What is Intuitive Eating? 

An estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet each year, which shows just how important weight loss is to the average person in the US. In a world dominated by fad diets, weight loss injections, and immediate gratification, it can be challenging to have a healthy relationship with the way you eat. 

If you’ve attempted all the latest dieting trends, it’s time to release yourself from the pressures of diet culture and prioritize your well-being and health over your waist size. That’s where intuitive eating comes into play.

With intuitive eating, you can pursue a long-term solution that will leave you full and happy. Intuitive dieting also goes hand in hand with gastric bypass and weight loss surgery. Let’s explore what intuitive eating entails and how it can revolutionize how we perceive and engage with our meals.

How to Eat Intuitively 

At its core, intuitive eating is about reconnecting with your body’s natural cues and signals. It involves: 

• Listening to your hunger and fullness
• Embracing satisfaction
• Rejecting the rigid rules of diet culture. 

Intuitive eating is what some call a non-diet–it’s a mindset that encourages a healthy relationship with food, free from the constraints of traditional dieting.

The 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating:

Intuitive eating encourages you to trust your body and foster a more mindful approach to eating. The principles of intuitive eating include:

1. Reject the Diet Mentality

Letting go of the diet mentality means abandoning the idea that there’s a one-size-fits-all solution to health and wellness. By acknowledging that diets often lead to short-term results and long-term frustration, you can pave the way for a more sustainable and nourishing relationship with food.

2. Honor Your Hunger

Instead of suppressing hunger or adhering to strict eating schedules, learn to trust your body and eat when you’re genuinely hungry, promoting a healthier relationship with food.

3. Make Peace With Food

Banishing the concept of “good” and “bad” foods is crucial in intuitive eating. By allowing yourself to enjoy all foods in moderation, guilt, and shame are removed from the eating equation. 

4. Challenge the Food Police

The food police, representing internalized thoughts or external judgments about what is “right” or “wrong” to eat, can be silenced through intuitive eating. By challenging and dismissing these thoughts, you can regain control over your eating habits and preferences.

5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor

By paying attention to flavors, textures, and the overall enjoyment of meals, you can foster a sense of satisfaction beyond mere nutritional content.

6. Feel Your Fullness

Learning to recognize and respect fullness cues is a cornerstone of intuitive eating. By eating until comfortably satisfied, you can avoid overeating and better attune yourself to your body’s needs.

7. Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness

Instead of turning to food as a coping mechanism, you should explore alternative ways to manage emotions, promoting a more balanced and mindful approach to well-being.

8. Respect Your Body

By respecting and appreciating the body you have, regardless of size or shape, a more positive and empowering relationship with food can be cultivated.

9. Movement – Feel the Difference

Exercise is reframed in intuitive eating as a way to honor and appreciate the body’s capabilities rather than a tool for punishment or compensation. Engaging in physical activity that brings joy and satisfaction is prioritized over rigid exercise regimens.

10. Gentle Nutrition

Finally, intuitive eating acknowledges the role of nutrition without fixating on strict dietary rules. It encourages making food choices that honor both your health and your taste buds, emphasizing flexibility and enjoyment over restriction.

Benefits of Intuitive Eating:

• Sustainable Weight Management
• Improved Mental Health
• Lower BMI
• Good Cholesterol
• Better Digestive Health
• Lowered Disordered/Emotional Eating
• Raised Body Confidence

Maintain a Healthier Relationship with Eating After a Gastric Bypass

For those who have undergone weight loss surgery in Chattanooga, intuitive eating can complement the journey toward a healthier lifestyle. While surgical interventions like gastric bypass can aid in weight loss, intuitive eating provides the tools to build a sustainable and balanced relationship with food post-surgery.

Adopting the principles of intuitive eating after a gastric bypass surgery allows you to reconnect with your body, understand new hunger and fullness cues, and embrace a positive mindset towards food. By practicing intuitive eating, you can focus on your long-term health and well-being beyond the initial weight loss phase.