What is Intuitive Eating?
The Mindfull Method is rooted in Intuitive Eating. And as a Registered Dietitian (RD) and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, it’s something I practice every day to maintain a healthy relationship with food.
But what exactly is Intuitive Eating? Let’s get into it!
Origins of Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating was founded by two Registered Dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, in 1995.
The Intuitive Eating website defines Intuitive Eating as “a self-care eating framework, which integrates instinct, emotion, and rational thought…a weight-inclusive, evidence-based model with a validated assessment scale”.
Since it was founded, there have been over 125 studies about Intuitive Eating. The research shows that Intuitive Eating may be helpful in supporting physical and mental well-being and health.
Intuitive Eating is essentially an anti-diet eating plan that relies on the utmost trust in your own body to make food choices that satisfy and meet your internal needs. One of the key learnings from intuitive eating is recognizing signs of physical hunger, fullness, and satisfaction.
10 principles of Intuitive Eating
Intuitive Eating includes 10 principles that help guide the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors when it comes to eating:
Reject the Diet Mentality
Honor Your Hunger
Make Peace with Food
Challenge the Food Police
Discover the Satisfaction Factor
Feel Your Fullness
Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness
Respect Your Body
Movement - Feel the Difference
Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition
The Mindfull Method incorporates concepts from each of the 10 principles, but especially from Principles 2, 5, 6, 7, and 10.
For a more in-depth and interactive look at the 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating, sign up for our FREE mini-course!
Evidence-based Benefits of Intuitive Eating
The current (and growing) body of research about Intuitive Eating shows that Intuitive Eaters eat a diverse range of foods, have better-self esteem and psychological hardiness, and reduced eating disorder symptomology.
Some of the research-backed characteristics of Intuitive Eaters include:
Intuitive Eating vs. the Mindfull Method
Intuitive Eating has gained well-deserved recognition for its powerful mind-body health benefits, and may be a solution for eating disorder prevention.
At the Mindfull Method, we've built upon this foundation with a specialized focus that sets our approach apart from Intuitive Eating.
Our key difference? The Mindfull Method is specifically designed for early intervention when signs of disordered eating first appear. Our aim is to prevent progression into a clinical eating disorder. Our approach maintains the spirit of Intuitive Eating and we use the 10 principles as a guide.
Our unique strength comes from our team's composition—we're founded by two Certified Intuitive Eating Counselors who bring complementary expertise as a Registered Dietitian and a licensed therapist. This integration of nutrition science and therapeutic techniques allows us to address both the physical and psychological aspects of eating behaviors simultaneously.
The gold standard for eating disorder treatment is a multidisciplinary approach with a treatment team that includes a physician, Registered Dietitian, and therapist, so we offer the same integrative approach to eating disorder prevention.
While we fully embrace and honor Intuitive Eating as part of our foundation, the Mindfull Method enhances its impact through our combined clinical approach. We've essentially taken what works about Intuitive Eating and amplified its effectiveness specifically for those showing early warning signs of disordered eating. (link to disordered eating post)
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Click here to learn more about our small group program for disordered eating treatment, and other ways to work with us!
