Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach

by Evelyn Tribole

Remember, however, that eating more than your body needs may be respecting economics but is not necessarily respecting your body.

Dieting itself can trigger emotions, which ultimately leads to using food as your primary coping mechanism for dealing with these feelings

All bodies deserve dignity.

You don’t have to like every part of your body to respect it. In fact, you don’t have to immediately accept where your body is now to respect it. Respecting your body means treating it with dignity, while holding the intention of meeting its basic needs.

You deserve to be comfortable. You deserve to get your basic needs met. Consider these basic premises of body respect: • My body deserves to be fed. • My body deserves to be treated with dignity. • My body deserves to be dressed comfortably and in a style I like. • My body deserves to be touched affectionately, with my consent and with respect. • My body deserves to move comfortably, to the extent it is possible.

Getting comfortable. Let’s get personal here. When is the last time you bought new underwear? Don’t laugh. All too often we have clients who feel that they don’t deserve new underwear (let alone new clothes) until they reach a certain weight or clothing size. Think about what that means at a basic level. Wearing panties, a bra, or briefs that are constantly pinching or riding up is highly uncomfortable. How can you be comfortable in your body when you have an unpleasant reminder constantly binding your body? How can you be at ease when your body is constantly pinched and squeezed by poorly fitting garments?

It’s important that you don’t organize your life around an arbitrary size. Rather, build a life that works day to day in your here-and-now body.

Most of our clients are embarrassed to admit this, but when they enter a room with other people, they play the silent game of body-checking. The game of body-checking revolves around the theme “How does my body compare to the rest of the crowd?” Perhaps you’ve played this game (and maybe are not even quite aware of it). For people who face more weight stigma, they may ask themselves, “Am I the biggest one here, or is there danger here for me?” as a strategy to manage their fear of stigma. For those with thin privilege, their questions might be, “Who’s got the best body? How does my body rate, compared to the others?” This body comparison can be a dangerous game. It can lead to a fleeting sense of superiority, only to result in more envy and insecurity. Either way, they end up feeling bad.

Many of our clients are surprised at how often they degrade their bodies in one day. How many times a day do you chide yourself about your body?

Above all, do not bribe, reward, or attempt to comfort with food. Food is for hunger, satisfaction, and nourishment. Help your children learn how to endure feelings. Let them know that their feelings are real and valued and that there are ways to comfort oneself without using food.