At Mind Body Well, our clinicians use a number of different therapeutic approaches when working with our clients. One of these approaches is Intuitive Eating.
So what is Intuitive Eating?
Whilst Intuitive Eating is currently receiving a lot of attention, the approach has actually been around for quite a while. It is a mind-body health approach that was created by two registered Dietitians from the USA, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, back in 1995.
Intuitive Eating often forms part of a non-diet approach, and the approach involves listening and responding to the signals and cues from your body in order to meet your physical, mental and emotional needs, as a gentle way of taking care of your health. It’s a way of eating that doesn’t require a prescribed diet or a meal plan, and it doesn’t involve an exertion of discipline or willpower.
Intuitive Eating is about getting back to your roots and learning to trust your body. And it’s important to mention that Intuitive Eating is weight-inclusive - in other words, Intuitive Eating is not an approach that is used to facilitate weight loss, but rather the focus is on mind-body wellbeing.
Intuitive Eating involves the following 10 principles:
Reject the Diet Mentality
Honour Your Hunger
Make Peace with Food
Challenge the Food Police
Respect Your Fullness
Discover the Satisfaction Factor
Honour Your Feelings Without Using Food
Respect Your Body
Exercise—Feel the Difference
Honour Your Health
You can learn more about these 10 principles on the Intuitive Eating webpage here.
Collectively these principles are designed to encourage body awareness, and to assist in removing the obstacles to connecting with your body.
Like all the treatment approaches used at Mind Body Well, Intuitive Eating is evidenced based. There is a growing body of research supporting Intuitive Eating as an approach that has shown the following outcomes:
Lower rates of emotional eating
Lower rates of disordered eating
Improved body image
Increased self-esteem
Proactive and productive coping skills
Improved HDL cholesterol levels
Reduced Triglyceride levels
Overall increased satisfaction with life
If you would like help to reconnect with your body’s signals to guide your eating, fill in the New Client Request form at the link below, and we will be in touch to get you started with one of our Dietitians.