I know some posters can do this (I unfortunately am not in this mindset yet), but I thought this article was interesting. It was in the Toronto Star today.
NEW YORK—Women who accept their bodies, flaws and all, are more likely to eat healthily or intuitively, new research shows. This suggests that women's typical reasons for dieting — dissatisfaction with their bodies — may backfire.
"There is a lot of negative body talk among women; women think that they can best lose weight and feel better if they are first dissatisfied with their bodies," Dr. Tracy Tylka said.
"Rather, this research shows that adopting a positive body image is more likely to be associated with intuitive eating."
Intuitive eaters don't diet — they recognize and respond to internal hunger and fullness cues to regulate what and how much they eat, explained Tylka, an assistant professor of psychology at Ohio State University's Marion campus.
Intuitive eating has three components: "unconditional permission to eat when hungry and whatever food is desired; eating for physical rather than emotional reasons; and reliance on internal hunger/fullness cues."
Tylka has conducted several studies on the concept of intuitive eating.
In an April study involving 199 college-aged women, Tylka found women who followed intuitive eating principles had a slightly lower body weight than those who didn't.
"Intuitive eating was negatively associated with body mass, such that people who ate intuitively weighed less than people who dieted," she said.
In her latest studies presented this month at the American Psychological Association meeting, Tylka and her colleagues examined who was most likely to follow intuitive eating principles.
They found, among nearly 600 college women, that those with higher levels of body appreciation and acceptance were more likely to be intuitive eaters.
Intuitive eaters spend less time thinking about how their body appears to others and more time considering how their body feels and functions, Tylka observed.
They "perceive the body as an agent of action rather than an object of attraction ... focusing on how the body functions rather than its appearance," Tylka said.
Intuitive eating, Tylka's found, is "positively associated with psychological well-being, such as self-esteem, positive emotions, coping, self-acceptance, and resilience in the face of stress."
Intuitive eaters also reported receiving more positive messages from parents and others regarding their bodies.
This can have some circular reasoning. Women who are more accepting of their bodies eat intuitively and are at lower weights and are more accepting of their bodies and eat intuitively and are at lower weights...and so on. So what comes first? Body acceptance, intuitive eating or lower weights? Are there intuitive eaters at higher weights who are accepting of their bodies?
Further, how can this apply to women (like me!) who are not intuitive eaters...who overeat due to stress or depression...I am far more intuitive when I consider the damage I am doing to my body and refuse to accept further damage.
The women referred to in this article appear to be happy with themselves...and they are probably happy because they have been practicing intuitive eating all along and therefore are at a lower body weight.
I'm not sure intuitive eating will work for me...my personal barometer is jacked up due to my poor habits. Thoughtful, considered, and measured eating is what works for me....and that makes me a lower weight which makes me more accepting of my body which encourages self-awareness and measured eating....and so it goes.
In other words, these women's intuition ain't broke...hence no weight problem. Mine is busted.
So what comes first? Body acceptance, intuitive eating or lower weights? Are there intuitive eaters at higher weights who are accepting of their bodies?
I fall into the category of intuitive eaters at higher weights.
My eating habits have been screwed up for most of my life because I had been dieting since I was a pre-teen. And I hated my body, because I was convinced that if I just found the right diet and had the willpower to starve my body into submission I could look like a model. But my body never seemed to want to cooperate with any of the diet plans, lol.
I finally decided I was sick of dieting and just wasn't going to do it anymore, and I would just have to accept my body the way it was.
I think the body acceptance has to come first, because the whole concept of intuitive eating is based on trusting your body to give you the right signals about how much, what, and when to eat. If you hate your body, are you likely to listen to it and follow its advice?
Midwife, I'm sure my barometer was equally as screwed up as yours. What I found is that my body was still giving me the right signals--I was just ignoring them.
Basically, my weightloss plan consists of intuitively eating whole foods, and plenty of exercise. I have dropped from a size 24 to a size 18 in two months. And a nice side affect has been that since I have gotten into the habit of listening to and trusting my body, I now actually LIKE my body with all its flaws, instead of just accepting it.
Intuitive. I have been told that I was intuitive by many. I watch closely, pick up on facial expressions, listen to tone of voice, etc. without realizing it. It comes so naturally--just a 'knowing'. Oh, it would be wonderful if I could eat 'naturally' to maintain a healthy weight. I am using portion control now because I am so out of touch with my body and its hunger cues. I eat every two hours to avoid feeling hungry. I want to work on learning my body cues. I want to be an intuitive eater. I want to appreciate the stength and durability of this body that I have so punished. I want to be an intuitive eater. I want to not just feed myself but instead to nurture myself.
This is the approach to eating that I use. I've also heard it called it "mindful eating." My "role model" is the author Geneen Roth who has written extensively on the relationship between weight and self-acceptance. I love what she has to say about trusting yourself, trusting your body and not punishing yourself with rigid diets/food plans. It may take me a long time to achieve my natural weight but I know I will and I won't be making myself miserable in the process.
Hi Carol. I'd love to be able to get in the intuitive eating mindset, too. I think one of my biggest hurdles is that I work in a nuclear plant and so am not able to go for anything to eat except at lunch time. I work 10 hour shifts so by the time I get out to my car, I'm really hungry. I've starting keeping plain almonds in my car, along with bottled water but it's tricky making it to dinner time. By the way, Carol, my best friend lives in Big Cedar, do you know where that is?
I wonder why there are 2 threads with the same title. I didn't notice these until I saw the post under Fiddler's posts. I wondered why no one was posting under the old title. Maybe this is why.
Intuitive Eating
