Intuitive eating is defined as an attunement, or harmony, of mind, body, and food. It’s a self-care style of living that was created by two registered dietitians and is backed by more than 13 research studies. It often is used to help people think about food differently, build a better relationship with food, and nurture lifelong healthy habits. This style of eating helps people make peace with all types of foods and rejects the “diet mentality.” Unlike traditional diets that restrict certain foods (like carbs), intuitive eating teaches how to stop looking at food as “good” or “bad” and just listen to your body and eat what feels right for you. All foods fit; listen to your hunger cues.

There are 10 key principles of intuitive eating.

1. Reject diet mentality – Most diets advertise the false hope of losing weight quickly and permanently.
2. Honor your hunger – Listen to your hunger cues. Eat to live, not live to eat.
3. Make peace with food – Give yourself unconditional permission.
4. Challenge the food police – Challenge negative thoughts surrounding food.
5. Discover the satisfaction factor – Feel satisfied and content.
6. Feel your fullness – Trust your gut. Listen to your body.
7. Cope with your emotions with kindness – Food doesn’t fix problems. Manage the emotion and explore the root of it.
8. Respect your body – Learning to love your body is important.
9. Movement: feel the difference – Get active!
10. Honor your health via gentle nutrition – Make food choices to honor your health.

Use Sifter to select foods important to you and that give the best benefit for self-care. My favorites are rich in whole grains, heart healthy, and convenient.

updated January 2023

Resources

Intuitive eating books
Meet The Original Intuitive Eating Pros