Unpopular Opinion: STOP Intuitive Eating for WEIGHT LOSS

As intuitive eating to lose weight gains popularity, I feel there's not discussion about the potential negatives of following such a lifestyle for people at the start of their weight-loss journey.

So, in this video, I discuss how and why intuitive eating for weight loss is perhaps best left alone when you're just starting.

RECOMMENDED VIDEOS:

#intuitiveeating #weightloss #unpopularopinion

00:00 Introduction
00:23 WHAT IS INTUITIVE EATING?
01:10 MY ISSUE WITH INTUITIVE EATING FOR WEIGHT LOSS
03:20 WHEN TO TRY INTUITIVE EATING?

[Turtletoots]

A lot of people who got big by eating whatever they wanted don't have normal hunger/satiety cues due to hormonal issues, medications, emotional issues etc. If you were a slim child, you may have great success with it but if you've always had issues with overeating, it's a road to failure paved with feel-good messages.

[ajs]

One slight correction: IE does not preach that you can eat an entire bag of cookies if you're craving it just out of respect for your cravings. It teaches that, yes, you can have a cookie if you want one, but gentle nutrition is incorporated to help reinforce that your body needs specific nutrients and foods to function optimally.

I work with a RD now who believe and teaches IE but also helps me to distinguish between true hunger and emotional cues by leveraging the HALT acronym. Meaning that I consider the following states: H- hungry, A- anxious/angry, L- lonely, T- tired. 

I notice myself wanting to eat when those factors are in play. I'll also begin thinking if I've had enough water that day, b/c we know being thirsty often feels like being hungry. Based on those factors, if I'm truly still hungry and know it's generally a time in which I would have a meal/snack, I will have it. We've crafted a plan for me that incorporates both foods that I enjoy (I refuse to shove down bland food I hate b/c it fits in a macro spread) and foods that will nourish my body. Yes, I may incorporate an extra cookie, ice cream bar, piece of chocolate, or something else into my diet, but it's not the focus of a meal. It's adding pleasure into my day rather than restricting hugely, as that led me to binge on sweets at night and on foods that led me to gain weight over time.  

I've also learned to "Urge Surf, " which can be summed up to mean that I'm able to identify urges to eat large amounts of food and then learn to utilize a coping strategy to stop myself from succumbing to the urge. I'll either drink water, exercise, call a friend, chat with my partner about our days, or play with my cats. That's my strategy list, but it can be anything. Throughout this period (which could be hours), I'll continuously re-commit myself to not letting the bingeing urge take over. The wave always passes, but I've learned to manage it rather than just give in and keep saying, "Oh well, my diet can start tomorrow."

Intuitive eating has generally reshaped my relationship with food and has led me to stop bingeing. I'm also more content with how I'm able to freely go out to eat with friends, socialize at parties without worrying about tracking anything, and go on vacation without worrying "how much damage I'll do while I'm away." It's a very freeing principle, but people often consider it a methodology that allows you to become a glutton. That is not the case AT ALL. With that said, I realize weight loss is a body recomposition strategy and requires certain things to be adhered to consistently. I'd love to shed maybe 20 lbs, but I'm not there right now and I'm honestly not gunning for that goal anymore.

Hope this helps!

[elizabethborders]

Thank you! Following my intuition just got me bigger and bigger - over 230 lbs 😢. I was always hungry and would never stop at one cookie. I think a lot of the main stream “anti diet” movement that discourages monitoring your food actually perpetuates obesity and an unhealthy relationship to food consumption.
Tracking my macros gave me back an understanding of how much I should be eating of what (hello protein) and really helped improve my relationship with food.

[iAmBeaTLes]

I thought intuitive eating was the answer, but it just ended up making me someone who emotionally ate way too much. Now I’m finally course correcting. I don’t want to be what I weighed at 24, but I’m ready to deal with my problems in healthy ways, and the weight is starting to come off.

[JerielleMarie]

Intuitive eating isn’t about intending to lose weight though. The intention is to reconnect with your hunger cues and heal your relationship with food after decades of diet culture mentality. Most good IE educators are very honest about the fact that you may gain weight and not to expect otherwise. It’s about healing so many other things. Of course we still live in an extremely fatphobic society though so it’s tough to deal with weight gain. My personal experience with IE isn’t great because I HATE cooking/food prep. If I had a personal chef cooking me mostly “healthy” foods I could more properly do IE. I just go for what’s quick and easy and that’s all processed/take-out. I’m honestly SICK of ALL of it!! My next goal is getting over my desire to not cook and prepare most of my own foods- I HAVE to in order to move forward. It’s gonna be tough!

[jaafarawadallah]

I love your channel its amazing you inspire me to do intermittent fasting o love it doing since aug 16/8

[farahs]

If you can't control your calories then its not the answer. intuitive eating also involves lots of fibers as a part of your diet

[kelsie_adams]

Just mean me (not others) if I could intuitively eat, I wouldn't need to lose weight 🙄

[ANDREA-ytdn]

Intuitive eating is how I gained weight in the first place 😂