{"id":7015,"date":"2023-08-30T22:24:07","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T15:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7015"},"modified":"2023-08-30T22:24:07","modified_gmt":"2023-08-30T15:24:07","slug":"intuitive-eating-and-mood-heres-what-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=7015","title":{"rendered":"Intuitive Eating and Mood: Here\u2019s What To Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">I<\/span>n today\u2019s good news, eating what you want\u2014and when you want, and how much you want\u2014can actually impact your mental health in a good way.<\/p>\n<p>More specifically, we\u2019re talking about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-is-intuitive-eating\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/what-is-intuitive-eating\/\">intuitive eating<\/a> (IE). In short, it\u2019s an evidence-based framework that encourages listening to your body and respecting what it needs and wants. The concept was created by registered dietitians <a href=\"https:\/\/www.evelyntribole.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.evelyntribole.com\/\">Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD, CEDRD-S<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/elyseresch.com\/EResch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/elyseresch.com\/EResch\/\">Elyse Resch, MS, RD, CEDS-S<\/a>, writers of <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FIntuitive-Eating-4th-Anti-Diet-Revolutionary%2Fdp%2F1250255198%2F%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx5526-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fgentle-nutrition%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fgentle-nutrition%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FIntuitive-Eating-4th-Anti-Diet-Revolutionary%2Fdp%2F1250255198%2F%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx5526-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fgentle-nutrition%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fgentle-nutrition%2F&amp;event_type=click\"><em>Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Anti Diet Approach<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Reject the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wellness-diet-culture-podcast\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wellness-diet-culture-podcast\/\">diet mentality<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Honor your hunger.<\/li>\n<li>Make peace with food.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/challenge-food-rules\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/challenge-food-rules\/\">Challenge the food police<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Discover the satisfaction factor.<\/li>\n<li>Feel your fullness.<\/li>\n<li>Cope with your emotions with kindness.<\/li>\n<li>Respect your body.<\/li>\n<li>Focus on how exercise makes you feel.<\/li>\n<li>Honor your health with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gentle-nutrition\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gentle-nutrition\/\">gentle nutrition<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>BTW, multiple studies <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33786858\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33786858\/\">back up the benefits of IE<\/a>. Experts do, too. \u201cWhen we aren\u2019t properly fueling our bodies, this can impact our mood,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/colleenchristensennutrition.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/colleenchristensennutrition.com\/\">Colleen Christensen<\/a>, RD, an intuitive eating registered dietitian and founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/colleenchristensennutrition.com\/course\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/colleenchristensennutrition.com\/course\/\">No Food Rules<\/a>. \u201cIntuitive eating can fix that.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>How intuitive eating is good for your mood<\/h2>\n<h3>It helps you avoid feelings of \u201changer\u201d or discomfort<\/h3>\n<p>Eating more or less than your body wants can feel unpleasant, right? If you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/benefits-of-carbs\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/benefits-of-carbs\/\">restricting what or how much you eat<\/a>, Christensen says, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/being-emotional-when-hungry-is-real\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/being-emotional-when-hungry-is-real\/\">you may feel \u201changry,\u201d or easily emotional<\/a> or annoyed. (Been there, done that!) Plus, as a 2021 study shows, <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/eat.23509\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/eat.23509\">dieting can have the opposite effect<\/a> as intended, leading to worsened body image and self-esteem.<\/p>\n<p>On the other end, if you keep eating past a comfortable fullness, you may feel mentally uncomfortable from the physical discomfort, she adds. By listening to your body\u2019s cues, you don\u2019t have to worry as much about that.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/intuitive-eating-mood\/\" current-title=\"Adopting an Intuitive Eating Approach Can Positively Affect Your Mood and Mental State\u2014RDs Explain\" current-image=\"IMG_2023-08-29-174452.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-03-02\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/intuitive-eating-mood\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/intuitive-eating-mood\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/intuitive-eating-mood\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h3>It allows you to skip over the \u201cshoulds\u201d and focus on foods you enjoy<\/h3>\n<p>The nutritional content of food is one small factor among many that can help you decide what to eat. \u201cEating without guilt means you can make choices around food influenced by lots of factors\u2014taste, preference, hunger, convenience, nutrition, timing\u2014instead of choices from a place of shame or \u2018should-ing\u2019 or judgment,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/thewellful.com\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/thewellful.com\/about\/\">Brenna O\u2019Malley<\/a>, RD, a non-diet dietitian and owner of <a href=\"https:\/\/thewellful.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/thewellful.com\/\">The Wellful<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Not only is this more sustainable, she adds, but it\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/benefits-of-dessert\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/benefits-of-dessert\/\">also more pleasurable<\/a>\u2014and there\u2019s no shame in valuing that. \u201cEating <em>should <\/em>be enjoyable,\u201d she affirms.<\/p>\n<h3>It frees up your mind and widens your social opportunities<\/h3>\n<p>You may know the struggle: You\u2019re on a diet, and you can\u2019t stop thinking about when to eat, what to eat, if you\u2019ve eaten too much of one thing, how to stave off your hunger, how to cut calories, how many calories you\u2019ve eaten so far that day, the list goes on.<\/p>\n<p>Again, IE can prevent that unnecessary anxiety. \u201cWhen you eat intuitively, you free up so much of your mental space, which can allow you to focus on finding more joy in the experience of living,\u201d Christensen says. For example, while at dinner with friends, you can focus more on the conversation than how many calories are in your meal.<\/p>\n<p>Further, this mindset can even encourage you to go to that dinner with friends instead of skipping it. \u201cMany individuals share that during the height of their disordered eating, they\u2019d remove themselves from social events due to a fear of what food might be served, or feeling nervous about comments from others on their food or eating habits,\u201d O\u2019Malley says.<\/p>\n<p>By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/intuitive-eating-techniques\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/intuitive-eating-techniques\/\">working on your relationship with food<\/a>, she continues, you gain tools to help you navigate those situations, as well as increased confidence and trust in your body.<\/p>\n<p>Both O\u2019Malley and Christensen point to how obsessing less over food can help you feel more present with your loved ones, leading to potentially deeper and more meaningful relationships and experiences. And in the long run (and hey, the short run, too), that\u2019s what matters, right?<\/p>\n<h3>It leads to blood sugar stability, which can improve mood<\/h3>\n<p>Hard science comes into play here, as well. \u201cWhen you eat intuitively and are no longer stuck in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/binge-eating-disorder\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/binge-eating-disorder\/\">restrict-binge cycle<\/a>, you\u2019ll experience less extreme highs and lows with blood sugar on a regular basis, which <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22324383\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22324383\/\">may be linked to improved mood<\/a>,\u201d Christensen says.<\/p>\n<h3>It reduces how much of your day is anxiety ridden about food<\/h3>\n<p>Along the lines of the other points\u2014and generally speaking\u2014intuitive eating is a much more chill and understanding approach. \u201cIntuitive eating emphasizes nuance and flexibility,\u201d O\u2019Malley says. \u201cThis can reduce the stress of eating \u2018perfectly.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She adds that by eating enough food throughout the day, you\u2019re less likely to feel irritable, anxious, and \u201changry.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Do these benefits kick in automatically?<\/h2>\n<p>Especially if you\u2019ve been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/diet-culture-lies\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/diet-culture-lies\/\">wrapped up in diet culture\u2019s lies<\/a> or an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/myths-about-disordered-eating\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/myths-about-disordered-eating\/\">eating disorder<\/a>, the idea of eating what and when you want may be scary. Will it <em>really<\/em> have all of these benefits? How quickly?<\/p>\n<p>Christensen says many people feel better pretty quickly into their intuitive eating journey. At the same time, if you find yourself struggling, that\u2019s normal too. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean that everything will be smooth sailing right away or that there won\u2019t be ups and downs,\u201d she clarifies. \u201cAs with anything new, it takes some learning!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>O\u2019Malley agrees the process isn\u2019t linear and will look different for each person. She shares some positive signs you may see, such as not measuring your food, noticing your food-related thoughts are quieter, deleting food-tracking apps, unfollowing people who don\u2019t make you feel good about yourself, feeling more flexible around food, and preemptively packing snacks.<\/p>\n<h2>What if this approach doesn\u2019t seem to help your mood?<\/h2>\n<p>Christensen says there isn\u2019t one sole \u201capproach\u201d that works for everyone, so you may want to explore different ones to see what works for you. \u201cSome take a more unstructured \u2018all in\u2019 approach and others, such as myself, work in a more step-wise structured fashion,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n<p>And of course, the importance of reaching out for help\u2014ideally with an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/eating-disorder-resources\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/eating-disorder-resources\/\">intuitive eating-based dietitian and therapist<\/a>, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/community-care-eating-disorder\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/community-care-eating-disorder\/\">community care options<\/a> as well\u2014cannot be understated. This may be especially helpful for people who don\u2019t have clear hunger cues due to a past eating disorder, medication, etc.<\/p>\n<p>With whatever route you take, O\u2019Malley encourages giving yourself grace. \u201cRemind yourself that you\u2019ve probably been dieting or following food rules for a really long time\u2014you\u2019re well-practiced!\u201d she says. \u201cSo undoing that and learning a new way of eating and connecting with your body will take time, and it\u2019s going to feel unfamiliar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To get through those tough moments, she suggests reminding yourself of why this intuitive eating journey is important to you, or why dieting hasn\u2019t worked in the past.<\/p>\n<p>Another recommendation she offers: not setting your expectations too high, especially at the beginning. \u201cFraming eating as more of an experiment than an exact science can take some of the pressure off and allow you to learn from your experiences along the way,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Ups and downs are normal. Throughout it all, remember that you\u2019ve got this. \u201cI truly believe that everyone can learn,\u201d Christensen says. \u201cNo one is \u2018too far gone.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclaimers__after_content mb-[18px] mt-[16px] pt-[16px]\">\n<div class=\"outline-earmark relative mt-[8px] pt-[10px] pl-[20px]\">\n<p>\n            Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today\u2019s good news, eating what you want\u2014and when you want, and how much you want\u2014can actually impact your mental health in a good way. More specifically, we\u2019re talking about intuitive eating (IE). In short, it\u2019s an evidence-based framework that encourages listening to your body and respecting what it needs and wants. The concept was &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7016,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7015"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7015\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}