Why Intuitive Eating "Doesn't Work" | By Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

[@irenemowers9897]

I clicked on this video to comment that Intuitive eating DOES work and then I found that you are not against it. New subscriber!

[@dietitiankat]

😆 I 100% appreciate your work to spread facts about it! I tried to make it less clickbait-y by using the quotations.

[@cullensister99]

I stopped binge eating because of intuitive eating. When I allow myself to eat whatever I want whenever I want, I don't have the same intense cravings. In fact, I think I eat less than before sometimes because I'm not restricting anymore

[@鴨下百合]

@@Lovelulovelovi Eating unhealthy food sometimes doesn't make someone outright unhealthy. Hey, kudos to you for eating perfectly. You are so perfect, everyone is soooooo jealous of you. Wow I just can't believe you exist...someone so perfect...

[@cullensister99]

@@Lovelulovelovi Honey, I powerlift and eat all the food I want and I'm still technically underweight. Do you think I care if I have 1 or 2 unhealthy foods a day? No I really don't. I don't eat 50% crappy food. Bad food makes people feel sick anyway. I end up not sleeping well or in bed if I eat poorly. But if I decide to eat a whole cake, is that a problem? For that night. Not forever. Idk why you felt the need to comment sTiLl uNhEaLthY tHoUgH. I'm quite healthy. HIIT and powerlifting. Good muscle mass. Heart is in great shape. What's the issue

[@鴨下百合]

@@Lovelulovelovi don't really give a shit how you eat... There are plenty of healthy and fit people who have a couple of unhealthy foods a day. Who cares if it is natural or not? As long as they are fit and exercise daily it's fine. Jeez you're so judgmental and opinionated. As an athlete, and someone who eats intuitively, I can say that I am plenty healthy. ALSO WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT WAR LOLOLOLOL How does that have anything to do with oreos omg you're a riot! hahaha

[@ire4355]

@@Lovelulovelovi No food is inherently "unhealthy" but labeling food as such definitely IS.

[@jasminejensen4632]

I was really confused at first and it took me a while before I learned and understood intuitive eating. Because to learn it, you have to abandon everything you’ve accepted as gospel from diet culture. And to ditch all that crap to a level where your finally not tortured anymore is HARD. Learning how to eat intuitively is essential! Completely natural and because of it, I hardly ever think about what I eat, but I still make healthy choices. I’m healthier than I’ve EVER BEEN!

[@208_treasure6]

After a lifetime of binge eating, intuitive eating is the ONLY thing that has worked for me. It has changed my life. Finally, I have food freedom.

[@ashleyt.1116]

This is actually my introduction to intuitive eating. I tend to dismiss any diet I hear about without really looking into it. This is really interesting and I appreciate the link to a study I can read.

[@dietitiankat]

Ah, thanks so much for watching!

[@AlinaTowers]

I’m trying it… I see a lot of value in it, but I have a problem with a couple premises from the book. Premise 1) There’s no place for discipline or restriction in healthy eating. Premise 2) health at every size. As I try to practice intuitive eating, I’m discovering things I already knew, like that eating at night makes me really uncomfortable, but NOT eating at night requires discipline. As for the second, as a nurse and someone who tries to stay well-informed about health, I have some idea about the mountains of evidence that increased weight stresses the body in so many weighs and increases the risk of so many illnesses. The IE book religiously avoids any acknowledgement of those risks or the possibility of overeating being a problem or a reason for obesity. It really bothers me.

[@jamiepsmithpdx]

This book was so helpful to helping me understand my orthorexia and putting 'cleanses' and IF, etc into the 'healthy' category- masking dieting with 'health'. Love Kristin Neffs work was well.

[@kabe3938]

Hi Kat, I just wanted to say that your videos are so, so, so good for my mental health and your channel is actually the only food/nutrition related content I watch on YT, as I find most other channels somewhat triggering (I used to struggle with anorexia for years during puberty/early adulthood). The way you talk about food as being "neutral" (instead of good or bad) and how you emphasize the aspects of enjoyment and satisfaction in the context of eating really makes me feel happier, more relaxed, and content with my current style of eating (which is not perfect, but so much better than it used to be). I just wanted you to know that what you're doing is important and I wish more people would talk about nutrition/food/dieting in this (nuanced and more positive) way. About this specific video and the "intuitive eating" method: I didn't know that this was a book, actually. Always thought it was more of a general buzzword that people used to mean whatever they wanted it to mean. Do you have any thoughts on the (new?) fourth edition of the I E book? I imagine there must be quite a number of new studies/theories on nutrition/eating from subsequent years that had not been published when the first edition was written. And: Is the workbook a stand-alone book or would you recommend it only to be read as an "add-on" to the main book? If you find the time to answer, thank you so much in advance! Best of luck for your channel in the future; you deserve so many more subscribers!

[@dietitiankat]

Thank you so much!! I really appreciate that! And we have the same initials 😆 The book has been updated as far as verbiage goes. There was some more weight focus originally, but now has a full HAES alignment. I do think if you can do the workbook with the full one, that will help more with application. But either one is great on it's own!

[@kabe3938]

@@dietitiankat Haha, I didn't even notice the initials, but you're right 😄 Thank you for your reply and going into a bit more detail about the new edition! I'm looking forward to watching your next video. Have a great week!

[@Lisa-ny2mr]

I have purchased the books but haven’t read them yet. I think you did a great job explaining the framework and addressing some reservations/misunderstandings I had. Thanks!

[@7songstress]

Thank you for doing this work. I am so glad to have found your channel. ❤️

[@Lopsa192]

Intuitive eating for 4 years didn't heal my prediabetes...it got worse than ever and I was listening to my body the whole time, eating mostly home cooked meals etc. I love chocolate and ate a lot of it, because that was what I was craving. Those cravings didn't go away over time, because I am insulin resistant and don't use sugar very well...hence the cravings for more sugar. I also ate balanced meals which was what I wanted. Nothing positive happened. Insulin resistance is chronic and progressive....and if I didn't wake up and realize this I probably I would be diabetic in a few years...all whilst eating intuitively. This might work for somebody otherwise healthy, but for prediabetes/diabetes it won't work. I now follow a low carb high fat diet to control my insulin, which is very high but slowly coming down. Within low carb I eat intuitively but it must be low carb.

[@dietitiankat]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Did you use the book to follow the principles? Intuitive Eating isn't just a craving-kind of thing, there is a place for medical nutrition therapy within it. Intuitive Eating is a dynamic interplay of instinct, emotion, AND rational thought - that last part basically meaning implementation of medical needs as needed, which would allow for prediabetes/diabetes support. Giving into cravings and eating all cravings isn't really equivalent to Intuitive Eating. If it's not kind to the body, it's not really aligned to full health.

[@Lopsa192]

@@dietitiankat Yes I used the book.

[@plant495]

@@dietitiankat What do you mean, please, by "Giving into cravings and eating all cravings isn't really equivalent to IE"? That is exactly what IE is: listening to what one's body is craving and eating those things as those cravings occur. There are many things that can interfere with responding promptly to one's cravings (such as an ED, and extreme tuning out of hunger cues, fear of eating, etc.), leading to being overly hungry, and then needing foods higher in fast calories, sugar, and fat. That's why mechanical eating is so helpful and important. I hope you will check out the sources I provided.

[@solastalgia4716]

Question for you, Kat. If I am opening up myself to eating processed foods that hijack my body's satiation cues then how can I actually be practicing intuitive eating. Wouldn't their be some basic off-limits foods (certain processed ones) to allow our connection to intuition stay open in the first place? Thanks!

[@bctaber]

I tried intuitive eating for a year and kept having processed foods everyday when i just eat real food its impossible not to eat intuitively bc there is no desire for food unless u are hungry. real food doesnt get me high. processed food does. in my experience for me personally at least.

[@solastalgia4716]

@@bctaberthanks for sharing Becca. Yes it's hard to eat intuitively (ie satiation cues etc) with processed food that's made literally to hijack those intuitive cues.

[@dietitiankat]

I’m so sorry this is ridiculously late, but yes! It can be very challenging to listen to internal cues when specific foods are created in a way to promote additional intake. This is one reason why I encourage people (if they are wanting to work on physical health) to eat a balanced meal (protein, fat, and carb) or balanced snack (protein or fat paired with a carb) with minimally processed foods, before eating more fun-style foods, or at least pairing those higher processed ones if that’s what’s available. It’s not for a dieting trick but instead done to be able to listen to those cues easier.

[@mamasitatita]

Excellent information and analogy 👌🏼 I’m buying the workbook 😁

[@dietitiankat]

Ahhh! Hope you enjoy it! Please let me know if you have ways I can make it better!

[@jamiekim6926]

Interesting thanks. I've read the book, and some of the ideas are appealing, especially with the challenges of maintaining food rules and control. The problem with feel your fullness thing is I can't consistently control regular eating the super tasty foods and stop when I'm "full" (feeling of which can vary a lot anyway due to all kinds of things like the speed of eating or meal content) eat too much and get fatter and health gets worse. This is what happened when I tried IE before anyway, shame would ne very nice to be free from food control, but not worth it if feel worse overall.

[@plant495]

I hear you. Please see my replies under this video as this video is very upsetting to me. I say that as someone in ED recovery.

[@MNMA...12345]

That's so helpful, thank you 😊

[@plant495]

Thank you for your post. I'm sorry to hear what you are dealing with. Please see my reply to your comment and DietitianKat's, in case it's useful. I tried IE diligently, and ended up eating huge amounts of chocolate. It greatly exacerbated my eating disorder. Please read my other comments here for resources that explain more about the problems with IE for some. It may feel validating to read sources explaining why it's not for everyone.

[@amandamc.6200]

This is pretty valuable and sound advice and information regarding this dietary/nutrition principle. Thank you for all this thorough info!

[@dietitiankat]

Ah thanks, Amanda!

[@Turtletoots3]

Amanda Panda!

[@SeasonalSunflower]

I really enjoyed this video! I wasn't aware of the initiative eating framework. I was looking at the book and it almost seems like a textbook. Is it a pretty heavy ready? Would it be suitable for a novice/casual reader? Also, your updated filming background looks really nice btw 👍

[@dietitiankat]

I'm so glad! Thanks!! It's definitely reader-friendly!

[@EveWilliamsMusic]

Sounds like it would be pretty useless on corticosteroids or insulin. Totally out for me.

[@dietitiankat]

Not necessarily. Medical nutrition therapy can fit well in the framework. Would "eating intuitively" work? No. Would the "Intuitive Eating" framework be useful for corticosteroids or insulin? Yes.

[@Gedeegadago6]

Hello Kat, I would like to start intuitive eating, but am wondering if the ten basic principles are enough or if I should buy the book. I have no qualms about buying the book, but really wanted to know first before spending money on something I might not need. Thanks!

[@dietitiankat]

I would check out your local library or a half-priced books-style bookstore in your area if you want to check it out first. I really do thing the books (especially the updated one) is very helpful with the full explanations. :)

[@Gedeegadago6]

Thank you!!

[@vickynguyen6466]

As a writer, the title was not misleading. The quotation marks, man. (:

[@leoalphaproductions8642]

Problem with intuitive eating is it ignores physiology in the process. Foods aren’t just calories and numbers. They also have hormonal and physiological impact in your system. Eating a big slice of cake isn’t the same as eating a big piece of steak. One will leave you feeling hungry and wanting more. While the other will satiate you and make you feel energized and not wanting to eat anymore for a long time. I intuitively want to eat a big slice of pizza or a big slice of cake because millions of years of evolution has made sugars and carbs rewarding due to their scarcity in nature. Thus they produce huge dopamine levels in the brain when we do find them and eat them. But that garbage is so abundant now that we’re “intuitively” eating ourselves into metabolic disorders and even eventual death.

[@dietitiankat]

Have you read the book? Specifically the nutrition section? Food-body congruence is a part of the framework. Plus, the structure of I.E. is instinct, emotion, rational thought, and body kindness - eating in a way that’s going to physically harm the body just doesn’t fit the overall framework of Intuitive Eating, but I suppose it does fit what some people assume to be the definition. I just don’t see how your argument doesn’t align with the actual framework. The framework never says a steak is the same as a cake; like morally, sure, but physiologically absolutely not. I hope this doesn’t come off rude, but I’m really trying to provide good feedback and this comment just comes across as if you haven’t actually learned what the official IE framework is, and instead just made up your own definition. That’s ok if you haven’t read the book or really dug into the framework, but please don’t just assume that it means eating anything and everything without regard of the rational thought piece that the book very much covers.

[@leoalphaproductions8642]

@@dietitiankat granted I haven’t read the book, but the term “intuitive eating” is quite misleading. Does the book give guidelines on what to eat and what not to eat? If so, then how and where are they getting that data/information? If not, then how does one decide? The topic of health and nutrition is often so subjective and unscientific that it all turns into opinions. What you may consider “healthy,” may be deemed unhealthy by others. I’ve had people tell me that pizza is actually healthy lol. So again, how does one determine what is “harmful” for the body if they don’t even have a basic understanding of science and physiology?

[@plant495]

@@leoalphaproductions8642 One of the dishonest things about the book is that it is written by dietitians. They say upfront that they're dietitians, but gloss over the fact that they have vastly more nutrition knowledge than 99% of the population that helps guide their choices.

[@CherylFlynn1]

It worked for me. 💯 %. It’s not “an approach”; it is natural. If it didn’t work, they didn’t read, follow and understand correctly.

[@plant495]

Cheryl, I'm glad it was helpful to you. IE is NOT for everyone, especially for many people in early recovery from EDs. Ellyn Satter, and the Peace and Nutrition RD explain this on their sites. See "mechanical eating." Some of us need scheduled meals for life. One of the probs with IE is that the authors claim what you wrote, that if it doesn't work for someone, it's that person's fault, not the fault of IE. That is a) not true, and b) quite illogical, harmful, and unethical of the authors. There's no "one size fits all" for eating strategies.

[@MissJoyce88]

A bit of a personal question but I was told my entire life I should not eat x hours before going to sleep. However I suffer from emotional binge eating mostly in the evenings. I noticed over the pas few weeks that delaying my dinner until 1 hour before bedtime really works for me. Haven’t binged 3 weeks straight. But am still feeling ‘guilty’ because they always say to not eat so close to bedtime because my body will not digest/burn the calories as efficiently?

[@eloisepharmacist]

Excellent summary - I love that I've found your channel. Are you okay with me emailing you for advice about collaborating?

[@dietitiankat]

Thanks! And yes! 😊 [e-mail] is great

[@JR-zm5uw]

I just looked up the book while watching your video. Here in Germany the title "Intuitive Eating" is translated as "Intuitiv Abnehmen" which literally means intuitively losing weight, which, if I go by this video, is not what it is supposed to be about. Looks like people in Germany will be really confused about the method. I wonder if the authors are aware of this translation.

[@dietitiankat]

Oh wow! That's a really great point. I'll send a message to them and see!

[@grgumgee1]

I’m in the process of reading the book I am so excited

[@dietitiankat]

Yay!!

[@valeriea.dellalongamphrdnl206]

Great video Kat!! Such a good explanation!

[@dietitiankat]

Thanks!!! 💜

[@leighmckinney4399]

Great video thank you

[@danielleportinga6493]

Kat, I’d love to get your professional thoughts on Beneficial International or Nutrydyn. To use these products with my clients, I was required to show that I am an LMT, have liability insurance and in some cases attend training for CEU’s. Even so, as a med student drop out, I tend to question everything and require proof. Some products I recommend after doing health history and checking any contraindications. Still, it is so hard to educate those that have been beaten into believing their MLM products are so good for them. Ack! I really appreciate The research and work you’ve done to put into your videos. Thank you

[@dietitiankat]

Ahh! I've never heard of that! I'll definitely add that to the list 😊

[@katokianimation]

This video was a huge nothingburger. 10 minutes of anecdotes and another 10 of analogies. All I learned is that if you eat well, it is the success of unintuitive eating. If it doesn't, it's your fault. Even if you went to a diatitian, you were supposed to read the Holly Book of Intuitive Eating. How is this different from a doctor who ignores their training, preaches a carnivore diet from a book, and makes excuses to discount when their clients are failing? Confirmation bias will give you the results you want.

[@dietitiankat]

😅😅 I’d love to know which anecdotes you are concerned about. The intuitive eating framework is evidence-based with many quality studies on various aspects of health and I can provide specific ones you’re concerned about. Confirmation bias does provide results you want, which is why I rely on the evidence instead.

[@elizabethd112]

So it's not really intuitive then, there's rules too.

[@dietitiankat]

I see them as more of a framework to remove dichotomous rules, but that might be semantics

[@theneverending9319]

Sorry but most of the world intuitively eats and that's why we are obese

[@callmecharlottex]

I love the principles/strategies of intuitive eating, of eating what you want and when you want. I do not believe in cutting out whole food groups but I had to cut out a certain food a long time ago because I would eat packet after packet of them when I was younger and gained a lot of weight. Since cutting it out, I lost a lot of weight and feel and look much better now. I still eat junk foods all the time but I make sure to watch my portion sizes.

[@trevorhale3203]

I'm doing intuitive eating thats why I'm choosing plexus with out a book lol

[@Turtletoots3]

Your scammy unregulated supplement MLM has no place in a healthy diet.

[@zekekasichiro-smith4725]

I tried intuitive eating today, but my stomach bloated right away after eating my lunch, and even after working out and while working out the bloat is still with me. T.T sadly it's not for me. Will go back to my usual eating habit, I actually eat healthy 75-80% and exercise 5-6 a week.

[@dietitiankat]

Oh no! Sounds like there might be some food sensitivities going on. Medical nutrition therapy (a food plan for conditions, that includes digestive issues) is 100% ok in I.E.! I still start some people on the Elimination diet or low FODMAP to find sensitivities and have more food-body congruence. It's not just about eating whatever, but more about what make you truly feel well. If we know of certain food that makes us feel bad physically, we aren't really practicing the body kindness part of Intuitive Eating. 💜

[@zekekasichiro-smith4725]

@@dietitiankat actually I was going to rest for a food intolerance, and looks like it's gluten and sugary food. I didn't eat a lot of it tho. X.x Keep uploading, the information is amazing.👍

[@another_one2852]

If you’re like me, you probably ate quicker for your body than you thought and got too full. That and food sensitivities possibly. Or too much unhealthy food (it happens lol)

[@zekekasichiro-smith4725]

@@another_one2852 I actually eat mostly plant based and dairy free. So I think unhealthy is the problem. However I consider that fast eating... Will work on it. Cause sometimes I have no choice, or sometimes I didn't pay attention that I eat quick at that moment. Also will try to be gluten free to see if there will be changes. Which is the most challenging x.x

[@another_one2852]

@@zekekasichiro-smith4725 I had to buy smaller dishes actually so that way I eat just enough to be comfortably full even when eating quickly lol it works oddly, and I still have my snacks but I’m even smaller bowls. My dinner bowl holds 10oz max because usually that’s enough (surprisingly) and my snack bowl is half the size lmao it’s a strange feeling but it’s helpful, and sometimes I find I need a second helping (dinner time only) and I still feel okay if I end up needing it