As a therapist, I often see individuals struggling with the negative consequences of dieting and the diet mentality. Constantly restricting certain foods and obsessively tracking and measuring everything they eat can lead to an unhealthy and obsessive relationship with food, as well as feelings of guilt and shame when they inevitably âfall off the wagonâ and donât stick to their diet.
Thatâs why I often recommend intuitive eating to my clients as an alternative approach to health and wellness. Intuitive eating is a non-diet approach that focuses on respecting and trusting your bodyâs innate hunger and fullness cues. It involves letting go of the diet mentality and all the rules and restrictions that come with it, and instead, focusing on building a positive and nourishing relationship with food and your body.
Here are some of the benefits of choosing intuitive eating over a dieting New Year's resolution:
- Improved mental and emotional well-being: Intuitive eating promotes a healthy and positive relationship with food, which can lead to improved self-esteem, body image, and overall mental and emotional well-being. Dieting, on the other hand, can often lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and failure when you donât stick to the diet.
- Improved physical health: Intuitive eating is all about listening to your body and giving it what it needs, which can lead to improved physical health. Diets, on the other hand, often restrict certain foods and nutrients, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies and other negative physical health consequences.
- Increased flexibility and freedom: Intuitive eating allows you to listen to your bodyâs hunger and fullness cues and eat whatever you want, whenever you want. This can lead to increased flexibility and freedom, as youâre not tied to strict rules and restrictions. Dieting, on the other hand, often involves rigid rules and restrictions, which can lead to feelings of frustration and resentment.
- Sustainable weight management: Intuitive eating is not about losing weight or changing your body, but rather, about building a healthy and nourishing relationship with food and your body. As a result, it can lead to sustainable weight management, as youâre not constantly yo-yo dieting or restricting certain foods. Dieting, on the other hand, often leads to weight cycling and an unhealthy relationship with food.
I highly recommend giving intuitive eating a try and seeing the positive impacts it can have on your overall health and well-being. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of intuitive eating, feel free to reach out to any of the Full Bloom therapists!
