Intuitive Eating For Weight Loss: Is It “Wrong”?
As you know if you follow me online, I like to tell it how it is - and lately, I’ve been totally unapologetic about how Intuitive Eating, if done properly (by my definition, which I’ll share later on in this article) is a totally effective strategy for losing excess weight.
While this was something I originally misunderstood - specifically back when I had my own excess weight to lose, and rolled my eyes at the concept of “just eat what you want” to somehow help me drop the belly bloat & feel lighter and tighter…yeah, no thanks - I’ll take the low-carb diet plan & intermittent fasting regime, but thanks anyways! I eventually learned a method that was STRUCTURED enough to help me grasp why it was actually the ONLY effective way I was going to drop my last 10 lbs.
It was when my own coach explained to me how we were going to get me intuitively following hunger & satiety, that no foods were off-limits, AND that I would lose what she called my excess “storage”.
Wait…we’re going to heal my weird food obsession thingy AND I get to be skinny?! “Where do I sign?!” I thought.
Fast forward to today, this is exactly what I help women do: return to hunger, get comfy-cozy with this feeling, and then tend to it appropriately. (It’s actually less boring than it sounds, I promise!).
And lately, I’ve been spreading this message loud & clear: YES, you CAN lose weight with intuitive eating…and it’s going to be way more effective (especially with KEEPING it off!) than diets & deprivation in the long-term.
See, my intuitive eating method involves a VERY involved recording method, and while I go into the exact details with my private clients only (apply here to see about working together if you’re interested in learning it!), I will share a few key-takeaways with you reading this now…
Intuitive Eating According to Most Coaches Involves:
Reducing shame and guilt from eating.
Noticing hunger & fullness cues.
Owning your own choices around food.
And while all of the above is great, especially from a standpoint of mental health, it’s not exactly a recipe for weight-loss if that’s what you’re looking for.
On the other hand, Intuitive Eating with my Gut-Brain Integration Method is:
Always waiting for true gut-hunger before eating.
Never taking yourself past the point of balance (not “fullness”).
Only ever eating food that tastes good to you, and never eating food that doesn’t!
The result is that you feel light, slim, and free from head-chatter that gets you OUT of touch with maximizing the abundance of pleasure in your BODY. The body wants to be slim. The body does not want to carry excess weight.
Apparently, saying things like this^ is “offensive”, “disrespectful”, and “triggering”.
Throughout my career I tried to come up with different words and phrases that were more PC and acceptable [uhm, I was actually using the word “slender,” so as not to offend anyone…who speaks like that?]. I tried to show up in a way that everyone told me was “non-triggering.” I tried to just act like everyone else and talk like everyone else in the health space because I didn’t want to make waves.
And finally I decided to say fuck it.
Because here’s the truth: I’m a health coach who has worked with hundreds of women of all shapes and sizes…and I truly believe that every single one of them is a gorgeous, inspiring, wouldn’t change a thing about them woman. I want us all to feel amazing in our own bodies no matter what the scale says.
And yet…
I finally had to admit to myself [and the world] that being my own version of a skinny bitch is the way I truly feel my best. My most beautiful. My most unstoppable. And I feel this way FOR ME, and not for anyone else.
Yes, I’m a badass, completely unique in my industry intuitive eating health coach who’s helping women like you do the thing that’s eluded them for YEARS: lose those last 10-15 pounds.
If you’re interested in doing just that^ with me & my 1:1 structured support & a gameplan you literally can’t fail with…I’d love to chat. You can take the first step by applying for 10/10.