What to Know Before You Start Intuitive Eating For Weight Loss

By Jennifer Smith, CHN, BHC, FBCC

If you have been looking into intuitive eating – that is great! Maybe you've considered intuitive eating for weight loss. It does have wonderful benefits from healing your relationship with food, to saying goodbye to diets forever. But there are some things to understand before you get started.


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You Can’t Focus on Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss at the Same Time

Intuitive Eating Weight Loss Is Not A 'Real Concept'

This is one of the most important things to understand about intuitive eating, intuitive eating weight loss is not really 'a thing'. It is NOT a diet, nor is it a way to learn how to control your portions to help you lose weight. If you have the only goal of weight loss or if you think you can do this to purposely drop the pounds, intuitive eating will not work for you.


You have to come to a place of body acceptance, where you fully accept that your body may not get smaller, and might even get a little bigger before everything balances out. If you can’t do that, you won’t be able to fully embrace eating intuitively. Yes some people may slim down eventually, but this takes time, rest, feeding yourself to fuel your body and at some point you may see your body gently shift into a smaller size. 


Intuitive Eating Weight Loss Is More Like A Side Effect

Intuitive eating weight loss is more of a side effect that may occur.  It is not linear, like most things in life. There are ebbs and flows, good days and bad days. One day, you might feel like you have a handle on it and your appetite is getting back to normal, and the next day you feel ravenous and out of control with food.


This is all normal and part of the process. Don’t give up! Just keep going and learning. Trust your body, follow your cravings, and understand that it will all lead you toward a life free of diets. 


You Won’t Feel Out of Control Forever

That feeling of being out of control around certain types of food if you aren’t tracking, won’t last forever. It can cause a lot of fear and anxiety in the beginning, especially if you feel like you have a history of food addiction and overeating. If you are used to restricting food and writing down every single calorie and carb, it feels scary to suddenly let all that go.


But the feeling of being out of control doesn’t last forever. You just have to learn how to follow your body’s cues and trust it to guide you in the right direction.


Finding a Good Support System is Crucial

From the very beginning of your intuitive eating journey, you need to have people who will support you. You don’t have to tell everyone what you are doing, but find at least one person you trust who you can talk to about it. Someone who won’t judge you, who won’t throw diet talk in your face, and who isn’t going to trigger you in any way. On the opposite end, you may need to distance yourself from people who are deep in diet culture.


Not sure how to start? Or are you afraid to do this on your own? Let me coach you on the best tips and tricks that I have found to finally be at peace with food. See below for details.

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About Author

Jennifer Smith is certified in Holistic Nutrition, a Biblical Health Coach and Faith-Based Clinical Counselor. She has completed advanced certifications in Functional Nutrition, Biblical Naturopathy and Biblical Eating and Clinical Nutrition. 

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