Here is why intuitive eating is probably not for you

Conscious eating means incorporating knowledge and awareness into your relationship with food. The emphasis is on being aware of your body signals and any relevant health information, educating yourself about nutrition, and eating the foods you enjoy while aiming for balance and flexibility.

The conscious part is the core of this philosophy. The goal of conscious eating is to be conscious enough to stay in touch with your hunger and fullness cues, conscious enough to be aware of other people and the conversation around you, and conscious enough of health and nutrition information to make informed and appropriate decisions without depriving yourself. Basically, it's about getting back to a natural, healthy relationship with food or building that relationship if you have never had it.

You may encounter another approach called intuitive eating when looking for ways to heal your relationship with food and your body. Intuitive eating involves trusting your body to guide food choices based on what feels good for you, free from judgment or influence by diet culture. Sounds great, doesn't it?

Maybe it is just me, but I have issues with the philosophy, starting with the term intuitive. Naming your approach to eating intuitive puts too much emphasis on intuition, and that is a pretty ambiguous term—vague and subjective. Relying solely on your intuition—especially when you have a disordered relationship with food—is a recipe for disaster. Had I listened to my intuition when I was recovering from my ED, I probably would have eaten cheesecake all day. You can't exactly trust what your intuition says, especially if you can't distinguish between your intuition and your eating disorder voice.

Here is why: a) People with eating disorders often have distorted perceptions of hunger and fullness, which makes it difficult to listen to their body's internal cues. If you only rely on your intuition, you may ignore feelings of hunger or struggle to recognize feelings of fullness. b) Many people with eating disorders or disordered eating habits have ingrained food rules and restrictions that override their intuition. Whether it is fear of certain foods, calorie counting, or rigid meal timings, these food rules make it challenging to eat intuitively. c) If you have an eating disorder, chances are you have some body image issues as well, which can influence how you interpret your body's internal signals. It can be challenging to fully honor your hunger on a terrible body image day and not be influenced by what you see in the mirror and how you perceive your body that day. d) People with eating disorders often have partial knowledge about nutrition, or they subscribe to myths and half-truths regarding nutrition and end up using this incomplete knowledge against themselves. It isn't healthy and may not even be safe to rely on your intuition without proper nutrition education.

When you are working on healing your disordered relationship with food, conscious eating can be a better approach. Conscious eating teaches you that all foods can fit into a healthy eating pattern when consumed in moderation and as part of a balanced diet. There are no fattening foods, since a calorie is a calorie when it comes to weight. You can still have food preferences as a conscious eater, but you can also be flexible and nourish your body when those preferences cannot be met.

Conscious eating encourages you to pay attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues and how certain foods make you feel, which is essential for balanced eating. It encourages you to be present in the moment during meals, savor the flavors and textures of food, and tune into your body's signals of hunger and satiety.

Being present with your meals—and with food in general—helps you enhance your eating experience and (re)discover the pleasure of eating. However, conscious eating also emphasizes occasionally elevating your eating into a dining experience. Making mealtimes an experience can add a little "soul" back into eating.

• Set a beautifully decorated table with flowers, candles, or music.

• Express gratitude for the food you're about to eat, enhancing appreciation.

• Engage your senses by thoroughly chewing food and noticing colors, textures, and flavors.

• Muting devices and creating a calm environment can help you eliminate distractions, fully immerse yourself in the eating experience, and appreciate the food in front of you.
  

More information on conscious eating guidelines can be found in Carolyn Costin and Gwen Schubert’s book 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder.