Intuitive Eating: 6 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is intuitive eating food for weight loss?
   Here’s the truth: intuitive eating never promised weight loss. Some lose weight, some gain weight, and some maintain their weight throughout. What everyone does gain is a better, peaceful relationship with food and their body, and for most, that’s priceless.
   
   

2. Is intuitive eating a diet?
   Nope! It cannot be considered a diet because it doesn’t dictate how/what/when/how much you should eat. You make the rules. Though it has 10 guiding principles, its main objective is to trust your body and make peace with food. There are no harsh restrictions or consequences for "messing up”.
   
   

3. Is intuitive eating sustainable?
   Absolutely! Considering there is now right or wrong way to eat intuitively, and that there is no “falling off the wagon," it is a way of eating that can be pursued for a long period of time, with little to no stress. It is considered sustainable, especially considering the flexibility of its 10 guiding principles.
   

4. Is intuitive eating evidence-based?
   Those following intuitive eating reported a higher satisfaction regarding their meals, their body, and a more positive attitude towards life. I will also list some studies at the end of this article that can be helpful, in case you were looking to read some.
   

5. Is intuitive eating for everyone?
   Of course! Though there is always work to be done to make it more and more inclusive, everyone is allowed to eat intuitively, and make peace with food and their body. Even you.
   

6. Is intuitive eating easy?
   This depends on many factors: our history with dieting, our current relationship with food/our bodies, our surroundings and context. The beginning of our intuitive eating journey may feel confusing and messy, but the end result is so worth it.

Final thoughts
Intuitive eating and making peace with food might feel impossible right now. It may seem like a tedious journey with no tangible end goal in sight, especially given all the things we’ve been through in the past. Working with a Registered Dietitian who can offer you a support system will make it a lot easier, helping you reap the peace with food and your body that you truly deserve. 

Have a wonderful day,

Maria Tanielian, RD/Dt.P

Registered Dietitian/Nutritionniste (OPDQ #7223)

Ressources:

1.Van Dyke N, Drinkwater EJ. Relationships between intuitive eating and health indicators: literature review. Public Health Nutr. 2014 Aug;17(8):1757-66. doi: 10.1017/S1368980013002139. Epub 2013 Aug 21. PMID: 23962472.

2. Warren JM, Smith N, Ashwell M. A structured literature review on the role of mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating in changing eating behaviours: effectiveness and associated potential mechanisms. Nutr Res Rev. 2017 Dec;30(2):272-283. doi: 10.1017/S0954422417000154. Epub 2017 Jul 18. PMID: 28718396.

3. Bacon L, Stern JS, Van Loan MD, Keim NL. Size acceptance and intuitive eating improve health for obese, female chronic dieters. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 Jun;105(6):929-36. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2005.03.011. PMID: 15942543.

4. Linardon J, Mitchell S. Rigid dietary control, flexible dietary control, and intuitive eating: Evidence for their differential relationship to disordered eating and body image concerns. Eat Behav. 2017 Aug;26:16-22. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2017.01.008. Epub 2017 Jan 23. PMID: 28131005.

5. Bacon L, Aphramor L. Weight science: evaluating the evidence for a paradigm shift. Nutr J. 2011 Jan 24;10:9. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-10-9. Erratum in: Nutr J. 2011;10:69. PMID: 21261939; PMCID: PMC3041737.

6. Craven MP, Fekete EM. Weight-related shame and guilt, intuitive eating, and binge eating in female college students. Eat Behav. 2019 Apr;33:44-48. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2019.03.002. Epub 2019 Mar 13. PMID: 30903861.