Emotional Eating: Practical, Kind Steps to Break the Cycle
Autumn can feel like a reset in the UK. New timetables, darker evenings, more pressure to get back into a routine. For many people, that extra stress can ramp up emotional eating.
If you’ve ever found yourself searching the cupboards after a long day, not hungry, but craving comfort, you’re not alone. Emotional eating is common and completely understandable. It’s not a personal failure.
Kindness and a few practical tools can help to soften the edges and help you find some more understanding too, so you can begin to gain your control back.
What Emotional Eating Really Looks Like (And Why It’s Normal)
Emotional eating is when eating is driven more by feelings than by physical hunger. We all do this sometimes, like sharing birthday cake to celebrate or having comforting warm soup when under the weather.
It becomes draining when food becomes your main way of coping with emotions like stress, boredom, loneliness, or overwhelm.
Common signs include:
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Regularly eating when you’re not physically hungry
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Regular strong cravings for comfort foods to get a quick relief
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Regularly eating past comfortable fullness to soothe emotions
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Eating in secrecy or feeling out of control around certain foods
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Feeling guilt, shame, or frustration afterwards
If you notice yourself thinking “I can’t stop eating” or “Why do I binge at night?” it’s a cue to get curious, not to go harder on trying to cut back. Often there are reasons behind this, like being under-fuelled, missing satisfaction, or juggling tricky emotions without enough support.
Why Emotional Eating Happens (It’s Not About Willpower)
Your brain is wired to seek relief from discomfort. Food is reliable, fast, and socially acceptable. It can soothe, distract, and numb.
If you’ve been restricting or trying to be “good,” your body may also be genuinely hungry by evening. That mix of stress, tiredness, and biological hunger can make urges intense. I can’t emphasise this enough. It’s why, when we work with clients we often unpack things in this order – understanding physical hunger, reducing restriction, and then tackling emotional eating. As what can feel like emotional eating, can easily be a backlash hunger from not eating enough in the day, or, a backlash of trying to be “good” and therefore, eating foods that are not truly satisfying.
Restriction and subtle hunger only makes things worse. When foods are off-limits, they become more magnetic. The “might as well keep going” spiral is a common response to deprivation, not a lack of discipline.
Step One: Swap Judgment for Curiosity
Shame feeds the cycle and curiosity loosens it. So, it can help to try this reframe: instead of asking “Why did I do that again?” ask “What was I needing in that moment?”
A compassionate check-in could include asking:
- When did I last eat? If 2, 3, 4 or more hours as passed, it’s likely hunger is in the mix.
- Have I truly given myself to eat satisfying food and proper meals today?
- What am I feeling right now? Stressed, lonely, bored, tired?
- What would feel supportive in the next ten minutes?
This is about removing rules and gaining helpful information.
Gentle Tools to Soften the Urge (Without Restriction)
Here are supportive, realistic ways to reduce emotional eating. Try one at a time and repeat what helps.
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Nourish your body early and often. Eat regular meals and snacks with protein, carbs, fat, and satisfaction throughout the day. Steadier energy throughout the day, with 3 satisfying meals, and 2-3 snacks in between, can make evening urges less powerful.
For example: oats with fruit, dal and rice, congee with egg, or toast with avocado; a sandwich, falafel wrap, stir-fried noodles, or tacos with beans and cheese; snacks like yoghurt with fruit, hummous with pita, plantain with beans, or spiced nuts.
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Be intentional about adding satisfaction to your meals. Joyless meals leave you searching for completeness later. Add flavour, texture, and pleasure.
For example, instead of plain rice and chicken, add a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, or a side of crunchy veg. Swap a dry sandwich for one with hummus, fresh herbs, or melted cheese. Even something small like a bar of chocolate with your lunch can bring satisfaction and help you feel content.
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Build a two-pronged pause. When an urge hits, promise yourself you can eat if you want to. First, pause for two minutes, take a breath, stretch, scan your body. Then check: am I hungry?
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Make peace with all foods. When no foods are off limits, urgency drops. If you feel stuck in rules, our guide on how to stop counting calories can help.
For example, if you’ve always banned bread or chocolate, try allowing them at mealtimes. Over time, having a slice of toast with butter at breakfast or enjoying some chocolate after dinner feels ordinary, not something to binge on.
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Plan for tricky times. If evenings are tough, have a satisfying afternoon snack. If Sunday nights spark anxiety, create a comforting routine for yourself.
For example, if evenings are when cravings hit, try a balanced afternoon snack like yoghurt with fruit and nuts, hummus with pita, or cheese and crackers. If Sunday nights spark anxiety, you might plan a warm dinner, prep your bag or lunch for Monday, then wind down with a bath or a favourite TV show.
How to Stop Emotional Eating in the Moment
You can’t stop emotions, but you can ride them with support. When the urge lands:
- Name the feeling. “I feel anxious and tired.” Naming reduces intensity.
- Scan for hunger. If hungry, eat enough to satisfy.
- Try your feel-better menu. Set a three-minute timer; if the urge is still strong, you can choose to eat with awareness.
- If you eat, slow down. Sit if you can, breathe, taste. Giving yourself permission can reduce the rebound eating effect – the “sod it” mentality, where you think “i’ve done it now, I might as well keep going”.
- These are not tests to pass, they’re ways to meet yourself with care.
When Emotional Eating Overlaps with Restriction
If you often feel stuck in a feast-and-famine loop, food rules may be driving the cycle. Our guide on how to stop thinking about food explains why scarcity fuels obsession and how to rebalance without more rules.
How Professional Support Can Make a Difference
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Working with a compassionate professional can:
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Offer personalised guidance to support you to become more in touch with your needs, body, and ultimately work towards finding food freedom.
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Provide a judgment-free space to untangle triggers
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Share tools to reduce guilt and cope with emotions
If you’d value one-to-one support with a registered dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, learn more about our nutrition coaching service. Sessions are online and flexible to fit around your life.
Signs You’re Making Progress (Even If It Feels Slow)
Progress is rarely linear. You might notice:
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Fewer all-or-nothing eating episodes
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Easier evenings because meals were satisfying
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More neutral thoughts about previously “off-limits” foods
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Quicker recovery after a tough day, with less shame
Each of these is meaningful progress.
A Gentle Reminder and Next Step
Emotional eating is a coping strategy, not a character flaw. When you feed yourself regularly, add satisfaction, and widen your comfort tools, the cycle loosens.
If you want structured, kind support as you practise these steps, explore our online nutrition coaching or book a free discovery call. You deserve a calm, trusting relationship with food.
Related resources that may help today:
Healing your relationship with food and your body doesn’t start with a new diet. It starts with letting go of the old ones.
If you’re tired of feeling at war with your body, you’re not alone.
For so many people, peace with food feels just out of reach, buried beneath years of conflicting advice, food rules, and body shame. You might believe you just need more willpower, the “right” plan, or to “fix” your body before you can finally feel okay.
But real healing doesn’t come from outside standards or quick fixes. It comes from listening within, quieting the pressure from diet culture, and caring for yourself with compassion.
At Nude Nutrition, we see every day how clients can reclaim trust, hope, and freedom when they step away from restriction and toward a new way of relating to food and body image. In this post, we’ll explore a registered dietitian’s approach to body image healing, the role of intuitive eating, and how you can begin your own journey of respect and self-kindness, that’s also backed by science.
Letting Go of Diet Culture and Finding a New Start
Diet culture sells the idea that happiness and health come in one body shape, one way of eating, or a rigid set of rules. You might feel trapped in cycles of restriction, guilt, and shame, afraid to “mess up” or “ruin progress.”
These patterns disconnect you from your body’s natural cues and erode confidence, keeping body dissatisfaction alive.
But what if healing wasn’t about control? What if it was about curiosity, respect, and the belief that your body deserves care, not punishment?
At Nude Nutrition, this is the path we guide clients through. A path where there are no “good” or “bad” foods. Rather, nourishment, pleasure, and trust.
What Helps Improve Body Image?
Body image isn’t just about how you look. It’s about how you think and feel about your body. Healing requires both self-compassion and practical strategies. Here are a few evidence-based approaches we often use:
Intuitive Eating
This is a framework that we can draw upon to help you connect with your hunger, fullness, and satisfaction cues rather than external food rules. This helps separate your worth from your weight, quiets food guilt, and brings pleasure back to eating.
Motivational Interviewing
Rather than telling you what to do, this collaborative style helps you explore your own reasons for change, building confidence and reducing resistance.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT teaches you how to sit with uncomfortable body-related thoughts without letting them control your behaviour, so you can live more intentionally.
Self-Compassion Coaching
Many people have an inner critic that’s louder than any diet plan. We help you develop kinder self-talk and emotional resilience, especially in tough moments.
As registered dietitians, we weave these approaches together to personalise support based on your story, health history, and goals. For some, working with a therapist who specialises in body image can offer deeper support, especially if past trauma is involved.
How Intuitive Eating Supports Body Image Healing
When you’re constantly focused on what others say about your body or food, it’s easy to feel ungrounded and anxious.
Intuitive eating helps shift your attention inward, rebuilding trust in your body’s signals and needs.
Here’s how it helps:
- No food is off-limits, which means there’s nothing to rebel against. The urge to binge often fades.
- You begin to notice what feels good in your body, separate from rules about what’s “allowed.”
- Your appreciation for your body shifts from how it looks to how it functions and supports your life.
This isn’t a quick fix. Healing takes time. But with the right support, intuitive eating can bridge the gap between food freedom and body respect.
What Does Healing Feel Like?
Healing isn’t always linear. But here are a few signs you’re on your way:
- You stop labelling foods as “good” or “bad.” Food becomes just… food.
- You trust yourself to respond to hunger and fullness without constant overthinking.
- You practise self-compassion after a tough moment, instead of spiralling into criticism.
- You let go of chasing a “perfect” body and focus instead on living fully and authentically.
It’s not about loving your body every day. It’s about learning to respect it, care for it, and stop letting its appearance define your worth.
Practical Steps to Begin Healing Your Relationship with Food and Body
Ready to start your journey? Here are four gentle first steps:
1. Curate Your Environment
Unfollow accounts that promote dieting or shame. Surround yourself with voices that value body respect, food freedom, and inclusivity.
2. Gather Knowledge That Empowers You
Learn about intuitive eating. Reflect on your own food and body beliefs, where did they come from, and do they still serve you?
3. Reach Out for Support
Working with a dietitian or therapist trained in intuitive eating and body image can help you shift deeply held beliefs in a safe, supported way.
4. Remind Yourself: You Are More Than a Body
Notice how your body supports your life, walking, laughing, hugging, and creating. Celebrate those experiences, not just appearances.
Rewriting Your Food Story: Embrace Hope and Self-Respect
No matter how long you’ve struggled, it is possible to heal your relationship with food and your body.
It starts with tuning out the noise, trusting your inner wisdom, and embracing compassion over control.
At Nude Nutrition, we’re here to support you with evidence-based tools and human-first, judgment-free care. Whether you’re just starting out or ready to go deeper, this work is worth it and you don’t have to do it alone.
If you’re curious about how we can support your journey, or you’re looking for help to stop food obsession and body shame, we’re here whenever you’re ready.
You can rewrite your story, starting now.
If you’ve ever felt shame or regret about something you ate, you’re not alone. Food guilt is a feeling that affects so many of us, especially if you’ve spent years counting calories, jumping between diets, or battling your inner critic every time you crave a biscuit. But what if eating could feel relaxed, joyful, and guilt-free instead? That’s where food freedom comes in. It’s a powerful shift that helps you trust yourself around food and let go of harsh food rules for good.
In this article, we’ll unpick what food freedom means. You’ll discover the steps you can take to stop feeling guilty about eating, understand how intuitive eating fits in, and find hope that a kinder relationship with food is possible and within your reach.
What does food freedom mean?
Food freedom is often misunderstood. It’s not about ignoring nutrition or eating everything in sight. Instead, it’s the space where you can enjoy all foods without guilt, shame, or anxiety, and where your choices come from self-care, not self-punishment.
Imagine a world where:
- You can have dessert after dinner because you want it, not because you’ve ‘earned’ it.
- You trust your hunger and fullness, rather than external rules or calorie counts.
- Eating out or family meals don’t make you anxious.
- You stop obsessing over what you ate yesterday or what you’ll eat next.
At its core, food freedom is a trusting partnership with your body, free from diet culture’s endless rules.
Why do we feel food guilt in the first place?
If you struggle with food guilt, it’s not a personal failing. Many of us have internalised years of diet messages:
- “Carbs are bad.”
- “Don’t eat after 7 pm.”
- “That’s a ‘cheat’ meal.”
These beliefs can leave you stuck in a cycle of trying to be ‘good’, followed by guilt when you inevitably break a rule.
Other reasons food guilt can take hold:
- Labelling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad.’
- Feeling pressure to control your eating or body shape.
- Using food to cope with emotions, only to feel worse afterwards.
- Believing that you’ll only be healthy if you’re rigid with food.
It’s exhausting and isolating, but it doesn’t have to stay this way.
First steps to letting go of food guilt?
Breaking out of this cycle starts with a small act of self-compassion. Here’s how you can begin:
1. Notice Your Food Rules
Start by recognising the invisible rules running through your mind. e.g. “I shouldn’t have carbs at lunch,” or “I must finish everything on my plate.” Write them down. Awareness is the first step toward change.
2. Get Curious, Not Judgemental
When you catch yourself feeling guilty after eating, pause and ask, “Where did this rule come from? Who benefits from it?” Challenging these beliefs with curiosity helps loosen their grip.
3. Experiment with Permission
Allow yourself to eat a ‘forbidden’ food slowly and mindfully, noticing its taste, texture, and how your body feels. You might be surprised that the world doesn’t end, and over time, food loses its power to control you.
Sometimes, it helps to start by listing your food rules and gently breaking one that feels less scary. For example, if you usually avoid eating after 7pm, try having a small snack at 7:30pm and observe how it feels. It’s important to remember that it’s completely normal to initially overeat some “forbidden” foods after a period of restriction or go overboard if you’ve broken a rule. So be kind to yourself during this process.
Also, sometimes we create our own flexible food guidelines based on how our bodies respond, not external rules. This is usually something that comes later down the line when more you learn to eat again from the ground up, rather than based on external rules. For instance, I personally avoid caffeine after midday because I know from experience it helps me sleep better. This kind of internal, flexible guideline supports your well-being without guilt or rigidity.
Remember, you don’t have to do this alone. Seeking support from someone who understands this journey can make a huge difference.
How to stop feeling guilty about food?
The path to food freedom is a process, not an overnight fix. Here are some ways to start letting go of guilt:
- Practice self-compassion: Talk to yourself as you would a close friend. Mistakes or cravings don’t make you ‘bad.’
- Neutralise food language: Instead of saying you’ve been ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ describe food as what it is: satisfying, tasty, or nourishing.
- Eat regularly: Skipping meals or restricting food often leads to overeating and more guilt. Honouring your hunger is a form of self-respect.
- Accept emotional eating as human: Sometimes, we eat for comfort, and that’s okay. Emotional eating becomes problematic only when it’s your main coping tool, so start by noticing, not blaming. If you’re tired of guilt overshadowing your meals, learning how to stop food obsession is a gentle, meaningful next step.
How intuitive eating supports food freedom
Intuitive eating is a research-backed approach that’s all about rebuilding trust with your body. Instead of relying on diet rules, you tune into signals like hunger, satisfaction, and emotions. Intuitive eating makes space for:
- Honouring your hunger and fullness: No more clock-watching or strict meal plans, just listening to what your body tells you.
- Ditching food police: Letting go of diets and the belief that you need to ‘make up’ for what you eat.
- Making peace with all foods: Granting unconditional permission to eat stops the binge-restrict cycle, allowing true food freedom to develop over time.
- Practising gentle nutrition: Caring for your health with a relaxed, non-perfectionist mindset.
If you’re interested in diving deeper, there’s a dedicated exploration of intuitive eating that guides you through these principles step by step.
Finding support for your food freedom journey
Letting go of guilt and finding trust around food isn’t always easy, but you don’t have to face it alone. Nude Nutrition specialises in supporting people just like you with one-to-one, compassionate, online nutrition coaching. Whether you’re stuck in a pattern of restriction and guilt or you want to reconnect with your body, our team of Registered Dietitians and intuitive eating specialists are here to help you build a peaceful, sustainable relationship with food.
You deserve to enjoy food without anxiety. Step towards your own version of food freedom and discover how life can feel when food is just… food.
Key Takeaway: Food freedom means reconnecting with your needs, letting go of guilt, and trusting your body in a way that feels natural, compassionate, and joy-filled. With patient self-awareness, gentle challenges to old rules, and supportive guidance, you really can break the cycle and embrace eating as a source of happiness again.
If someone you care about is struggling with binge eating, you’re not alone in wanting to help. But knowing how to support them can feel daunting. You might worry about saying the wrong thing or second-guess the best next step.
At Nude Nutrition, we understand these feelings. Supporting a loved one facing binge eating or Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a powerful act of compassion. Your role can truly make a difference in their healing journey.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through positive, judgement-free ways to help. We’ll also highlight trusted external resources and offer guidance that respects both your loved one’s struggles and their autonomy.
What Is Binge Eating and What Is Binge Eating Disorder?
Before diving into support strategies, it helps to understand the difference between binge eating and Binge Eating Disorder (BED).
Binge eating refers to occasionally eating large amounts of food in a short period, often paired with a sense of loss of control. Many people might binge eat from time to time, especially during periods of stress or emotional upheaval.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is a diagnosed mental health condition. It typically involves:
- Frequent episodes (at least once a week for three months) of eating unusually large quantities of food
- Eating quickly and often to the point of physical discomfort
- Feeling unable to stop during these episodes
- Intense distress, shame, or guilt afterwards
- No regular use of compensatory behaviours (such as purging or excessive exercise), which distinguishes it from other eating disorders
BED can have serious physical and emotional impacts and may interfere with daily life.
To learn more, visit the Beat Eating Disorders website or the NHS page on binge eating disorder.
Approaching With Compassion and Understanding
First, it’s important to understand that BED isn’t about willpower, laziness, or a “bad habit.”
Research shows it’s often caused by a complex mix of biology, emotional factors, trauma history, and dieting. Restriction and self-criticism can make things worse, not better.
Your support is not about “fixing” someone. It’s about walking alongside them, listening, and nurturing hope.
What You Can Do to Help: Practical, Positive Support
You might feel unsure about what to say or do. Here are some helpful, compassionate ways to support a loved one:
Show Empathy and Listen
Sometimes, the most valuable gift is your presence. Be available to listen without judgement. Let them share their feelings at their own pace. Simply being heard can be transformative.
Use Compassionate Language
Focus on emotional wellbeing rather than appearance. Try phrases such as:
“I care about how you’re really feeling.”
Avoid comments on weight or assumptions about eating habits. Instead, offer affirmation:
“It sounds like you’re having a tough time, and I’m here for you.”
Offer to Find Resources Together
Rather than directing with, “You need help,” try suggesting:
“Would you like to look at some support options together?”
Options might include:
- Online nutrition coaching
- Speaking with a GP
- Support from reputable organisations such as:
Encourage Professional Help (Without Pressure)
Recovery is often most sustainable when guided by professionals. A gentle way to say this might be:
“Seeking help can feel scary, but you deserve support, and it might make things easier.”
Remind them that reaching out is a courageous act.
Celebrate Small Steps
Every step toward healing matters. Acknowledge progress and bravery:
“I noticed how you reached out. That took real strength.”
Maintain Normal Routines and Connection
Invite your loved one to join everyday activities. Staying connected helps them feel valued for who they are, not how they eat.
What to Say (and What to Avoid)
Finding the right words can be tricky. Here’s a simple guide:
What to Say
- “I’m here to support you, no matter what.”
- “There’s nothing wrong with asking for help.”
- “You’re not alone in this.”
- “I care about you, just as you are.”
What to Avoid
- Suggestions about dieting or restriction (e.g., “Have you tried cutting out sugar?”)
- Comments on weight, size, or appearance — even compliments
- Dismissive remarks like, “Everyone overeats sometimes”
- Watching or commenting on what they eat
- Oversimplified advice like, “Just eat normally” or “You just need to stop”
Professional Support and Recovery Options
While your support is deeply meaningful, sometimes professional help is essential.
At Nude Nutrition, our online nutrition coaching and intuitive eating counselling focus on healing relationships with food — not on rules or restriction.
Working With a Specialist Dietitian Can Offer:
- A safe, judgement-free space to explore food and body concerns
- Support in unlearning diet culture and embracing self-compassion
- Practical, non-diet guidance to help reconnect with natural hunger and fullness cues
We also refer clients to trusted therapists and GPs where appropriate.
For urgent or immediate support, check out:
Making a Difference: Your Support Matters
Supporting someone with binge eating or Binge Eating Disorder is not about having all the answers. It’s about being present, informed, and kind.
By offering empathy, sharing helpful resources, and encouraging professional help, you are already making a meaningful difference.
If you or someone close to you is struggling, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Recovery Is Possible
Compassion and connection are the first steps. Let’s take them together.
The short answer: for most people, yes. But if that doesn’t feel true for you, you’re not alone. Many people worry that if they truly listened to their hunger, they would just eat and eat until they burst. If that’s you, this article is here to help.
Let’s explore how hunger works, why it can be hard to trust, and how you can start reconnecting with your body’s natural cues.
Why do we need hunger?
The simple answer: survival.
From the moment we’re born, hunger drives us to seek nourishment. A healthy baby instinctively suckles, drawn to the sweet and salty taste of milk. Hunger signals let us know that our body is running low on energy and needs fuel.
Here’s how it works: as your stomach empties, a hormone called ghrelin is produced in your gut. It travels to the hypothalamus in your brain, which regulates appetite, and signals that your energy is low. Ghrelin (and your appetite) will continue to rise until you eat.
We evolved this way for a reason. Hunger is a biological cue that helps keep us alive.
Infants are incredibly in tune with these signals. They cry when they’re hungry and turn away when they’re full. But as we grow older, we receive messages about food and our bodies that often teach us to override those natural cues.
Why Do We Stop Trusting Hunger?
Think about the common, well-meaning messages many of us heard as children:
- “Finish your vegetables before you can have pudding.”
This type of message can teach us to ignore fullness and eat past comfort to access the “fun” foods. Over time, this can snowball into a complicated relationship with food, rooted in diet culture.
We’re taught we can’t be trusted with food. That we need to follow external cues like portion sizes, points, calories, or fasting windows to eat correctly. It’s no wonder that so many people feel disconnected from their hunger.
If you feel like you can’t trust your hunger, you’re not broken. And you’re not alone.
With the right tools and practice, you can rebuild that trust and start eating in line with your body’s actual needs.
Why Hunger Can Feel Scary
If you’ve clicked on this article, chances are you’ve spent time ignoring or distrusting your hunger. Maybe it even feels unsafe or excessive.
Here are some common thoughts clients have shared:
“Trusting myself around food. Especially when alone and there are no limits. I am not in touch with what my body wants/needs.”
“The overload of available information on what I should or shouldn’t be eating, how I should or shouldn’t look. This means being constantly disciplined, thin, healthy, happy and IN CONTROL.”
“I don’t listen to my body. I eat what I think I must eat instead of what I want to eat.”
Often, we’re afraid of losing control or gaining weight. But many people actually find that when they consistently respond to hunger cues, they feel more in control, not less. Their eating becomes more balanced. Their weight often settles into a natural and healthy range (also known as your set point weight).
Want to hear directly from people who’ve experienced this? Check out videos and stories from clients who have rebuilt trust in their bodies here.
Consistently ignoring your hunger can cause problems
Diet culture teaches us to make food decisions from the head, not the body.
(a) “I can’t possibly be hungry. I just ate lunch a couple of hours ago. Ugh, why do I always feel hungry?”
(diet mindset: guilt, body distrust)
vs.
(b) “I’m noticing hunger despite eating a couple hours ago. Maybe my body needs more food today. I’ll get something to eat.”
(self-care mindset: curiosity, respect)
Over time, ignoring your hunger can lead to body distrust, disconnected eating, and increased risk of binge eating. But you can retrain yourself to listen again.
How Do I Learn to Trust Hunger Again?
One effective approach is Intuitive Eating.
This is an evidence-based framework that helps you rebuild trust with your body’s cues and break free from dieting. Intuitive Eating teaches you to:
- Eat in response to hunger and fullness
- Honour physical and emotional needs
- Ditch external rules like calorie counting and food moralising
Learn more about Intuitive Eating here.
It’s normal to lose touch with your hunger and fullness cues after years of dieting. But these signals don’t disappear — they just get quieter. You can learn to hear them again.
A great place to start is with this free guide to the key principles of Intuitive Eating.
The First Step: Reject Diet Culture
Step one of Intuitive Eating is to reject diet culture and the idea that your body needs fixing. This mindset shift helps you trust the process of reconnecting with hunger.
Read more about why diets don’t work and why letting go of them is essential for food freedom.
Because everyone’s starting point is different, it can be helpful to get support from a professional. A trained dietitian can tailor guidance to your unique needs and help fast-track your journey.
What If I’m in Recovery or Taking Medication?
There are situations where hunger signals might be unreliable:
- Eating disorder recovery: In early stages, the body may feel full prematurely due to slowed digestion. A structured approach may be needed first.
- Neurodivergence: Some neurodivergent individuals (such as those with ADHD or autism) may struggle to notice or interpret hunger and fullness cues due to sensory sensitivities, differences in interoception, or focus-related challenges. In these cases, a more intentional or scheduled approach to eating can help support nourishment.
- Medications: Some medications, such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, and corticosteroids, can increase appetite.
If you’re unsure whether medication or a condition is affecting your hunger, speak with your healthcare provider.
Does intuitive eating work?
Does Intuitive Eating Really Work?
We’ve answered that in more depth in this article.
Spoiler: it depends on your definition of “work.” If it means:
- Eating a varied, nourishing diet
- Feeling free around food
- Healing binge eating
- Boosting your self-esteem
…then yes, it works.
Ready to Reconnect With Hunger?
You’re not broken. You haven’t failed. You just need support to rediscover the cues that have always been there.
If you want to work with a qualified dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, read more about what that looks like here.
There is freedom on the other side of fear. And it starts with learning to trust your body again.
Do you ever feel shame, anxiety or disgust when seeing photos of yourself?
When it comes to hating yourself in photos, there’s a spectrum. On one end the thought is “Uh I don’t love how that looks” but you can move on with your day and life. On the other end, there is “I look absolutely hideous and disgusting” and a shame spiral that can ruin the rest of your day/week/month.
If you find yourself somewhere on this spectrum, and you’ve clicked on this article, I’m guessing this is something you’re wondering if you can change. Well, the good news is, you can change how you feel and stop hating yourself.
Will you be able to get to a place where you always love the way your body looks in photos?
Probably not.
There might never be a day when you look at every photograph of yourself and love the way your body looks in it. But you don’t have to love how your body LOOKS to be able to feel kindness and compassion toward yourself in the photo. And that’s really the goal.
Let’s get into some practical steps, reflections and activities you can use to stop hating yourself in photos.
Credit for many of these tips goes to the brilliant body image coach, Brianna Campos. You can find more of her stuff on her website https://bodyimagewithbri.com/.
Tips for How to Stop Hating Yourself in Photos
1) Remind yourself that what you are looking at isn’t the whole picture
The truth is photos can’t capture the whole story. They can’t tell us who we are. They are simply a record of a millisecond in time.
Also, how a photo turns out is affected by many factors. The lighting, the lens, the angle, the colouring, and our surroundings all change the way we appear in photos.
This post by @alexlight_ldn demonstrates this brilliantly:
We are living, breathing, wonderful 3D human beings who simply cannot be captured in our entirety by a 2D picture.
2) Reframe your expectations of the photo
One of the most intense triggers of photo grief is when you feel pain because your body in the image doesn’t appear the way you expected it to. This is the trap of body perception.
We’ve all felt it, and it sucks.
The best method to avoid getting stuck in those feelings of shame and self-criticism is reframing.
Reframing happens when you realise that instead of changing your expectations of your body, you need to change your expectations of the photo.
Before doing the activity:
- Let’s assess – do I have the capacity to explore this now?
- Can I mitigate any unnecessary discomfort I’m experiencing? (like can I wear some comfy clothes, call a friend etc.)
Try these journaling prompts by Bri next time you find yourself hating how you look in a photo. Grab your journal and look at the photo that caused you distress.
Instead of focusing on how you think your body should have looked, highlight the experience in which the photo was taken. Sans emotion. Imagine you are Indiana Jones on an exploration – now is the time for just facts and information.
- What is the worst part about this photo?
- Are there any memories you can hold on to that don’t have to do with your body?
- Before the photo – were you able to be present? What are some things you remember about being in this moment?
- If your body distress consumed you, what might you have been able to appreciate about this photo (consider how a close friend or a loved one may appreciate the photo)
If you reframe the way you think about photos, you are allowing yourself to focus on the joy you felt when making those memories. You are giving yourself space to see everything else the photo might offer you beyond your perception of your body.
3) Ask yourself: where do my beliefs about my appearance stem from?
Perhaps when you were looking at the photo you thought you looked too fat? Too old and wrinkly? Was your skin creased or spotty? Your cellulite was illuminated? Your face looked asymmetrical and ugly.
Consider for a moment that these perceptions we have of ourselves only exist because of cultural and societal frameworks we have taken on as truths. The ability to spot this is called “critical awareness” and it can be a protective factor when it comes to body image.
We were not born with beliefs about how we look. They were handed down to us by a culture that has formed and morphed beauty and body ideals to sell things and keep certain groups of people oppressed (sounds extreme but it’s true).
From a very young age, we are taught that our value in the world is linked to how we look and to others’ perceptions of how we look. Many of us are taught to diet, wear makeup, dress, and get beauty treatments to look a certain way to be accepted, respected, and loved.
And even if we’re not taught it but our families, the indirect messaging is everywhere on TV, in social media and even in the healthcare industry
It’s not until we open our eyes to this messaging, that we can start to shut it out (if we want to).
And it’s not to say that wearing make-up or having beauty treatments is inherently insidious. More than it’s worth being aware of why we do these things in the first place. What if we didn’t believe that grey hair, freckles, love handles or belly rolls were an issue, would we still spend so much money, time, or mental energy trying to “fix” those things?
Don’t forget – the majority of images on tv, in movies, on social media, and in ads, are all heavily filtered and edited. So you may be comparing yourself to an unrealistic, impossible standard.
4) Follow accounts on social media that show diverse and realistic bodies
Expose yourself regularly to photos of others that show realistic, diverse bodies and their “imperfections”. This, in turn, will help you view images of yourself from a more realistic, hopefully kinder angle.
Instagram accounts like
@bodyimagewithbri
@danaemercer
@thebirdpapaya
As well as a load more examples we share on our free resource page: https://nudenutritionrd.com/free-resources/
Looking for more support?
We are a team of Intuitive Eating Counsellors, Registered Dietitians and Therapists. We provide online non-diet nutrition therapy, body image healing, and intuitive eating coaching, to help you find food peace, happiness, and freedom. We can work with you if you’re feeling stuck with food, and your body image, you have a diagnosed eating disorder, disordered eating, and/or have other needs in the mix – like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, (or gut issues you feel are linked to food), Diabetes, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Fertility, Pregnancy, or have Sport specific needs. We offer comprehensive support via online nutrition consultations designed to get you the results you desire! Book a free 20-minute discovery call with us today.
