Research has shown that IE can lead to greater psychological wellbeing, increased pleasure when eating, and body satisfaction. However research also shows that permission to eat all foods with no “food rules” can sometimes lead to unhealthful food choices with more high-calorie palatable foods. Therefore a certain level of restraint and nutrition knowledge may be beneficial when starting an IE plan (if the desired result is to improve overall health and wellness). Still, in the long run, continued dietary restraint increases the risk of ignoring natural physiological signals to eat. Therefore a combination of IE practices with basic nutrition knowledge may lead to more positive outcomes than either approach alone.

Body vigilance begets body worry, which begets food worry, which fuels the cycle of dieting. As long as you are at war with your body, it will be hard to be at peace with yourself. Take care of your body. The emphasis is on healthy living and behaviours. Treat your body with respect, dignity, and meeting its basic needs. Rather than demeaning the results of your coping mechanism, respect yourself for surviving.Intuitive Eating already provides an excellent summary as appendix to the book and very worthwhile details including the science behind intuitive eating. However, as per usual, I’ve taken notes for my own reference and, of course, I’d like to share. Note many sentences are word-for-word, I’ve simply condensed it to the main parts.

This is another workbook option for folks in any age group. It is written by the author of the original book that I recommended above and is a good fit for folks anywhere along their Intuitive Eating journey.

Eat to Love: A Mindful Guide to Transforming Your Relationship with Food, Body, and Life by Jenna Hollenstein, MS, RDN, CDN