach intuitive eating with mindfulness and self-awareness to avoid such pitfalls.
References
intuitiveeating.org
nytimes.com
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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