Pt.4: an approach to food that I can highly recommend...

So far in this series, we have identified the problematic nature of dieting in general terms, as well as dismantling why Noom, Keto, WW and counting macros are so damaging to our overall health. If you missed them, check out Pt. 1, 2 and 3.

Now we have spent January covering the cons, risks and pitfalls of the dieting industry, I would like to introduce you to an approach to food that I can highly recommend: intuitive eating…

Intuitive eating is a framework that encourages an individual approach to your own relationship with food and movement. This is led by a promotion of reconnecting with your own intuition, your own body's cues and building an awareness of trust. Trusting that you know what is best for you and healing your own beliefs around food rules.

Intuitive eating adopts 10 principles to help you heal your relationship with food. It does this by helping you to honour, listen and respond to your body's own cues of hunger, fullness, satisfaction, as well as thoughts and emotions while you unlearn food rules that keep you in a diet mentality.

Intuitive eating actively discourages shame and guilt cycles around food, discourages moralising different foods and promotes full permission to incorporate all foods as part of a fun, happy, healed relationship with yourself. It helps you come back to all previously forbidden foods which heals fixation and obsession over these foods.

This allows you to move towards becoming the expert on what your body needs. You focus on what feels good, feelings of satisfaction, variety, allowing fun and gentle nutrition without shame or guilt.

Intuitive eating has over 100 scientific studies to back it up. It is evidence based and ethical. It is a holistic approach encouraging peace with your body, mind, exercise and food.

For more information about intuitive eating please check out the following sources:

The Intuitive Eating framework and resources

@therapythoughtspodcast 

@chr1styharrison resources such as her book Anti-Diet and podcast Food Psych

Find an intuitive eating certified therapist

Look into Health at Every Size (HAES)

1 in 4 dieters develop an eating disorder. Eating disorders are the 2nd most deadly mental illness.

**This is not a criticism of individuals who engage in dieting, please know that we are all doing the best we can to navigate a world where this messaging is prevalent. I hold huge amounts of compassion for those actively engaging in diet culture, as much as those who are on their own journey to break free of it. This series of emails is to highlight the cons, pitfalls and risks that are not discussed in the promotion and marketing of different diets.**

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Disordered eating may be a byproduct of low confidence and self-esteem. If you feel like you need some extra support, my Building Confidence and Self-Esteem online course will provide you with knowledge, tools and strategies using CBT techniques to help you identify how this is affecting your mental health and how to improve it.

Click the link below to sign up.