A Non-Diet Approach to Making Peace with Food Jenifer M. Ross, MSH, RD, LD/N Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor INTUITIVE EATING Objectives Define & Describe Intuitive Eating Discuss 6 negative consequences of dieting to lose weight. Discuss the benefits of becoming an intuitive eater. Discuss the evidence supporting the intuitive eating approach. Offer more effective counseling strategies to help people make peace with food. What is an Intuitive Eater? Core Characteristics of an Intuitive Eater Eat for Physical Rather than Emotional Reasons Rely on Internal Hunger and Satiety Cues Unconditional Permission to Eat Consequences of Dieting Keys study during World War II Metabolic rates decreased by 40% Heightened food cravings became obsessed with food Changes in eating style gulping & stalling out the meal Several men failed to adhere to their diets and reported episodes of bulimia Deliberate exercise to obtain increased food rations Personality changes apathy, irritability, moodiness, depression What does the research say? Intuitive Eaters: Have better self-esteem Eat a diverse range of foods Are optimistic Healthier body weights Research Augustus-Horvath CL. A test and extension of an acceptance model of intuitive eating with younger and older women. Dissertation. Ohio State University, 2008.A test and extension of an acceptance model of intuitive eating with younger and older women. Dissertation. Bacon L. Size Acceptance and Intuitive Eating Improve Health in Obese Female Chronic Dieters. J Am Dietetic Assoc.2005;105: Bacon L. Size Acceptance and Intuitive Eating Improve Health in Obese Female Chronic Dieters. J Am Dietetic Assoc.2005;105: Cole R & Horacek T. Applying PRECEDE-PROCEED to Develop an Intuitive Eating Nondieting Approach to Weight Management Pilot Program. J Nutrition Educ & Behavior.2009;41(Mar-Apr): J Nutrition Educ & Behavior.2009;41(Mar-Apr): Cole R & Horacek T. Effectiveness of the My Body Knows When Intuitive Eating Non-Dieting Weight Management Pilot Program.J Am Dietetic Assoc 2007;107(August Suppl):A90.J Am Dietetic Assoc 2007;107(August Suppl):A90 Hawks, ST et al. The relationship between intuitive eating and health indicators among college women. Am. J. Health Educ. 2006;26: Am. J. Health Educ. 2006;26: Hawks, SR. Intuitive Eating and Healthy Weight Promotion. Am. J. Health Educ. 2006; May/June: Hawks, SR. Intuitive eating and college women. Am. J. Health Educ.2005 ; Hawks, SR. The Intuitive Eating Validation Scale: preliminary validation. Am. J. Health Educ. 2004;35: Hawks, SR e. Intuitive eating and the nutrition transition in Asia. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(2): Asia Pac J Clin Nutr Mathieu J. What Should You Know about Mindful and Intuitive Eating? J Am Dietetic Assoc 2009;109(Dec): J Am Dietetic Assoc 2009;109(Dec): Mensinger, J. Intuitive eating: A novel health promotion strategy for obese women. Nov Intuitive eating: A novel health promotion strategy for obese women. Smith T and Hawks S. Intuitive Eating, Diet Composition, and the Meaning of Food in Healthy Weight Promotion. Am J Health Educ 2006(May/June): Smith T and Hawks S. Intuitive Eating, Diet Composition, and the Meaning of Food in Healthy Weight Promotion. Am J Health Educ 2006(May/June): Smitham L, Evaluating Intuitive Eating for Binge Eating Disorder 2008 (Nov). Univ Notre Dame. Smitham L, Evaluating Intuitive Eating for Binge Eating Disorder 2008 (Nov). Univ Notre Dame Tribole E. Intuitive Eating Selected References Apr Tribole E. Intuitive Eating Selected References Apr 2009 Tylka T, Intuitive Eating Assessment Scale. J Counseling Psychology 2006(53): Tylka T. & Wilcox J. Are Intuitive Eating and Eating Disorder Symptomatology Opposite Poles of the Same Construct? J Counseling Psychology 2006(Oct): J Counseling Psychology 2006(Oct): Weigenberg, MJ. Intuitive Eating Is Associated with Decreased Adiposity (2009, Abstract).Intuitive Eating Is Associated with Decreased Adiposity How its Used Individuals & Groups Eating Disorders Weight Management Diabetes Others What Kind of Eater are You? Eating StyleTriggerCharacteristic Careful EaterFitness & HealthAppears to be the perfect eater yet anguishes over each morsel of food. Unconscious EaterEating while doing something else at the same time Often unaware that is she/he is eating & how much is being eaten. Chaotic Unconscious EaterOverscheduled LifeHaphazard eating style. Refuse-Not Unconscious EaterPresence of FoodVulnerable to candy jars or food sitting openly in kitchen or at meetings, etc. Waste-No Unconscious EaterFree FoodEating drive influenced by the value of a dollar. Emotional Unconscious EaterUncomfortable emotionsStress/uncomfortable feelings trigger, especially when alone. Professional DieterFeeling FatPerpetually dieting-trying the latest diet book. Intuitive EaterBiological HungerHonors hunger, respects fullness, enjoys the pleasure of eating. 10 Principles Principle 1: Reject the Diet Mentality Fear: If I stop dieting, I wont stop eating. Reality: Dieting often triggers overeating Fear: I dont know how to eat when Im not dieting. Reality: You will be eating in response to inner signals that will guide your eating. Fear: I will be out of control. Reality: You will feel in control rather than relying on external factors. 10 Principles Principle 2: Honor Your Hunger Paying attention to biological signs of hunger and honoring them---eat! Focuses on ending the cycles of restriction and overeating. Rebuild trust with yourself and food. 10 Principles Principle 3: Make Peace with Food SYSTEMATIC HABITUATION! Pay attention to foods that appeal to you make a list. Put a check by the foods you actually do eat, then circle remaining foods youve been restricting. Give yourself permission to eat one forbidden food from your list, then go and purchase the food or order it at a restaurant. Check-in with yourself to see if the food tastes as good as you imagined. If you really like it, continue to give yourself permission to buy or order it. Make sure that you keep enough of the food around. If thats too much, go to a restaurant and order it as often as youd like. 10 Principles Principle 4: Challenge the Food Police The Food Police monitor the unreasonable rules that dieting has created. Pause and check-in to hear the Food Police- then scream No! Chasing the Food Police away is a critical step and can be ongoing 10 Principles Principle 5: Feel your Fullness Listen for body signals that tell you when you are no longer hungry. Observe the signs that youre comfortably full. Check-in during your mealvery important! 10 Principles Find the pleasure and satisfaction in the eating experience. Feel satisfied and content through eating what you really want in an inviting environment. Takes less food to decide that youve had enough. Check in during the meal. Principle 6: Discover the Satisfaction Factor 10 Principles Principle 7: Cope with Your Emotions Without Using Food Adjunct counseling. Find ways to comfort, nurture, distract & resolve the issues without food. Imperative to deal with the source of the emotion. Cognitive flexibility- the power of three. 10 Principles Principle 8: Respect Your Body Accept your body so you can feel better about who you are. Body image workshops, groups, individual counseling. 10 Principles Principle 9: Exercise- Feel the Difference Incorporate regular movement to feel the difference. Focus on the feeling from working out rather than the calorie-burning effect. Try not to be over regimented or strict may end up resenting the activity in the end. Do whatever type of movement you want to do rather than what you think you should do. 10 Principles Principle 10: Honor your Health- Gentle Nutrition Progress, not perfection. Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds while making you feel good. Pay particular attention to how the food tastes, makes you feel, and satisfies you. Check-in before, during and after the meal. Tools: Brief Assessment Tools: Tylka Questionnaire Tools: Non-Diet Approach Tools: Food Rules Tools: Hunger Scale Tools: Satiety Cues Discovery Worksheet SUCCESS STORIES References Resch, E. and Tribole, E. Intuitive Eating. New York, NY: St. Martins Press; Tribole, E. Research on Intuitive Eating. Available at:support-groups#Intuitive%20Eating%20Studies. Accessed September 27, support-groups#Intuitive%20Eating%20Studies THANK YOU!