The 10 Intuitive Eating Principles
1. Reject the Diet Mentality
Diet culture has likely taught you to distrust your body, chase after thinness, and measure your worth by numbers on a scale. Begin to notice where those rules and messages show up in your life, and gently challenge them. Release the hope that “the next diet” will finally work. This is the first step in creating a new, kinder relationship with food and your body.
2. Honor Your Hunger
Your body’s hunger signals are not something to suppress or fear—they are biological cues designed to keep you alive and well. Start paying attention to the early signs of hunger (like stomach rumbling, irritability, or lack of focus) and allow yourself to respond with food. Trusting your hunger helps rebuild trust with yourself.
3. Make Peace with Food
Give yourself full permission to eat all foods. When foods are labeled as “off-limits,” it often leads to cravings, guilt, and a cycle of deprivation followed by overeating. By making peace with food, you free yourself from this struggle and create space for curiosity, flexibility, and enjoyment.
4. Challenge the Food Police
Notice the critical voice in your head that says you’re “good” for eating a salad or “bad” for having dessert. That voice is not the truth—it is diet culture internalized. Practice replacing those judgments with neutral observations, like: “I chose a cookie because I wanted something sweet and satisfying.” This helps shift the focus away from morality and toward care.
5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor
Eating is not only about fuel—it’s also about pleasure and connection. Allow yourself to choose foods you genuinely enjoy and create eating experiences that feel satisfying (this could mean eating slowly, setting a calming atmosphere, or savoring the flavors). Satisfaction often leads to a natural sense of contentment and balance.
6. Feel Your Fullness
Begin to tune in during meals, pausing halfway through to ask yourself: “How does my body feel right now?” Notice sensations of fullness and comfort, and give yourself permission to stop when you feel content. If you overeat sometimes, meet yourself with kindness—that’s part of the learning process.
7. Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness
Food can bring comfort, and that’s okay—but it cannot meet all emotional needs. Start to gently explore other ways to care for yourself when feelings like sadness, stress, or boredom arise. This might look like journaling, resting, reaching out to a friend, or taking a walk. Let food be one tool, but not the only one.
8. Respect Your Body
Accepting your body as it is right now is an act of compassion. You do not have to love every part of your body to treat it with dignity and respect. Shift the goal from changing your body to caring for it—through rest, nourishment, movement, and kindness.
9. Movement—Feel the Difference
Instead of focusing on exercise as punishment or a way to “burn off” food, experiment with movement that feels energizing and joyful. Notice how your body feels before, during, and after movement. The goal is to connect with your body, not to control it.
10. Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition
Nutrition is important, but it doesn’t have to be rigid or perfect. Consider what foods make your body feel good, provide energy, and also bring you joy. Gentle nutrition is about balance and flexibility, not strict rules. Remember: one meal or snack will not make or break your health.
At its core, intuitive eating is about rebuilding trust with your body and breaking free from shame and rigidity. It’s not about perfection, but about progress toward a kinder, more sustainable relationship with food, movement, and yourself.
