Intuitive eating has always existed in some form; it wasn’t invented recently. Its approach varies depending on who you ask, whose book you read, or whether you consider its scientific basis.
When I wrote my first book over twenty years ago, the term “intuitive eating” didn’t exist. I called it “relaxed weight management.” Others have named it differently, but no matter what it’s called, specific common themes—the principles of intuitive eating—are essential to connecting with your inner hunger regulation. Here, I share my 10 principles of intuitive eating in the most appealing and practical order. Ultimately, you’ll find two extra principles that should not be forgotten.
1. Break Free from Diet Rules
One of the first principles of intuitive eating is rejecting diet rules, especially those imposed by others. No one else knows your needs. A flexible mindset and avoiding black-and-white thinking are key to easing tension around food and improving your internal hunger regulation.
Intuitive eating is not about strict rules but guiding behaviors—intuitive eating is for life. Sometimes, you align with your goals; sometimes, you don’t simply because you feel like it. While rules might feel helpful in the short term, they tend to backfire in the long run. Think of it as intuitive dieting: making choices that balance structure with freedom rather than following restrictive rules.
2. Appreciate Your Body’s Unique Needs
Diet rules often assume that needs are the same every day. But hunger fluctuates. While eating the same breakfast daily might seem practical, your hunger won’t be identical every morning. Ignoring this variability can lead to eating too little or too much—neither is ideal when you can eat what your body needs at the moment.
Everyone’s needs differ based on their body and life situation. Respecting your body’s signals is crucial to developing a better approach to eating. In other words, respect your body and its unique rhythms.
3. Listen to Your Body’s Hunger Signals
Intuitive eating begins with reconnecting to your hungry principles—your internal hunger and fullness cues. You were born with this ability but may have lost it over time. Relearning this skill takes practice, with hundreds of meals helping you rebuild your internal hunger regulation.
Start by asking yourself: Am I eating because I’m hungry or for another reason? Eating to meet your body’s needs is a good idea; eating out of habit or someone else’s expectations often isn’t.
4. Trust Your Body’s Satiety Cues
It’s easy to say, “Eat until you’re full,” but recognizing satiety can be tricky; instead of overthinking what fullness “should” feel like, focus on when you no longer feel the urge to eat. This core feeling of satisfaction is often masked by external distractions or food noise at first.
Practice identifying this sensation one meal at a time. It may feel uncertain initially, but it will improve with consistency. If you struggle, mindful eating exercises—like slowing down or focusing on taste—can help sharpen your awareness.
5. Cultivate Mindful Eating Practices
Mindful eating can be a valuable tool to support intuitive eating. Techniques such as eating slowly or paying attention to taste and texture help you reconnect with your body’s cues while reducing external distractions.
However, these practices aren’t for everyone; some may find them tedious or overwhelming. If they resonate with you, give them a try. If not, a more unstructured approach to listening to your body’s signals can also work.
6. Build a Positive Relationship with Food
A positive relationship with food begins by identifying negative thoughts—blame, shame, or guilt—that disrupt one’s ability to tune into one’s body’s needs.
Writing down these thoughts can help you recognize patterns and consider whether they benefit you. That is where the See How You Eat app is beneficial.
Once you challenge and reframe these thoughts, you can approach eating with curiosity and kindness.
7. Savor the Joy of Eating
Eating should feel neutral or positive, not burdened by guilt or fear. Often, people carry emotional baggage around certain foods or social eating situations. You might feel you “shouldn’t” eat bread or sugary yogurt or avoid eating in front of others.
Learning to make peace with food is essential. Ask yourself: Is this food harmful? Or could it be part of a joyful experience? Similarly, remember that others probably care less about what you’re eating than you think. Challenging these thoughts makes eating more enjoyable, allowing for gentle dining and increasing the satisfaction factor.
8. Silence the Inner Food Police
The food police—the critical voice in your head—often creates unnecessary rules, increases cravings, and leads to emotional eating. Understanding where the food police came from and whether it has ever helped you is essential. Over time, it diminishes the joy of eating while contributing to weight gain and frustration.
Getting rid of this inner critic is key to restoring internal hunger control. Instead of following rigid, external rules, embrace a no food rules—mindset, trust yourself to eat in a satisfying and balanced way. Many users of the See How You Eat app find that combining a balanced meal rhythm with conscious, unrestricted eating helps silence the food police and restore harmony with food.
9. Nourish Yourself with Balance
People often think achieving goals requires suffering. However, real success—whether in intuitive eating, weight loss, or athletic performance—comes from balance, not restriction.
For many, this balance involves eating better, not less, and trusting the body to guide how much to eat.
10. Move for Joy, Not Obligation
Intuitive eating cannot thrive if it exists as a calm island in a sea of chaos. It works best in a balanced life. If the rest of your life is filled with rules and external pressures, it’s harder to maintain a relaxed approach to food. Physical activity is a great example: choose a movement you enjoy rather than forcing yourself to exercise.
Moving your body should honor your health and well-being. It should also be something you enjoy—not an obligation or chore. Listen to your body to find the right balance between activity, intensity, and rest.
Applying these principles to other areas, such as sleep, stress, and work, helps create the harmony necessary for intuitive eating to succeed.
11. Celebrate Progress Over Perfection
Learning intuitive eating takes time and won’t always go smoothly—progress, not perfection, matters. Learning takes time not only because of developing routines but also because everything will never go well. Don’t expect things to happen overnight.
Be kind to yourself when things don’t go as planned, and celebrate small successes. Recognizing and appreciating your growth keeps you motivated and on track.
12. Address Emotions with Self-Compassion
Life’s challenges—illness, stress, or setbacks—are part of the process. These moments aren’t failures but opportunities to practice self-compassion. Acknowledge that progress takes time and that life’s unpredictability is part of learning intuitive eating.
By embracing the principles of intuitive eating, respecting your body’s needs, and letting go of restrictive rules, you can develop a healthier, more balanced relationship with food and yourself.
Summary of Principles of Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating focuses on tuning into your body’s natural hunger and satiety signals to build a healthy, balanced relationship with food. Key principles include rejecting diet rules, listening to your hunger cues, respecting your body’s unique needs, and cultivating a positive mindset around eating.
Intuitive eating emphasizes flexibility, self-compassion, and mindful practices, encouraging you to make peace with food, enjoy meals without guilt, and celebrate progress over perfection. By honoring your health through balanced nourishment and joyful movement, intuitive eating supports long-term well-being and a more fulfilling approach to eating.
Enjoy.
Patrik Borg
Foodie Prof
Pöperöproffa
Patrik Borg is an expert in nutrition, weight management, and lifestyle changes, working in research, workplace well-being, online courses, and clinical practice. He has served as the chair of the Finnish Obesity Researchers Association and currently chairs the Finnish Sports Nutrition Experts Association.