Get Control of Your “Diet” With Intuitive Eating

How much fun do you have when you eat? If it sounds like an “odd” question then the answer is obvious – very little. Most dieters eat what they think they “should” or what some diet plan tells them to eat because it’s the obvious solution to reaching their goal weight. But one thing all dieters have in common is the “dieter’s mentality” – restrict, skip, and avoid.

These negative words give dieting a negative connotation. And what is pleasurable about negativity? Absolutely nothing. So what’s a desperate dieter to do? I say “get over it” – the diet that is. Get over dieting and embrace the idea that you can lose weight, nourish yourself, and be healthier for a long time if you just let go.  Are ‘ya with me?

Intuitive Eating is a non-diet approach to eating that brings you back to a sense of self-efficacy that you know when you are physically hungry and full. You aren’t afraid to choose “bad for you” foods, and when you do you aren’t afraid to leave more than half on the plate because you feel satisfied. You are in total control. If you want a slice of pizza for breakfast you go for it, but then lunch rolls around and you feel like having sushi. You get full after six pieces. A few hours later, you crave something sweet so you go for some cold melon and a couple bites of dark chocolate. After a workout, you are really hungry in the car so you pull over and get a fast food double cheeseburger, but you only eat about half and you feel satisfied. When you get home, you don’t feel like eating that much so you have some chopped veggies and a small bowl of oatmeal.

Sounds totally backwards, doesn’t it? Pizza at breakfast and oatmeal at dinner? Pizza and cheeseburgers in the same day?! But why not if that’s what you wanted. Notice how in this scenario a heavy meal is followed by something really light? Think of a “heavy” food that you can’t live without, but you avoid like the plague because it “makes you fat.” Now, imagine eating that food whenever you want when you feel hungry and stopping when you feel full. Doesn’t that sound FUN? I bet after a while the allure of the banned foods fade and you replace it with other healthier foods.

So, what do you think… sound too risky for you or does it sound liberating? Let me know in the comments.

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3 thoughts on “Get Control of Your “Diet” With Intuitive Eating

  1. Sounds completely reasonable to me, though your menu in particular doesn’t appeal. I think intuitive eating is hard to achieve, most likely due to body mistrust due to dieting. Some think that intuitive eating gives free reign to eat with reckless abandon, considering only taste and impulse. Some just really want structure, and many don’t trust themselves. Personally, I think most people who do need this are bingers, emotional eaters, or strict dieters, who may indeed have to deal with their eating problems before they can full embrace intuitive eating.

  2. I’ve been trying intuitive eating for about 2 weeks now. This is after many, MANY years doing every diet around. This is definitely the first time in memory that I feel at peace with food. The incessant diet noise in my head has stopped! It feels amazing to enjoy food again, without guilt, blame, and fear. I know that as I listen to my body, I am naturally eating better and less than before.

    The whole point of intuitive eating is not following another person’s “diet”. It’s all about what YOU want to eat. Personally, I think this is the only way to conquer eating problems.

    Great article – thanks!

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