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<h3 data-mce-style="padding-left: 40px;" style="padding-left: 40px;">What is Intuitive Eating? How to Start Listening to Your Body's Signals&nbsp;</h3>IntroductionHave you ever felt overwhelmed by diets that restrict what, when and how you eat? Imagine a different approach—one where you tune into your body's signals and trust the wisdom that it holds. Well, that’s intuitive eating, a method that encourages you to reclaim your relationship with food. It's about honoring hunger, respecting fullness, and enjoying the pleasure of eating without guilt. In this blog, we'll explore how to start listening to your body, embracing a mindful approach that fosters true nourishment and well-being. Whether you're new to intuitive eating or looking to deepen your practice, let's set out on a journey towards a healthier, happier relationship with food.&nbsp; What is Intuitive Eating?&nbsp;&nbsp;The concept of intuitive eating has been thrown around since the early 1970s, but wasn’t really brought to awareness until 1995. Intuitive eating is a self-care eating framework that encourages individuals to trust their body’s natural hunger and fullness cues rather than following external diet rules or restrictions. It emphasizes developing a healthy relationship with food by allowing people to eat what they want, when they want, while tuning in to their body's signals. Intuitive eating is about rejecting diet culture, making peace with food, and respecting personal hunger, fullness, and satisfaction. The idea behind this stems from the fact that when we restrict ourselves from the foods we love most, it can lead to binge cycles, poor mental health and negative body image.&nbsp; Traditional Diet Culture&nbsp;&nbsp;Compare this concept to traditional diet culture today. We live in a societal system that prioritizes thinness and promotes the idea that achieving a specific body size/shape is key to health, happiness, and success. It often equates worthiness with weight loss and emphasizes restrictive eating patterns, strict food rules, and exercise regimens aimed at altering physical appearance rather than for enjoyment. Diet culture glorifies certain body types, stigmatizes others, and tends to label foods as "good" or "bad," fostering a sense of guilt or shame around eating. This can lead to unhealthy relationships with food, body dissatisfaction, and a constant cycle of dieting, rather than promoting long-term health and self-acceptance.&nbsp; 10 Principles of Intuitive EatingIn 1995, 2 dieticians published a book about intuitive eating and came up with 10 principles for this methodology.&nbsp;<ol><li>Reject diet mentality – Let go of the idea of "diets" and restrictive eating. 2. Honor your hunger – Eat when you feel physically hungry and don’t ignore that feeling. 3. Make peace with food – Allow yourself to eat all types of food without guilt. 4. Challenge the food police – Ignore internal and external judgments around what or how much you should eat. 5. Feel your fullness – Stop when you’re satisfied, not stuffed. 6. Discover satisfaction – Enjoy eating and making choices that feel pleasurable. 7. Cope with emotions with kindness – Recognize emotional triggers without turning to food for comfort. 8. Respect your body – Accept your body’s natural size and shape, understand every body is different.&nbsp; 9. Movement for joy – Engage in physical activity that feels good, rather than as a means to burn calories or look “thin.” 10. Gentle nutrition – Choose foods that nourish your body without strict rules.</li></ol>Why It’s Important to Listen to Your Body&nbsp;The benefits of intuitive eating show up physically and emotionally. From improved digestion to freedom from food obsession to reduced stress, intuitive eating provides a unique approach to a higher quality of living. Without all of the restrictive diets, food can become a source of enjoyment and nourishment rather than anxiety and resentment. It liberates people from the constant stress of following strict diet rules. Breaking free from the diet mentality is a challenge in our society, but taking things one step at a time and simply being willing to make some changes that encourage mindfulness can open new doors. How to Start Listening to Your Body&nbsp;&nbsp;Start by acknowledging your body’s hunger and fullness cues. Pay attention the moment you feel hungry and don’t put off eating as this can lead to overeating your next meal. Learn to understand what true fullness means to you. A good starting point is to stop eating when you're 80% full, that way you aren’t overstuffing yourself to a point of being uncomfortable. Once you have this down then you can start practicing mindful eating techniques. Slowing down and being present while you eat is crucial to enjoying our food and not just rushing through meals to do whatever is next on our list. One way to do this is by minimizing distractions while you eat, like watching TV or working. Instead, maybe put on a podcast and put your phone at the other side of the table so you don’t feel an urge to pick it up while you eat. Or you can eat outside and just observe the world around you. Focus on the taste, texture and smell of what you’re eating and how it makes you feel.Common Challenges and How to Overcome ThemDealing with the fear of overeating, losing control and diet culture are just a few challenges many people face. To overcome these fears, start by identifying your triggers. What triggered you to turn to overeating? Become aware of the situations that urge you to eat emotionally. You can do this by journaling about your emotions when they come up and tracking your patterns. Another way to overcome these challenges is to create healthy and sustainable coping mechanisms. Find activities that provide emotional comfort without involving food, such as meditation, exercise, talking to a friend or trying a new hobby. Staying patient and compassionate with yourself is key. Remind yourself of why you want to have a healthier relationship with food and visualize how you'll feel when you achieve your goals.&nbsp;The Bottom LineI strongly encourage you to take the first step in learning how to trust your body. I allow you to release the attachment to traditional diet culture and break free from the norms of society. Building a healthy and positive relationship with food is incredibly important to vitality and quality of life. Take time to reflect on your eating habits and trust yourself to make these healthier decisions for your well-being. Remember that this journey isn't about perfection, it's about progress and having the right support can make all the difference.&nbsp;Are you ready to...Transform your relationship with food and embrace a healthier lifestyle? As a certified wellness and nutrition coach, I’m here to guide you in making lasting changes that align with your goals and values. Whether you're looking to eat more mindfully, improve energy, or explore nutritious options, we’ll work together to create a personalized plan that fits your lifestyle. Say goodbye to restrictive diets and hello to intuitive, sustainable habits that leave you feeling nourished and empowered. Let’s connect and start your journey to vibrant health today!

Intuitive Eating 101: What is it and how do I do it?