Intuitive Eating – What most people get wrong

I used to be team all-or-nothing.

Either I would eat “clean” and train 6 days a week – sometimes twice a day – for months on end OR I would “fall off the wagon” and use this as an opportunity to eat unbelievable amounts of foods I wouldn’t normally allow myself.

The binge-restrict cycle was my life for many years.

To the outside world, I was the “healthy girl” that was so “dedicated”. Behind closed doors, I was isolating myself, hating my body and eating myself sick, only to restrict again the next day.
(This is my personal experience, so it might be different for other people)

My first encounter with Intuitive Eating

Intuitive Eating used to be like Narnia to me.

This magical fantasy land of freedom, where I wouldn’t have to plan every morsel of food I put in my body, only to “fall off the wagon” and binge eat. I knew that my severe food restriction kept this binge-restrict cycle going, yet I was too afraid to break the cycle. My hopes for a “perfect body” were so strong that I wasn’t ready to give that up.

I didn’t believe I would ever be able to practice Intuitive Eating, like other people did.

I just didn’t understand the concept of “listening to my body”.

“Come on”, I would think, “my body only ever asks for chips, salsa and chocolate cake!”

I now know that my body asked for calorie dense foods, because it was famished, mentally and physically.

My biggest pitfall of Intuitive Eating

This is what I used to think:

“Maybe I can give this a try once I lose the weight for good and get my eating under control!”

I hate to break it to you, past-Rini, but Intuitive Eating doesn’t work if you first deprive yourself and then expect your body to magically balance out hunger- and fullness. It’s scientifically impossible. I talk more about the science behind it right here.

Here is what happens if you try Intuitive Eating while your main focus is still weight loss:

You will still be obsessed with food, calories and your body.

You will still micromanage your food intake, instead of letting your body figure it out over time.

You will still be completely disconnected from your body’s natural cues.

So, how can we avoid this huge pitfall?

Only when you stop focusing on changing your body will Intuitive Eating truly work for you

Pinky promise.

Your body may or may not change doing this, but you WILL feel free and liberated either way.

After 2 years of choosing recovery every single day and practicing body acceptance, I can now say that I love food, but it doesn’t play a huge role in my life anymore.

I eat when I’m hungry and I eat what feels and tastes good.
When I feel like moving my body, I walk my dog, dance around or occasionally lift weights (sometimes just once a month).

There’s no rigid structure or routine, because I’m busy building and running my business, living my life and connecting with the people I love.
My priorities have shifted and all I can say is that it’s liberating to make friends with food and your body.

More on my experience with Intuitive Eating here and here.

Where are you currently at in your journey?

How do you feel about Intuitive Eating?

I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions in the comment section!

If you need a Jump Start and a tangible way to take action, make sure you get access to my 3 most popular Intuitive Eating and Body Image Work Books below.