Ice-cream for breakfast, anyone?

In kitchens throughout the world, there is a quiet revolution taking place. Intuitive eating is changing the way we think about food … one bite at a time.

- CARROL BAKER

At its very core, intuitive eating (IE) is the simple philosophy of honouring ourselves by trusting our minds and bodies and eating only when we are hungry.

It’s been called the anti-diet because no foods are taboo, there’s no kilojoule counting, no meal plans to religiously adhere to and no portion control. It is a backlash to diet culture and it’s called intuitive eating.

Babies and small children instinctively know how to eat intuitively. They’ll eat enough so their hunger is appeased, and no more. As they grow and develop into little humans, they are bombarded by media images, lured by sugary treats in bright wrapping paper and later held prisoner to a diet ethos that feeds into often unrealistic body images, all of which impact on body positivity and body acceptance.

What does intuitive eating really mean?

IE is an evidence-based health approach created in 1995 by two dietitians, Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole. They have developed 10 core principles to guide people through what IE is in a nutshell and have penned a book that many consider the holy grail of IE. It’s now in its fourth incarnation.

Dietitian Nina Mills from Feel Good Eating says IE is a way of tuning into the biology of hunger cues, because there are so many emotions associated with food. “I like to think of intuitive eating as a way of coming home to our bodies,” she explains.

IE is a revolutionary way of thinking that’s liberating, comforting and thought-provoking. It’s food without judgement. It’s letting go of “good” or “bad” food labels and, in a broader sense, it’s giving yourself unconditional permission to nibble, taste, snack on or scoff whatever you fancy.