Let’s be honest: most of us didn’t just wake up one day with a complicated relationship with food.
We learned it through years of diets, rules, food trackers, “good” vs “bad” lists, and voices (both internal and external) telling us what we should eat, how much, and when. We were taught to override our hunger, ignore our cravings, and believe our bodies couldn’t be trusted unless a diet app or influencer approved.
But what if your body actually can be trusted?
What if food didn’t have to feel like a battlefield?
What if eating could be peaceful again?
That’s the heart of Intuitive Eating. A compassionate, evidence-based approach that helps you rebuild trust with your body, break free from diet culture, and reconnect with the intuition you were born with.
Because yes, you were born knowing how to eat. Babies cry when they’re hungry. Toddlers stop when they’re full. They eat what tastes good, and they don’t judge themselves for it. That’s intuitive eating in its most natural form. We all had it once. And we can get it back.
So... What Is Intuitive Eating, Really?
Intuitive Eating is a framework developed by two registered dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. It’s made up of 10 principles designed to help you:
- Heal your relationship with food
- Get out of the restrict-binge cycle
- Learn to trust your body’s cues again
- Ditch the guilt and shame around eating
- Nourish yourself without obsession or fear
It’s not another set of rules. There’s no tracking, counting, or “cheat days.” Instead, it’s about coming back to yourself and learning to eat in a way that supports both your physical and emotional well-being.
Imagine This...
You wake up feeling a little hungry. You take a moment to ask yourself what sounds good and you make it, without overthinking it. You eat, feel satisfied, and move on with your day.
Later, you’re stressed. You notice the urge to snack and pause, not with judgment, but with curiosity. Maybe you eat to soothe your anxiety. Maybe you journal instead. Either way, you’re kind to yourself.
You enjoy dessert after dinner, not because it’s a “cheat,” but because it’s delicious and satisfying. You stop when you’re full. Or maybe not this time. But you don’t spiral because sometimes overeating happens. You move on.
You exercise because it helps your mood and feels energizing, not because you “have to” to make up for something you ate earlier.
You no longer think about food all day. You’re not stuck in the guilt-restrict-repeat cycle. Your body feels nourished. Your mind feels calmer. You feel…free.
That’s intuitive eating.
Not perfect. Not rule-bound. Just connected, compassionate, and grounded in trust.
A Brief Overview of the 10 Principles
Over the next few blog posts, we’ll dive into the Principles of Intuitive Eating. Each of these principles builds on the next. You don’t have to master one before moving to the next and there’s no “right” way to go through them. Think of them like guideposts on a journey to compassionate, balanced eating.
1. Reject the Diet Mentality
Let go of the diet rules, the “quick fixes,” and the belief that weight loss is the key to health or happiness. Diet culture teaches us to distrust our bodies. This step is where we begin to reclaim that trust.
2. Honor Your Hunger
Hunger isn’t a problem to solve. It’s a biological cue, just like needing sleep or water. Ignoring it leads to feeling out of control around food. Respecting it is the first step toward peace.
3. Make Peace with Food
No more “forbidden foods.” When all foods are truly allowed, the urgency and obsession fade. The restrict-binge cycle loses its grip.
4. Challenge the Food Police
Silence the inner (and outer) voices that moralize food. "Good" and "bad" labels don’t belong at the table. You are not “bad” for eating any food.
5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor
Eating should be enjoyable. When we eat what we actually want, in a way that feels good, we’re more likely to feel content and less likely to overeat in search of something that “hits the spot.”
6. Feel Your Fullness
Learn to tune in while eating (not to restrict or control) but to notice when your body feels comfortably satisfied. It's about curiosity, not criticism.
7. Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness
Food can be a comfort, and that’s okay. But if it’s your only tool, it may be time to build a broader emotional toolbox.
8. Respect Your Body
You don’t have to love every inch of yourself to treat your body with dignity. This is about letting go of unrealistic expectations and showing your body basic care and respect as it is now.
9. Movement: Feel the Difference
Shift the focus from “burning calories” to how movement feels. Does it energize you? Help your mood? Connect you to your body? If it feels like punishment, it’s maybe time to rest.
10. Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition
Nutrition does matter, but not in the rigid, guilt-driven way diet culture teaches. Gentle nutrition is about balance, flexibility, and choosing foods that support your well-being without obsession.
Let’s Take This One Step at a Time
This post is just the beginning. Over the next several weeks, we’ll take a deeper dive into each of the 10 principles. We’ll explore what they mean, how to apply them, and how to navigate the real-life challenges that come up along the way.
There’s no test. No finish line. No perfect way to do this. Just curiosity, compassion, and a growing sense of trust.
Next Up in the Series: Ditching Diet Culture & Challenging the Food Police
The posts in this series are inspired by the Intuitive Eating framework developed by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. For more in-depth guidance, we encourage readers to explore the book ‘Intuitive Eating’ or visit intuitiveeating.org. You can also find more information on body positivity and diet culture at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics webpage.