After I discovered intuitive eating and it completely changed my life, I kept asking myself, “Why didn’t I learn this sooner?”
After nearly two decades of dieting and food turmoil, I’d tried every extreme quick-fix: eating only fruit, surviving on cabbage soup, or chugging “cleansing” lemon and cayenne concoctions (despite the fact that our liver and kidneys already do detox work). But a genuinely healthy approach—one that challenges diet culture, rejects shame, and helps you build a peaceful relationship with food and your body—was nowhere in those conversations about weight and dieting.
Eventually I found intuitive eating and committed to practicing it. Because intuitive eating centers on listening to and trusting your body, the path looks different for everyone. There’s no rigid, one-size-fits-all checklist. Still, learning from others’ experiences can be invaluable. As I work through my own journey, here are the key steps I’ve taken that have helped me reject diet culture, make peace with food, and become an intuitive eater.
Here are the Steps I’ve Taken to Become an Intuitive Eater:
(The first three are quick and surprisingly therapeutic.)
1. I put the scale away
Putting the scale in the closet felt unexpectedly emotional. After years of weighing myself almost every morning and letting a number dictate my mood, stuffing the scale away felt like a small act of rebellion against diet culture. It was liberating.
That didn’t mean the urge to weigh myself vanished overnight. I caved about a week in and stepped on the scale, expecting dramatic results since I was feeling better and not bingeing. I left disappointed and in a funk for a day—but that day was a lesson. I learned that the scale doesn’t measure how I feel, and I’d been giving too much emotional power to an arbitrary number. Now I pay attention to how my body feels instead—and the more attuned I become, the better I feel.
2. I unfollowed Instagram accounts that promote diet culture
Diet culture emphasizes appearance and ties our worth to how closely our bodies match a narrow ideal. That pressure leads people to ignore real hunger cues and do extreme things to shrink their bodies. To counteract this messaging, I cleared my social feeds of accounts that glorify restrictive habits and unrealistic body standards.
Removing those visual cues helped me stop comparing myself and instead focus on bodily signals. A note of caution: some fitness accounts use intuitive eating language as a trend while still promoting restrictive or appearance-driven messages. Be discerning.
3. I started following body-positive and intuitive eating accounts
I replaced diet-focused content with accounts that celebrate diverse bodies and encourage self-acceptance. Seeing a range of body types and honest messages about food and health has shifted my mindset. Instead of scrolling past images that left me feeling inadequate, my feed now gives me warmth and reinforces compassion for my body and journey.
Finding creators who model kindness and nonjudgmental approaches to eating helped me normalize different body shapes and prioritize how my body feels over how it looks.
4. I listen to podcasts and read blogs about intuitive eating
To keep my thinking aligned with anti-diet values, I listen to intuitive eating podcasts and read blogs that challenge diet culture. These resources help me practice attunement, make peace with food, and notice when diet messages creep back in.
Podcasts and blogs offer ongoing reinforcement and practical tips, which make shifting habits more manageable day to day.
5. I’m reading books about intuitive eating, the anti-diet movement, and tuning into real needs
I immersed myself in books and research to understand the principles behind intuitive eating and the science that supports body-affirming approaches. Reading has given me context, language, and practical exercises to apply in my life.
Books and workbooks that outline the principles of intuitive eating and the harms of diet culture have provided structure for the thought work required to change long-standing beliefs.
6. I use affirmations to shift my mindset around food and bodies
Curating my environment and removing the scale were important first steps, but mindset change is the real work. Repeating simple affirmations throughout the day has helped me gradually replace diet-driven thoughts with compassionate, curious ones.
Some of the affirmations I use:
- All bodies are good bodies. (I remind myself as I move through the day.)
- I can eat what I want, so I don’t need to feel anxious or restricted. (When I notice fear around certain foods.)
- I follow my hunger and choose what will be satisfying. (When I decide what to eat.)
- I listen to my body, both physically and emotionally. (Especially during meals.)
- No need to judge myself—I’m like a scientist gathering information about my body’s needs. (If I overeat or try something that doesn’t feel right.)
How to Implement Intuitive Eating
These six practices have helped me live the principles of intuitive eating: remove judgment, build a supportive environment, educate myself, and practice consistent, compassionate self-awareness. They’ve been instrumental in freeing me from diet culture and building a calm, sustainable relationship with food.
What would you add to the list?
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