Intuitive Eating Red Flags to Look Out For

So you’ve started on your Intuitive Eating journey, but still find yourself struggling with food guilt and anxiety. Or maybe you’re feeling good but you’re worried about slipping back into dieting? In this post, we share some of the most common red flags to look out for that get in the way of intuitive eating as well as some practical tips to steer clear from the food shame spiral.

Intuitive Eating Red Flags

As with any new habit or lifestyle change, it can be really easy to slip back into old thinking without even realising it, and eating intuitively is no exception!

It's important to remember that being in-tune with your body doesn't have the be perfect - although noticing if unhelpful thoughts or behaviours are reoccurring can help you nip them in the bud early so they no longer interfere with eating in alignment with your body.  Here’s a few examples of some red flags of intuitive eating to be especially mindful of.

🚩 Thoughts about food take up a lot of your mental energy

Through restricting foods or ignoring your bodies hunger cues causes the brain to go into a state of starvation where thoughts about foods take up most if not all of your mental energy. If food is constantly on your mind, it might be a sign to step back and have a look at whether you’re still restricting foods, either physically or mentally.

🚩 You’re exercising to compensate for eating

Body movement is beneficial for us in so many ways, however some ways that it can be harmful to our health include exercising more after eating or feeling the need to 'burn off' food. These behaviours can be a good indication that this is an area that might need more attention on in your Intuitive Eating journey. Remember, Intuitive Eating isn’t just about the eating itself, but viewing food as something to be enjoyed and to energise you, rather than to be worked off.

🚩 You’re checking your body frequently or comparing yourself to others

Intuitive Eating is a body and weight neutral approach to eating, which can be challenging at first, especially if you’re used to using food as a way to control your body for some time. If you notice yourself frequently checking your body or picking apart how your body changes throughout the day, it’s probably time to refocus your attention towards how your body feels rather than how it looks. If you're finding this particularly challenging, linking up with a psychologist is recommended.

🚩 You’re ignoring your bodies hunger cues

Eating intuitively includes acknowledging and following the bodies natural hunger cues. This comes from trusting and appreciating that the body will know when and how much energy (food) it needs to keep us satiated and energised. However, when we try to control our eating patterns through restriction or dieting, this can throw these signals out of whack. If you find yourself putting off eating until you’re really hungry (read: hangry) or skipping meals, try and refocus your eating around your hunger (when practical) so that you can learn to trust your body’s cues. 

🚩 You feel anxious about social events involving food

When there is a weight loss goal on the agenda or you're not able to completely trust your bodies hunger, fullness and cravings, events around food can cause a lot of anxiety - how will I be able to control myself around these foods?

Enjoying a wide variety of different foods on a regular bases is the key to feeling in control and guilt-free at special events or celebrations. Complete body trust means no longer feeling out of control around the birthday cake or cheese platter. 

Eating intuitively allows us to listen to our bodies’ food choices and enjoy all food groups regularly. If you notice yourself getting stressed or anxious about food in the lead up to an event, this might be a red flag that relationship with food might require a little more TLC.

🚩You’re labelling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’

Labelling foods as good and bad creates an all-or-nothing mindset, which traps us in the overeat-restrict cycle and leads to a poor relationship with food (you can read more about this here). This mindset shame spiral around food and prevents us from listening to our bodies’ hunger, fullness and craving signals. If you’re noticing these labels pop up when you’re around food, it’s time to challenge your thoughts to create a neutral relationship with all foods.

🚩You’re still using the scale to define your health

Our weight only captures a very small snapshot of our health and overall is not an accurate or reliable measure for wellbeing. Intuitive Eating encompasses weight neutrality, which means that other markers (think energy levels and sleep quality) are used to determine our health, rather than the number on the scale. If you’re still using the scales to calculate how much or what you should eat (i.e. not listening to your body), it’s time to pack it up or throw it away, and instead, tune into your body’s cues and signals. 

So what do I do if I’m noticing some of these red flags?

Set small goals

Intuitive Eating can feel overwhelming; there’s a lot to learn! Focusing on small changes is the best approach, so pick one thing you’re struggling with and set some actionable goals to help you progress. This might look like moving a full length mirror in your home so that you don’t have to check your body first thing, or trying out a new type of movement to find something you enjoy! 

Reduce stress

Being stressed or overtired can make it harder to build new habits and break old ones, so finding ways to reduce stress can help support your Intuitive Eating journey (and increase your overall health!). This could look like starting or ending your day with a 5-minute meditation or journaling, and try to get to bed a little bit earlier each night. Little changes can go a long way. 

Set aside time to eat

One of the key principles of Intuitive Eating is finding satisfaction from eating, so taking time away from distractions can really help with boosting joy from mealtimes and reduce the time you spend thinking about food throughout the rest of the day.

As with all lifestyle changes, big shifts take time - focus on progress not perfection! If you want some more support on your Intuitive Eating journey, download our free Making Peace with Food Kickstart Kit.

This blog was written in collaboration with Melissa Joannou, a Nutrition & Dietetic Student and part of the Maddi Parsons Nutrition team. You can follow Melissa through her Instagram page.