WHAT IS INTUITIVE EATING, REALLY? BY PAVITHRA KB
Jul 30
2 min read
I am Pavithra Kb a nutritionist at The Kenko Life.
In a world flooded with calorie counters, detox plans, and 30-day challenges, intuitive eating offers something radically different:
Trust your body.
Ditch the food rules.
Eat like a human, not a calculator.
But what is intuitive eating, really? Is it just “eating whatever you want”? And can it actually be healthy?
Let’s break it down:
Intuitive eating is a self-care eating framework that was created by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, in the 1990s. It’s based on the idea that your body already knows how to eat, if you can relearn how to listen.
Instead of counting calories or avoiding carbs, intuitive eating focuses on:
Tuning in to hunger and fullness cues.
Making peace with all foods (yes, even pizza).
Letting go of guilt around eating.
Respecting your body, no matter its size
It’s not a diet. It has no meal plans, no “good” or “bad” foods, and no weight goals. It’s a mindset and for many people, a relief.
The principles of Intuitive Eating:
Reject the Diet Mentality: Let go of the idea that there’s a perfect way to eat. Diet culture thrives on restriction, but restriction leads to rebellion.
2. Honor Your Hunger: Don’t ignore it or fight it. Hunger is not a sign of weakness, it’s your body doing its job.
3. Make Peace with Food: All foods can fit. When you stop labeling food as “bad,” the urge to binge often fades.
4. Feel Your Fullness: Learn to recognize when you’re comfortably full, not stuffed, not starving.
5. Cope with Emotions Without Using Food: Food is comforting, but it can’t solve sadness, boredom, or stress. Intuitive eating helps you find non-food ways to deal with emotions.
6. Respect Your Body: You don’t have to love every inch of yourself to stop punishing your body. Treat it with kindness and care no matter your size.
Is It Healthy?
Yes, but not in the way most diets define “healthy.”
Intuitive eating supports:
Better mental health and lower stress.
Reduced disordered eating behaviors.
More consistent, sustainable eating habits.
Improved body image
It may take time to reconnect with hunger and fullness cues, especially if you’ve dieted for years. But research shows that intuitive eaters tend to have better health outcomes over the long term even if weight loss isn’t the goal.