Intuitive eating can lead to a better relationship with food. But is it for you?

Intuitive eating can lead to a better relationship with food. But is it for you?
PHOTO: Unsplash

Think about eating whatever you want, whenever you want, is disastrous? Well, only if you abuse that freedom.

Because if you know how to stop once you're full, eating what you want when you feel hungry isn't necessarily a problem.

In fact, intuitive eating, as it is otherwise known, teaches you to trust your body by following your intuition.

But whether or not it yields helpful results for you depends on various factors. And while this eating style has advantages, if misappropriated, the ensuing disadvantages can be quite agonising.

The good and the bad of intuitive eating

Let's start with the good: intuitive eating can lead to a healthier body image and relationship with food.

"Studies have shown that it's beneficial for psychological health and is especially beneficial for individuals diagnosed with eating disorders and body image issues. This is because it's less about achieving a specific body image, and more about developing a health-centric focus," says Dr Chester Lan, a resident doctor at DTAP Clinic.

"And since there are no restrictions on what you can eat, there's no shaming or guilt. This minimises rebound eating, which commonly occurs in dieting."

But these positive results are only possible if you're able to practise it with a proper understanding of food, portion sizes and basic nutrition.

Because while foods such as nuts and avocado are full of nutrients and considered healthy, they're also caloric dense and do not satiate hunger easily.

A novice intuitive eater might consume too many calories without making themselves full.

And because this eating style has less structure and guidelines, you need to be disciplined if eating intuitively.

"If you're trying to lose weight, having a basic structure to follow is easier to follow than basing if off abstract concepts and ideas. People with lesser self-control or who aren't very in tune with their bodies may end up binge eating."

You also need to be able to discern a good idea from a bad one.

"You may eat at odd hours if your body tells you to. However, your body has a biological clock, a circadian rhythm, and eating at irregular hours may mess with that rhythm. This can affect your sleep patterns and even your mood."

Alternatives to establishing a healthy relationship with food

Because it doesn't involve any restrictions, intuitive eating isn't considered a type of diet. Still, it's not always recommended by healthcare professionals-at least, not to everyone.

[[nid:484437]]

"It needs to be used in conjunction with some degree of diet control because your body signals or instincts may be wrong sometimes. It's prudent to also employ common sense and portion control with it. For example, one burger seems reasonable, but two seems excessive, as is eating fried foods multiple days in a row just because your body craves it," says Dr Lan. He adds that it should also be paired with regular exercise.

Some healthcare professionals don't recommend it at all.

"We do not encourage patients to follow their intuition when it comes to eating as developing a healthy relationship with food should not be based on feelings alone. Individuals with eating disorders should consult a dietitian who specialises in these issues," says Wong Hui Mei, a senior dietitian at the Department of Dietetics of Singapore General Hospital.

Only you would know if you're able to eat intuitively, successfully, which pretty much means eating whatever you want, whenever you want, within reason.

But fret not if you don't think this eating style is something you will do well with-there are several other ways you can build a healthy relationship with food. Mei San suggests that you:

1. Eat-in a relaxed mood, and in a relaxing environment. This allows pleasurable eating with an absence of remorse

2. Practise flexibility. Rigid habits, such as only eating certain foods, will make you feel 'stuck'

3. Eat balanced meals. We need to consume adequate portions of lean protein, fats, carbohydrates, whole grains, fruits and vegetables in order to meet our daily nutritional requirements. One may not be substituted for another, so it's not advisable to cut out or increase the portions of, certain food groups

4. Avoid dieting. Restrictive eating makes it easy for an eating disorder to take hold. Eating in moderation is strongly recommended as it allows you to occasionally fulfil cravings that are less healthy

This article was first published in CLEO Singapore

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.