I was once discussing Intuitive Eating with someone who said that she sometimes wonders if it’s the best approach in terms of religious beliefs… Aren’t we not supposed to be so into our physicality, and our food? Not “eat all the food”, so to speak? That was so eye opening for me, because I had never seen it that way! The way I see it, intuitive eating is the most balanced approach. Gd created all of the food groups, as well as bodies of different sizes and shapes. How can it be holy or right to say, “carbs are bad” or “thin is best” or judge people based on their body type? (Not to mention the fact that an intuitive eater doesn’t actually “eat all the food”– since they know they can). Intuitive eating means appreciating food for all it is: fuel, enjoyment, comfort. A basic proof that Gd is kind is that He could’ve created bland, colorless food to nourish us, but instead chose to create fruits and vegetables and all sorts of foods in an array of vibrant colors and textures – all for our sensory pleasure and heightened enjoyment of the eating (fueling) experience. Can it be any clearer that Gd did not intend food to be only fuel? We are meant to enjoy our food! Diet culture robs us of this enjoyment by replacing the joy with obsessive thoughts surrounding calorie counting, macro-nutrient ratios, arbitrary “eating time” rules, and of course the number on the scale or the clothing tag… We have been conditioned to believe that if you don’t engage in these thoughts, you obviously are careless about your health! How shameful. We know now that the opposite is true: there is nothing healthy about the obsessive pursuit of false markers of health. And now that we know better, we can do better. Here’s to pursuing the support and education you need to break down barriers and reject all of diet culture’s misinformation while learning to embrace an honest pursuit of health in a way that is liberating, enjoyable, and sustainable.
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