I know it can be very conflicting and challenging to navigate what a healthy way of eating looks like. The main reason why it’s so controversial is that it’s so different to different people. A person’s perception of what healthy eating looks like is influenced by their culture, religion, what food exposure they’ve had, what societal norms and expectations they’ve been exposed to, what gender they are, how old they are, what comments they’ve heard about their food and body and so much more. It gets loud when you listen to other people’s opinions on how to eat.

It's why I really enjoy Intuitive Eating. It silences all of the voices and opinions, helpful or not, and allows the person at the centre to speak. It empowers the individual. It gives the individual the ability to speak for themselves. It’s very liberating and I love the challenge and ability to help someone get there.

I believe healthy eating looks unique to each person. Sure, the science doesn’t change, and some advice is generally advised such as Vitamin D supplementation in the winter months in the UK or Folic Acid supplementation in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, but there’s so much more flexibility and fun in healthy eating when you consider the wider picture.

With Intuitive Eating’s 10 principles, the individual is given the tools and skills to walk through life with confidence in their way of eating, their body, and their ability to refuse outside pressures of conforming to diets and society’s ideals. The principles are:

·        Reject the diet mentality

·        Honour your hunger

·        Make peace with food

·        Challenge the food police

·        Discover the satisfaction factor

·       Feel your fullness

·        Cope with your emotions with kindness

·        Respect your body

·        Intuitive movement

·        Gentle nutrition

It’s a process to unlearn unhelpful beliefs regarding yourself and food, learn how to respect your body’s hunger and fullness cues, and find your unique way of healthy eating. It’s a fine art that needs patience and work, but with the right guidance, you too can get there and achieve true food freedom. And if you’re someone who has tried Intuitive Eating previously and say it didn’t work for you, I wonder if you fully embraced the process or if you had the right support at the time. It’s not your fault, it just means you try again with the right help.

If you need help breaking free from diets and discovering a more freeing way of eating, then go ahead and book your Free 15 Minute Discovery Call.