Two methods that promote a positive relationship with food are intuitive eating and mindful eating. Both of them entail heightened consciousness. While the names are used interchangeably, there are clear distinctions between the two practices.
The differences are explained below, along with which strategy would work best for you. A perspective on food that extends beyond meal times is a component of intuitive eating. Conversely, mindful eating places more emphasis on the experience of eating. Though they take distinct approaches, both entail becoming more conscious of your thoughts and feelings when you eat.
The goal of intuitive eating is to use your body's signals to guide eating habits and determine when and how to eat. This method of eating is not a diet. Dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch were the first to invent the term ‘intuitive eating.’ Eating intuitively diverts attention from the external guidelines for what and how much to consume. Rather, it teaches you how to read your body’s signals, such as sensations, mood, hunger, and fullness. Accepting all foods in one's diet and rejecting the categorisation of ‘good foods, bad foods,’ which can cause many people to restrict particular meals, is the first of the ten principles of intuitive eating. The tenets also urge you to connect with your feelings of satisfaction and contentment throughout meals. They emphasise respecting and honouring your body, your emotions, and your general well-being. The tenth principle of intuitive eating or ‘gentle nutrition’ is frequently disregarded. This promotes eating in a way that makes you feel your best, which may involve medical nutrition therapy.
Principles Of Mindful Eating
Think of mindful eating as a form of mindfulness practice or paying attention to what you're going through at any particular point in time without attempting to alter or judge it. Although it entails reducing the speed at which you eat, this is only one aspect. When you eat mindfully, you focus on the food's flavour, texture, and aroma. You are urged to pay attention to your thoughts and sensations and just note how you feel.
Advantages
You can improve your understanding of your hunger and fullness cues by practicing both intuitive and mindful eating. They might also lessen the chances of emotional eating and coping through food. Since the anti-diet attitude is also incorporated into intuitive eating, it can be beneficial to:
• Minimise the chance of falling for the newest fad diets and yo-yo dieting
• Develop a more robust and constructive connection with eating
• Boost mental health
• Enhance your perception of your body
• Reduce the likelihood that you will acquire disordered eating patterns
Some are concerned that eating instinctively may result in consuming more items that are typically classified as ‘unhealthy’ by diet culture. However, research indicates that intuitive eating really improves the quality of diet over time.
Eating mindfully can be beneficial to:
• Improve your digestion
• Boost contentment with meals and snacks
• Incorporate mindfulness exercises into your everyday routine to enhance your general mental health
How To Begin Eating Mindfully
It’s simpler than you think! To engage in mindful eating:
• At every meal, slow down and pay attention to your five senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing.
• Before you eat, consider whether there are any distractions you can stay away from.
• Think about the flavours you enjoyed throughout meals.
• Be mindful of any negative thoughts that arise in relation to the foods you are consuming.
• Make nutrient-dense, energy-boosting dietary choices.
• Check your levels of hunger and fullness on a regular basis, without passing judgement.
How To Practice Intuitive Eating
Consider whether you're experiencing actual hunger or using food as a coping mechanism for stress or other emotions.
• Eat if you're physically hungry.
• If you're experiencing emotional hunger, think about coping mechanisms that don't include food. (However, if you eat out of emotional hunger, don't be too hard on yourself.)
• Don't limit your food consumption or try to reach a specific calorie target.
• Savour the meals you love and eat for satisfaction.
• When your body signals that you are full, pay attention to your feelings of fullness and stop eating.
• Think about the advantages of aiming for non-weight-related objectives.
• Unfollow weight-loss-related posts on social media.
There are many similarities between mindful eating and intuitive eating. Both entail becoming more conscious of your relationship with food and how you consume. Additionally, both are beneficial to health. Intuitive eating may feel more in line with your objectives if you have a lengthy history of dieting. You may find mindful eating beneficial if you're a busy person who frequently eats while distracted. You can improve your health and reduce food-related stress by using either strategy.