Myth busters, intuitive eating edition: intuitive eating is not a license to eat whatever you want whenever you want without regard for health or how you feel.
One of the common misconceptions of intuitive eating is the idea that without any guidelines, you will just eat whatever you want all the time. “Whatever you want” to most of us is “junk” food. So the thinking goes, if I allowed myself to have whatever I wanted then I’d eat junk for every meal, never get any nutrition and be unhealthy.
That’s simply not the case. First of all, your body will not want to do that. Contrary to popular belief, your body will nudge you in the right direction if it’s not receiving nourishment. Also, you will probably feel like shit. Ever go on a vacation and really indulge, only to be on the trip home thinking something like “man all I want is a nice big salad?” I know you have at least once thought that! The same thing happens in intuitive eating.
So, if you’ve ever tried to go the intuitive eating route and found yourself just eating more in general and more of what you actually ✨want✨but you aren’t feeling any different or are still stressed around food… that’s okay because it means there is something to work on! Also – that’s a totally, completely normal response to the restrictive mindset we basically all currently live in.
The problem can come from how to get past that point, and that’s where someone who knows the intuitive eating process (and is a registered dietitian) comes in. If you try to go it alone, you aren’t aware of how to navigate the situation. You’re just setting sail with no plan or map!
Here’s why diving right into unrestricted eating without any other guidance might be an issue:
🧁The attitude ”I’m not dieting so I can eat whatever I want” is a rebellious attitude which is great but without going through any other intuitive eating steps first can leave you stuck here and confused.
🧁You aren’t actually in touch with your body’s needs so you are just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks.
🧁 Thinking about the nutrient content of what you’re eating seems diet-y and you want to rebel against that, too. You’ve rejected the diet mentality, so even flipping over a package to view the label or opt for a salad vs. a cheeseburger seems diet-y, so you are in the dark about the healthfulness of your choices because you’re refusing to participate in that. It’s okay if you change your mindset though!
The good news is that part of the intuitive eating process does involve giving yourself access and permission to eat all foods, and you can work through and beyond this stage with a little guidance.