How to Establish Eating Habits

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating

After the research on their eating theory, Tribole and Resch developed ten guidelines. They give you better insight on how to listen to your inner voice and avoid common pitfalls. Here are the principles as published in an article by the British Heart Foundation.

1. Stop the Diet Cycle

One way to rely more on your intuition for nutrition is to reject the concept of dieting. As soon as you hear the word, you may automatically assume a temporary program of food deprivation. You get a whole list of forbidden foods that may instantly create cravings.

Instead of using external lists and other traditional diet tools, you learn to trust your intuition as an eating plan. Intuitive eating habits transcend the temporary goal of eating to lose weight. Fortunately, you will probably lose weight as you focus on your inner voice.

2. Redefine Hunger

It takes a while to realize that hunger isn’t your enemy. You are discovering how to honor your hunger by redefining it. Your body has automatic physical triggers that alert you when it needs food. As your tummy growls and your mouth waters in anticipation, your intuition says it’s time to eat.

3. Change Your Relationship with Food

Once you’re beyond the fruitless cycles of dieting, you can finally make peace with food. There are no more restrictions or an overload of a particular food group. Building intuitive eating habits allows you to enjoy any nutritious food in moderation.

4. Re-evaluate the Food Laws

If you’ve spent years yo-yo dieting, you’re probably familiar with the laws imposed by the “food police.” These are preconceived notions that are drilled into your mind by the diet and fitness industry. Unfortunately, many of these notions may not be accurate or healthy for you.

5. Know When You’re Full

Another principle to this theory is to respect or recognize when you’re full. If you stop during a meal and listen to your body, you may not be hungry at all. The many times you reach for second helpings may be out of habit and not from hunger.

6. Discover Satisfaction in Eating

Do you take time to savor your food, or do you gobble it down in a rush? If not, you’re missing the proverbial feast of the senses. Part of eating intuitively is to relish the sight, scents, textures, and flavor nuances of your food.

7. Stop Using Food as a Reward

Here is a defeating practice that’s often ingrained in you since your childhood. Well-meaning parents and grandparents have stuffed their youngsters with comfort food for generations.

As a result, you may still reward your successes with food that’s loaded with empty calories, fat, and sugar. Intuitive eating habits may help you discover a better reward alternative.

8. Be Kind to Your Body

Perhaps you’ve started countless diets because of a negative body image. Instead of hating your body and dieting to get skinny, your inner voice wants you to be healthy. You begin to listen to your inner voice and learn to eat with self-compassion and love for yourself, regardless of shape or size.

9. Get Your Body Moving

Did you ever wonder why your ancestors didn’t need modern gym equipment to stay in ideal physical shape? They did it naturally by working and enjoying recreational activities. You are more apt to get your body moving if you consider it fun rather than a dreaded chore of exercise.

10. Make Good Health a Top Priority

As you heed your body’s intuitive nudges, you may find that you’re eating to live instead of living to eat. Instead of trying yet another diet, your goal switches to being healthy rather than being skinny. Your body will tell you what it needs to be healthy and fulfilled.