One of my newest obsessions is the Two Fit Chicks Podcasts so when they announced they would be doing an intuitive eating episode, I was completely delighted. Two ladies I completely respect, MizFit and Shauna were going to talk about my favorite subject and the day it released, I was on pins and needles listening at about 5:30 am. And immediately I was struck by the notion that intuitive eating means something different to each person and that we all have to define what works for us and what doesn’t. They even decided to refer to it as mindful eating instead of intuitive eating and the buzz around the blogoshpere is that people are more drawn to the term mindful eating than intuitive eating. Honestly, that makes me feel a little lost in the world, especially as someone who just launched a new career with intuitive eating as it’s basis. But more than feeling lost, it really got me thinking about my point of view.
The premise of Honoring Health has always started with the principles of intuitive eating as written in the book
What Intuitive Eating Means to Me:
- Honoring Health – The name of this blog as well as the last principle in the intuitive eating book. But for me, it goes farther beyond what is encompassed in the book. I believe that health resides in the mind, body and spirit and without all three components, true health can never be achieved. Sure, choosing food and exercise based on how they make you feel is of the utmost importance but so is choosing a career, a partner and a support system. You can’t have one without the other.
- Resolving emotional eating – Emotional eating has to be resolved if you are ever going to be able to trust your bodies guidance. Whether it is boredom, anger, fear, happiness, joy, grief, it has to be resolved. Many people are ashamed to admit they are emotional eaters or think they aren’t because they only eat due to boredom, which is a whole blog post in an of itself but none the less, eating emotionally on a regular basis is not going to get you to your health goals. One must learn new coping skills and learn to eat only when hungry.
- Intuitive Eating is not a diet – For some reason, this notion fires me up like no other. I see it all the time and no matter what we are calling it, mindful eating, normal eating, intuitive eating – it is not a diet. Period. Learning to eat this way is learning to let your body be the guide, not rules in a book, on the Internet, the ones your best girlfriend is following, it is listening your body and that is it. And if weight loss is the goal, one can not really get in touch with what their body is telling them. That isn’t to say that weight loss isn’t possible through intuitive eating, it is, I am living proof of that, but having weight loss as a goal gets in the way of doing the really important mental work that comes along with intuitive eating.I know that many people struggle with learning to listen to their body rather than their mind but that is part of the work that can’t be done if you are going into it with a dieting mindset.
Those are my core beliefs and the ones that guide me each and every day. And with that in mind, I plan to shift the focus of Honoring Health to reflect these beliefs. I will still write about other aspects of this life changing journey, because it is multi-facted (unlike most diets) and those things are still important but I do want to hone in on what feel most important to me. The bottom line is that I can recommend books and cd’s all day long but if my voice gets lost in the process, those things don’t really matter. This is my place in the world and I plan to use it.
I’m really glad you wrote this out, Christie, because you’re right that IE means something different to everyone – only more so now that it’s gotten more popular!
I will say that I don’t think the terms intutive eating and mindful eating should be used interchangeably. To me, mindful eating is a PART of intuitive eating, but there’s a lot more to it than just that.
I agree, I think that mindful eating only takes into account part of it, th eating part. But, I’m also starting to feel like the premise of the book is limiting too and that each person has to expand upon the basic principles and figure out what is most important to them.
Most excellent!! I am moving more and more in this direction every day and it is such a relief! And yet, there’s still a lot of peer pressure not to think/live this way. Especially when the “diet” industry SPENDS $60 billion plus yearly to make us think we can’t do it.
As Geneen Roth says in Women Food & God. “I felt as if I were sinning by announcing to the world/myself that I could trust myself.”
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I’m very fascinated by intuitive eating, because I believe that I’ve been doing it in some form for a while. Thank you for your guidelines! Weight loss is a big concern for me, but I don’t intend to use food as a weapon to accomplish it… Instead I will be working WITH my body.
Great breakdown of what you feel IE is.
I’d agree that IE encompasses mindful eating and that mindful eating is a component of IE!
Christie, I’m not surprised that there’s a sense that more people feel drawn to “mindful” eating versus “intuitive” eating. “Mindfulness” is definitely more mainstream, as demonstrated by the fact that the medical establishment has embraced it!
We’re helping take intuitive eating to a new level in the mainstream. :) It’s going to be a fun ride. I’ve been thinking about a blog post related to mindfulness for a while. So, I now have a better idea of the distinction I want to make. Viva la Intuitive Eating!
as you should! i love read your take on things…i feel like it’s always educated and well-spoken. plus you’re awesome :)
I agree. I think intuitive eating has a different meaning for everyone. Also, what works for one person, may not work for another person. I’m still always trying to figure out how to shape the basic guidelines of Intuitive Eating to best fit my own personal mold.
It takes awhile to get the hang of it, but I know from 4 years ago when I first went on the journey, it was completely possible. I had freed all foods and lost the obsession with foods. I felt free.
I’m working towards getting back to that, but I realize this time around I may need to tweak a few things because even what worked for me then, may not work for me now.
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I adore this post, because frankly it’s what I needed to hear. I have to admit that I have gone back to counting and yesterday I realised that I don’t even think that it does what it used to do. I am no longer scared of listening to my body, because I feel like I have put the binge monster to rest..well at least it’s control over my life. Admitting where I was was SUCH a huge step for me. Christie, thank you for always being honest and putting my ‘spinning top’ back on centre.
I’m new to reading about intuitive eating but it seems like what I’ve been trying to do since January. Long story short, I got very heavy after my third wee one was born last year and have been working hard to stop eating when I’m not hungry. It’s been difficult here and there, but I’ve managed to lose about 50lbs mainly by not snacking at night!
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I am so glad you wrote this post. I am struggling with what exactly it means to eat intuitively or mindfully. I have been so focused on losing weight that I forgot to focus on health. I started training for a half marathon and all of the sudden – counting points or calories doesnt work for me (not that it was working before – it did work in the beginning but for quite a while now it just isnt). I am trying to change my whole thinking on food but it isnt easy.
I am super happy to have found your blog. I can’t wait to read more!
xox, jen
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Thanks for stopping by, Jenn. Let me know if you have questions!