How intuitive eating is different from a diet

The new year brings a deluge of social media posts about diet plans, books offering wellness in weeks and commercials for the latest weight-loss drugs.

But there’s a catch, said Sara Parrish, a wellness dietitian who creates nutrition programs for Novant Health’s Nutrition Services Team at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Traditional diets often promise short-term results and don’t change our long-term thinking about food, she said. To find success long term we need an approach that creates a new framework focusing on instinct, emotion and rational thought.

Parrish is an advocate of intuitive eating, which encourages shifting the focus from rigid dieting and weight loss to overall health and wellness.

Rather than relying solely on diet plans, weight-loss medications or quick-fix wellness programs, this approach offers a more sustainable and holistic path to nutrition and well-being. While guiding others through the process of intuitive eating, Parrish focuses on helping them understand how to change their habits around food.

What is intuitive eating?

First, it’s not another diet plan. It’s a different way of thinking about food and eating, Parrish said. Developed by a pair of dietitians, the 10 principles are designed to change the way you approach healthy eating. Simply, it focuses on health and being healthier, versus monitoring weight or feeling that we must be a specific size to be healthy.

It’s also full of advice and strategies promoting overall well-being beyond just weight-focused outcomes. “So many of the people I've worked with come to be with an unhealthy relationship with food and negative view of their bodies that has developed over the years,” Parrish said. Intuitive eating helps retrain the brain to move away from these restrictive thought patterns.

How does intuitive eating work?

Intuitive eating grounds its principles in mindfulness and repetition, much like what’s used in guided Zen and meditation practices.

And like meditation, it takes time to practice intentional thinking to shift your mindset. Parrish explained how a few of the principles work.

• Tune into your fullness cues. During a meal, pause and develop an awareness of what comfortable fullness feels like for you. "It takes a lot of practice to get to a point where you feel like you know your body well enough to actually be able to answer that question,” Parrish said. But with time and mindfulness, you can learn to recognize and honor your body's signals of satisfaction.

• Savor the experience of eating — not just the food itself. Embrace the idea of the "satisfaction factor,” the Japanese principle that the entire dining experience can be just as nourishing as the meal. Think of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. It's a mindful ritual that honors and respects the guests. Apply that same spirit of appreciation to your everyday meals. Make eating a true sensory experience.

• Treat yourself with compassion, not criticism. Identify the triggers that drive you into unhealthy eating habits. For instance, if you look in the mirror only to feel sad about your body, remember that much of it is in your genetic blueprint. Try to reframe these thoughts and think about all that your body has done for you at its shape and size.

• Move your body with purpose, not penance. Ditch the mindset of seeing exercise as a punishment or way to compensate for eating. Instead, focus on how movement makes you feel and how it contributes to your overall health and well-being, Parrish said. Exercise should empower you, not exhaust you.

What does ‘gentle nutrition’ mean?

The last principle of intuitive eating (see all the principles below) is probably the most important: Honor your health with gentle nutrition.

It means making food choices to perpetuate your physical and mental health. Parrish offered an example: You really want a piece of toast for breakfast but know that white bread offers no fiber. A piece of whole-wheat bread is a little more substantive. Just a piece of toast won’t offer the kind of protein or healthy fat that you need. A slice of avocado or an egg might be a good addition. Making small shifts while eating your favorite foods can help you slowly adapt to healthier eating, while still paying attention to the foods you crave and enjoy.

Practicing gentle nutrition is the final principle of intuitive eating for a reason.

“What seems to happen if we don't address those other pieces first is that we just turn intuitive eating into a diet, which is not what it's supposed to be,” Parrish said.

Is there a relationship between intuitive eating and weight-loss drugs?

The popularity of weight-loss drugs is creating a seismic shift in dieting.

There isn’t a lot of solid research on the long-term effects of these drugs, but doctors recommend developing healthy lifestyle habits to avoid weight gain after patients finish taking them. Those who are using weight-loss medications may find value in intuitive eating principles, as they emphasize the importance of adequate protein intake and weight-bearing exercise to preserve muscle, Parrish said.