Content Warning: Contains content related to diet culture and disordered eating, if this is something you may find distressing, please check out our other blogs.

  

Intuitive eating is a weight-neutral, evidence-informed approach created by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch back in 1995. They developed it after seeing how constant dieting, calorie rules and pressure to lose weight were affecting people’s wellbeing and eating habits.

At its heart, intuitive eating means reconnecting with your internal cues—hunger, fullness, satisfaction and body respect—instead of relying on strict food rules. 

It’s not a trend, not a diet alternative, and not designed to help you lose weight. It focuses on your overall health, your relationship with food and how you feel in your body.

Research suggests that intuitive eating is linked with better psychological health, fewer binge eating episodes, more flexible eating habits, improved self-esteem and, in some cases, a lower body mass index, not because weight loss is the goal, but because people feel less stress and more in tune with their needs.

 

Intuitive eating vs mindful eating

These two ideas sit nicely together, but they aren’t the same.

• Mindful eating is all about slowing down and noticing the eating experience — flavours, textures and how food makes you feel.
• Intuitive eating uses mindfulness but goes further. It includes a set of principles that help you make peaceful, flexible food choices and step away from diet culture.

Think of mindful eating as one helpful tool within the bigger intuitive eating approach.

Why intuitive eating isn’t a weight-loss method

Many people hope intuitive eating will help them lose weight, but that’s not its purpose. Intuitive eating focuses on your behaviours, emotions and internal cues, not on weight management.

People who practise intuitive eating often experience:

• A calmer relationship with food
• Fewer disordered eating behaviours
• Reduced binge eating
• Better self-esteem and body image
• More enjoyment and satisfaction from meals.

 

Some people stay the same weight, some lose weight, and some experience gaining weight. All outcomes are normal and valid. The aim is to support your wellbeing, not control your body size.

 

The ten intuitive eating principles

Tribole and Resch outline ten principles to help guide your journey. Here’s a friendly rundown of each.

1. Reject the diet mentality

Let go of diet culture and the constant pressure to “eat perfectly”. This step helps reduce disordered eating behaviours and opens up more trust in your internal cues.

2. Honour your hunger

Physical hunger is your body’s way of asking for fuel. Eating when you’re hungry helps prevent binge eating and stabilises your energy.

3. Make peace with food

All foods can have a place in your diet, even foods you might think of as “junk food”. When you stop restricting certain foods, they lose that intense pull, and your food choices feel more balanced and relaxed.

4. Challenge the food police

These are the rules and thoughts that tell you what you “should” and “shouldn’t” eat. Challenging them helps break the cycle of guilt and over-thinking.

5. Feel your fullness

Fullness cues help guide when to stop eating. Slowing down and checking in with your body makes meals feel more comfortable and satisfying.

6. Discover satisfaction

Food should taste good and feel good. Finding satisfaction in your food choices helps reduce overeating and supports a more positive eating experience.

7. Cope with your emotions without using food

Everyone experiences emotional hunger at times. Intuitive eating encourages exploring other tools for comfort—rest, connection, creativity, movement—while still recognising that emotional eating is a human response, not something to be ashamed of.

8. Respect your body

You don’t have to love every part of your body to treat it with kindness. Respecting your body supports self-esteem and a more positive body image.

9. Movement — feel the difference

Move your body in ways that feel good, improve mobility and help relieve stress — not just for the calorie burning effect or weight loss.

10. Honour your health with gentle nutrition

Gentle nutrition is the final step because it takes time to build trust with food again. It’s about nourishing your body without strict rules or all-or-nothing thinking.

Emotional hunger vs physical hunger

Being able to spot the difference can make eating feel calmer and clearer.

• Physical hunger builds gradually, shows up in the body (rumbling, low energy), and is satisfied by eating.
• Emotional hunger can feel urgent. It often appears during stress, sadness or boredom, and usually isn’t solved by food alone.

Both are valid human experiences. Learning which one you’re feeling is part of eating intuitively.

Benefits and limitations

Benefits	Limitations
Research suggests intuitive eating can support: Better psychological health Reduced binge eating More balanced eating behaviours Higher self-esteem and body trust Improved eating satisfaction and food choices	People with active eating disorders may need structured, professional support first Those with medical dietary needs might require personalised guidance It can feel tricky at the start — especially if diet culture has been part of your life for a long time

Working with a qualified dietitian or mental health professional can help you navigate challenges along the way.

Can intuitive eating work with dietary restrictions?

Absolutely. Intuitive eating can sit comfortably alongside:

• Allergies
• Intolerances
• Cultural or ethical food choices
• Medical dietary needs.

 

You can honour these boundaries while still using your internal cues to guide your eating habits.

Getting started

Intuitive eating is a gentle process — you don’t have to change everything at once. Try starting with:

• Checking in with hunger and fullness cues
• Slowing down during meals
• Removing labels like “good” or “junk food”
• Eating regular meals to stabilise physical hunger
• Exploring what you need when emotional hunger shows up.

 

Progress often feels gradual, and that’s okay.

Kickstart your wellness journey with intuitive eating & reformer Pilates!

Intuitive eating offers a kinder, calmer way to relate to food. It helps you reconnect with internal cues, reduce stress, and build eating habits that feel supportive rather than restrictive.

Everyone’s journey looks different. 

Be patient with yourself as you learn what works for your body.

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This article is for general education only and isn’t a substitute for personalised medical or nutritional advice. If you’re experiencing disordered eating, binge eating or concerns about your eating habits, reach out to a qualified health professional for support.