Myths About Intuitive Eating

So you think you know intuitive eating?

Chances are that even if you didn't 2 years ago, you've now heard of intuitive eating. But your idea of it may be very different depending on if you heard of it from a dietitian, a blogger, or a diet culture program appropriating the term. 

Because it can cause so much worry, confusion, and is surrounded with myths, I'll be busting some of those here!

Disclaimer: I am not a registered dietitian, not a psychologist, not educated in intuitive eating. My only experience is working with an intuitive eating RD.

So, myths

1. Eating intuitively is an excuse to eat unhealthily- yes and no. While intuitive eating does allow you to eat traditionally "unhealthy foods", it's more about allowing yourself to have those foods while changing your perception. Instead of feeling shamed about eating things that can only be eaten during cheat days, in binges, or if earned or forced, it teaches you to trust yourself and relearn that it's NOT bad food. There is no good or bad foods, none are off limits, and all are healthy in various ways. So it's not an excuse to eat what diet culture labels "bad", but rather permission. Plus, when you listen to hunger signals, cravings, and use your brain to make choices about what's most nourishing, you'll find that the desire for these formerly "forbidden" foods slows down and other cravings will play in.
2. It's the same as the "hunger-fullness" diet- This follows the same thing that assuming intuitive eating is a diet which it isn't, but it commonly gets mistaken for the hunger and fullness diet. The hunger and fullness diet permits you to eat only when hungry, stop when full, and not eat until hungry again. That's not intuitive, because IE allows you to listen to more than just physical hunger. It incorporates mental hunger cues, rational thinking, and socialization. For example, you may not be hungry in which the hunger and fullness diet would make everything off limits, but intuitive eating may tell you that Panera sounds great for lunch, or that you have a big day ahead so you want to eat a lipid and protein dense snack, or even that it's your friend's birthday so cake would be fun. It incorporates your INTUITION into everything hence the name.
3. It will change your weight- Some people gain weight, some people lose weight, some people maintain, but most people do all 3 throughout life. If you have lost weight from unhealthy behaviors, chances are normalizing your eating may make you gain weight, however that isn't always the case. Same goes for gaining weight unhealthily, you may lose weight through IE, but again, not always the case. And it applies to maintaining. It also will allow your body to reach it's natural weight (read here about set point weight theory: http://followtheintuition.com/diets-do-not-work-set-point-weight-works/ ), which is ever-changing! It makes sense that our bodies don't come pre-installed with a bmi chart programming and calories-in vs calories-out calculator. If we were that simple, we'd be robots. Weight and healthy weight is constantly ebbing and flowing so if intuitive eating does or doesn't change your weight, there is nothing wrong with you, in fact you're just allowing your body to be.
4. Intuitive Eating is a fad/trend- While it has become more openly discussed, when you think about it, it's quite the opposite. In fact intuitive eating outstands even the "paleolithic" diet if put on a timeline. Mainly because it's not really a diet, but also because it has existed since humanity. It is just following the natural instincts we're all born with and observe in kids. The only rule is "no rules" and anti diet :)
5. Eating disorders shouldn't be treated with intuitive eating guidance- I actually agree with this to an extent. Early stages of eating disorders especially ones that drastically affect the amount or types of food you eat might not respond to intuitive eating. If your hunger signals aren't aligned, your disorder changes your perception of food, and your health is at risk baby steps definitely should be advised by a dietitian, physician, or other professional. But for people who have disordered eating (not quite a full blown disorder) or have restored hunger signals and perception, it can be a freeing step. No more restriction, no more binging, peace with all foods- it sounds like a recovered utopia. Whatever your disordered behavior is, intuitive eating can be a step to freeing yourself. It is different for everyone, because everyone is different.

If I find any more to respond to, I'll update here, but other than that, eat your kale AND your cake (or whatever the heck makes you happy!)