Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch

Overview

Intuitive Eating, written by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, is a groundbreaking book that challenges conventional dieting norms and encourages readers to develop a healthier relationship with food and their bodies. This book, first published in 1995 and now in its fourth edition, has become a well-respected resource in the field of nutrition and eating psychology.

Tribole and Resch are both registered dietitians and pioneers in the non-diet approach to health. They argue that diets are ineffective and harmful, leading to weight cycling, disordered eating behaviors, and negative body image. Instead, they propose an alternative approach: intuitive eating, which is based on listening to one's body and honoring its natural signals of hunger, fullness, and satisfaction.

Key Points / Ideas

Intuitive Eating outlines ten principles that provide a framework for readers to cultivate a healthy and sustainable relationship with food and their bodies. These principles include:

1. Reject the diet mentality: The authors emphasize the importance of rejecting diets and shifting away from weight-focused goals. They argue that diets create an unhealthy preoccupation with food and have a high likelihood of failure.
2. Honor your hunger: Tribole and Resch explain the importance of listening to your body's hunger cues and honoring them by eating when you are genuinely hungry.
3. Make peace with food: The authors encourage readers to remove moral judgments attached to food, allowing themselves to enjoy a wide variety of foods without guilt or restriction.
4. Challenge the food police: Tribole and Resch discuss the negative impact of internalized food rules and societal food norms. They encourage readers to challenge these beliefs and norms to develop a healthier relationship with food.
5. Feel your fullness: Understanding and responding to your body's fullness signals is a key principle. The authors suggest tuning in to your body's cues to determine when you have had enough to eat.
6. Discover the satisfaction factor: The pleasure and satisfaction derived from eating are important factors in honoring your body's needs. The book explores strategies to experience food satisfaction without guilt or judgment.
7. Honor your feelings without using food: Emotional eating is addressed in this principle, with the authors offering alternative ways to address emotional needs and honoring feelings without resorting to food for comfort.
8. Respect your body: Tribole and Resch promote the acceptance and appreciation of body diversity, encouraging readers to respect and care for their bodies regardless of size or shape.
9. Exercise and feel the difference: The book highlights the benefits of joyful movement and finding physical activities that you genuinely enjoy, rather than focusing on exercise solely for weight loss.
10. Honor your health: The authors emphasize the importance of prioritizing overall well-being and making choices that support your long-term health, while also recognizing that health is not solely based on body size or weight.

Throughout the book, Tribole and Resch provide numerous real-life examples and personal stories that illustrate the principles of intuitive eating. They share years of experience working with clients to support their arguments and provide evidence for the effectiveness of intuitive eating.

Conclusion

Intuitive Eating is a transformative book that challenges conventional dieting norms and offers readers an alternative approach to developing a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. By rejecting diets and embracing intuitive eating, individuals can cultivate self-compassion, trust their bodies, and ultimately find greater satisfaction and joy in their eating experiences.

This book is not just for those who struggle with disordered eating or body image issues but is also highly relevant for anyone seeking a healthier and more balanced approach to nutrition. While reading this summary gives you a good sense of the book's main ideas, delving into Intuitive Eating itself will provide you with a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. If you're interested in exploring similar books, some notable recommendations include "Health at Every Size" by Linda Bacon and "Body Respect" by Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor.