Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti-Diet Approach

by Evelyn Tribole

Many of our clients will recount that when they “allowed” themselves to eat certain forbidden foods, they still overate and felt out of control. But for most people, these foods were never really unconditionally allowed; rather, they were only given pseudo-permission. These forbidden foods were actually being eaten with a sense of temporarily breaking the rules, or with a little voice saying, “You really shouldn’t eat that.” The moment that food touched the tongue, feelings of guilt and remorse flooded in. And with these feelings came a conviction to limit these foods in the future and counter this indulgence by “eating right” tomorrow. Although physically eating the food, they were emotionally depriving themselves in the future. And, so, the cycle perpetuates. Pseudo-permission does not work—it’s only an illusion. Your mouth may be chewing, but your mind is saying, “I shouldn’t.” Your mind is still on a diet.