Intuitive Eating vs. Other Stuff

Jennifer

Jennifer Pereira, RD, LD, CSCS, LPC-I

Intuitive eating - pereira

In this chart, Jennifer describes the difference between Intuitive Eating and the ways we’ve “learned” to eat (Other Stuff), which gets in the way of regulating our food intake, quality and quantity, in a natural way.

1.  Intuitive eating vs. “Other Stuff”‘

[message_box title=”Jordan” color=”blue”]

Following your natural or intuitive body signals to know when to eat and what to eat is what “Intuitive Eating” is all about.

Other Stuff – Everything else we do to try to regulate our eating that isn’t natural and for the most part, doesn’t work.  Basically, living from our “mental body.”

[/message_box]

 

2.  Born with the innate ability to eat (babies eat frequently when hungry and refuse food when not hungry) vs.  we don’t know and have to be taught how to eat (schedules/structuring).

[message_box title=”Jordan” color=”blue”]Intuitive eating is paradoxical because ‘most’-of-what-we’ve-been-taught-about-eating,’ how to lose or gain weight, diet & exercise, etc., is just pain wrong.

Instead of trying to ‘teach’ children how to eat with messages like, “clean your plate,” “eat your meat”, etc., we would do better to ‘learn’ from children how to eat.  They naturally eat when they’re hungry and stop when they’re full, before parental and cultural conditioning takes over and breaks the natural/intuitive pattern.

I do think that the processed foods in our culture are designed to create desire, urges and cravings rather than satisfy them.  [/message_box]

3.  Body knows how to perform biological functions to promote health and meet needs vs. Our bodies are just crazy bastards that will grow out of control if not managed.

[message_box title=”Jordan” color=”blue”]Actually, I’m having a little difficulty believing that, “I too, can eat intuitively.”

It’s like I don’t really trust my body or myself to let myself go through my day without constantly monitoring and regulating what I am eating, punctuated by moments of unregulated-uncontrolled food bouts.

When I told Jennifer, that my concern was that, in a way, this intuitive eating things seems like just ‘going-on-another-diet’ and I figure it’ll burn out after awhile, as all diets do.  She just tossed her head back,  laughed and said, “Of course, you would be concerned about that, it makes sense you would be skeptical.  (It did help that her friend Holly assured me that she has had great results and has been intuitively eating for a few years now.)  [/message_box]

4. Eating is a biological function (like going to the bathroom, etc.) vs. Eating is tricky + mysterious + there is some “right way/food/etc.”

[message_box title=”Jordan” color=”blue”]

Jennifer explained that, eating is as natural as going to be the bathroom.  The body sends pee signals and we go pee. Eating can be the same way – actually, it IS the same way, we have just learned ourselves out of it by using our “mental body” – ie, thinking – to tell us what to eat, when and how.

Basically, “Thinking-eating” means following a diet, exercise plan, eating by a points system (which is very unnatural, if not downright crazy), the many things we’re all taught to do or not do, to lose or gain weight.

[/message_box]

 

0

Dr. Amber Quaranta-Leech, LPC-S

Amber holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Texas and Oklahoma and holds Supervisor credential for Texas. Amber is an EMDRIA consultant and trainer. She has over a decade of experience in the trauma field in work with uniformed services, domestic violence, childhood trauma and abuse, and recent mass trauma events. Amber provides consultation for EMDRIA certification, for consultants-in-training, and supervision for LPC-Associates. Amber continues to research the benefits of EMDR therapy with a variety of populations. Her goal is to help build strong clinicians who are well versed in trauma interventions to better support their clients. Amber sees a limited number of clients with a focus on trauma work, she is also a Certified Career Counselor and Certified through EAGALA to provide equine-assisted therapy. 

Dr. Jose Carbajal, LCSW

Dr. Jose Carbajal, a U.S. Army veteran, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work and a master’s in theological studies from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. With over 15 years of clinical experience and extensive teaching experience, Jose specializes in trauma, sexual abuse recovery, domestic violence, and substance abuse. His research focuses on trauma interventions, neuroscience, and faith. He is EMDR Certified, an Approved Consultant, and an EMDRIA Approved Trainer, with numerous publications and professional presentations to his name.

Dr. Amanda Martin, LMFT-S, LPC, BCN

Amanda Martin holds a PhD in Family Therapy and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in trauma therapy for individuals and families in residential and outpatient settings. Amanda also provides supervision for EMDR certification, EMDR consultants-in-training, and LMFT-Associates. Her mission is to help people find a healthy, joyful, and fulfilling path in life. Her warm, supportive, and interactive counseling style incorporates Symbolic Experiential Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, HeartMath, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Neurofeedback, and Collaborative Problem Solving.

Send this to a friend