Intuitive eating: what is it and why is it a trend? † Cooking & Eating

Intuitive eating was developed by dieticians, but it’s not about dieting. “You go from listening to extreme rules, for example a diet or eating schedule, to listening to your own inner signals such as hunger, satiety and satisfaction. It is a process in which you respect your health by listening to and responding to the direct messages your body gives,” says Marijke Berkenpas, dietician, food scientist and founder of the Center for Intuitive Eating. The dieticians who developed this view are Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Rensch. They have already written several books about it.

Everyone is born an intuitive eater according to Berkenpas. “Think of babies who indicate that they are hungry by crying and stop drinking when they have had enough, small children do too. It can vary from day to day and as we get older this can change. We are developing more and more rules and restrictions, as well as thoughts and judgments around food.”

“We often hear around us that some foods are good for us and others are bad, so we feel good or guilty if we eat certain foods,” Berkenpas explains. According to her, you can lose your intuitive skills this way. “Unfortunately, the diet culture, a social system of beliefs, messages and behavior that values ​​one’s weight and appearance rather than well-being, is increasingly reflected through social media, for example, and has become the norm.”

You don’t work towards an end goal like with a diet. Berkenpas: ,,You don’t count macros (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) and you don’t keep track of how many kilos you lose. It is especially important to reflect and look within to notice how things are going. You notice that you eat more based on inner signals. You also talk less in terms of good or bad food and you are less concerned with food by, for example, counting calories or thinking about diets or sports.”

According to Berkenpas, intuitive eating is suitable for most people. “With the exception of, for example, people with an active eating disorder. It’s a weight-neutral approach, so if weight continues to lead, it has no chance of success. Some will gain weight and others will lose weight or stay the same, that is unpredictable. An important caveat is that in our society it is easier for people who weigh less.”

“It is absolutely a great method to get to know and appreciate your body and to interpret signals,” says nutrition scientist and sports dietitian Titia van der Stelt. “But it does depend on what your goal is. If you have the desire to lose weight, you will have to park it. It may well be that you lose weight with intuitive eating, but that can never be your absolute motivation.”

According to Van der Stelt, you must be ready to bring your diet and body into balance. “That way, chronic dieting or unhealthy or disrupted eating behaviors such as skipping meals, overeating, extreme guilt and shame do not predominate.”

,,Actually, ‘diet’ means dietary pattern, but the practical translation is actually ‘adjusted diet’”, explains Van der Stelt. For example, energy limited or focused on a complaint, such as specific for intestinal complaints or sodium limited. Often the adjustments to energy limitation are too rigorous and too far removed from someone. Then it feels like a temporary diet and that never works in the longer term. It is therefore best to focus on a good and complete diet.”

Intuitive eating is a process with ups and downs, Berkenpas warns. “It’s a skill you’ll master over time. So be realistic about the process and how long it might take. Give yourself time and space to fully integrate intuitive eating into your life. So give yourself permission to be a beginner.”

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