Eating Intuitively Blogs
Why You Shouldn’t “Indulge” During the Holiday: ‘tis the season to smash down diet culture
The holiday season is a time of celebration, reflection, and joy. Yet, for many, it also comes laden with the weight of diet culture and its insidious grip. From the portrayal of women in holiday movies to societal expectations about indulgence and self-restraint, the season has long been entwined with patriarchal systems and diet culture narratives. This article explores the roots of these traditions and offers strategies to reclaim your holiday experience, diet-culture free.
The Patriarchal Roots of the Holidays
The modern holiday season is a blend of ancient traditions, Christianity, and consumerism. Initially tied to winter solstice celebrations, the holidays were historically about community and feasting. As Christianity gained prominence, religious elements merged with these practices. By the 19th century, Christmas had become a commercial enterprise, shifting focus from spirituality to consumption.
Patriarchy has played a key role in shaping holiday norms. From the gendered division of labor in holiday preparations to the expectation that women must create perfect celebrations, patriarchal systems have normalized the emotional and physical labor of the season for women. This dynamic also extends to diet culture, a tool of patriarchy that keeps women focused on controlling their bodies rather than asserting their power.
How Diet Culture Thrives During the Holidays
Diet culture is particularly potent during the holidays, exploiting themes of indulgence, guilt, and control. The narrative often goes like this:
- Indulge now, restrict later: The idea of holiday feasting is weaponized with the promise of New Year’s resolutions to “atone” for excess.
- Moralizing food choices: Phrases like “cheat day” or “being good” reinforce the idea that eating certain foods determines personal value.
- Pressure to prepare for the New Year: The “New Year, New You” rhetoric capitalizes on holiday guilt, selling solutions to problems diet culture itself created.
These narratives are everywhere—in movies, ads, and even casual conversations. Women’s magazines and online content emphasize self-restraint, while men’s content often highlights pleasure and relaxation, reflecting a stark double standard.
Rather listen to the audio version of this blog? We’ve got you…
How Patriarchy Shapes Holiday Diet Culture
The portrayal of women in holiday culture often reinforces diet culture and patriarchal norms. Consider these examples:
- Holiday Movies: Women are typically shown as self-sacrificing, managing endless holiday tasks while maintaining a “perfect” appearance. Their worth is tied to how well they fulfill these roles.
- Body Image in Media: Holiday visuals are dominated by thin, conventionally attractive characters, perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards.
- Food Messaging: Women are encouraged to “indulge” cautiously, while men are rarely subjected to such scrutiny.
These dynamics keep women in cycles of striving, guilt, and self-denial, making it harder to break free from these oppressive systems.
Breaking Free: How to Navigate the Holidays Diet-Culture Free
Awareness is the first step to change. Here’s how to navigate the season free from the constraints of diet culture:
1. Redefine Indulgence
The word “indulge” is often loaded with guilt and moral judgment. Instead, embrace the idea that food is a source of nourishment and joy. Remind yourself that no food is inherently “bad” or “good.” All foods fit into a balanced, intuitive approach to eating.
Action Step: Replace “I’m indulging” with “I’m enjoying.” Focus on the experience of savoring food without attaching guilt to it.
2. Shift the Focus from Food to Connection
The holidays are about more than what’s on the table. Reframe your celebrations to prioritize connection, relaxation, and reflection over food and appearance.
Action Step: Plan activities that emphasize bonding, such as games, outdoor walks, or sharing gratitude with loved ones.
3. Challenge Media Messages
Be critical of the holiday media you consume. Notice how women and men are portrayed differently and question the messages you’re absorbing.
Action Step: Discuss these observations with friends or family to raise awareness about these patterns. For example, point out gendered stereotypes in holiday movies during family movie nights.
4. Say No to “New Year, New You” Pressure
The New Year often brings a surge of dieting ads and fitness challenges. Reject the idea that your worth is tied to transforming your body.
Action Step: Set intentions that prioritize self-care and joy over physical appearance. For example, focus on learning a new skill or dedicating time to a hobby.
5. Reclaim Your Holiday Traditions
Patriarchy and diet culture have long dictated what the holidays “should” look like. It’s time to redefine these traditions on your terms.
Action Step:
- Simplify holiday tasks. Let go of unnecessary obligations that drain your energy.
- Celebrate in ways that feel authentic to you, whether that means skipping the turkey or enjoying a favorite family dish without guilt.
Cultivating Awareness and Passing It On: How to Navigate the Holidays Diet-Culture Free
Breaking free from diet culture during the holidays is not just an act of self-care but also a way to challenge systemic oppression. By refusing to participate in these harmful narratives, you pave the way for others—especially children—to experience the holidays without internalized shame or guilt.
When you model an intuitive, guilt-free approach to food and traditions, you contribute to a cultural shift that prioritizes well-being over unrealistic ideals.
Final Thoughts: A Season of Liberation
Navigating the holidays without diet culture is a radical act of self-love and resistance. By understanding the roots of holiday traditions and recognizing the systems at play, you can reclaim the joy and meaning of the season.
Let this be the year you celebrate on your terms—free from guilt, restriction, and the weight of oppressive narratives. Because the true spirit of the holidays lies in connection, love, and the freedom to be unapologetically yourself.
Want to Learn More How to Navigate the Holidays Diet-Culture-Free?
You can access all of our services on our work with us page. We have a number of programs and service levels enabling us to serve most women:
Free Resources and Masterclasses: Get started and get to know us better!
Private coaching with Stephanie and her team Stephanie and her team of Certified Non-Diet Coaches are waiting to support you in a one-to-one setting with an individualized plan.
Non-Diet Coaching Certification for professionals ready to integrate the Going Beyond The Food Method™️ in their practice and for women wanting to become Certified Coach and build a business coaching other women beyond the food.
7 Ways to Eat Healthy Simply Without Diet Culture and Restriction
7 Ways to Eat Healthy Simply Without Diet Culture and Restriction
Are you tired of feeling trapped by restrictive diets and confusing wellness trends? As a clinical nutritionist and certified intuitive eating counselor, I’m here to show you that it’s possible to eat healthy without buying into diet culture or imposing harsh restrictions on yourself. In this post, we’ll explore seven empowering ways to nourish your body and mind, free from the constraints of traditional diet mentality.
The Problem with Diet Culture and Restrictive Eating
Before we dive into our healthy eating strategies, it’s crucial to understand why traditional diets often fail us. Diet culture promotes a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition, often encouraging restrictive eating patterns that are unsustainable and potentially harmful. These approaches can lead to:
– Disordered eating behaviors
– A negative relationship with food
– Ignoring your body’s natural hunger and fullness cues
– Feelings of guilt and shame around eating
Let’s break free from these harmful patterns and embrace a more intuitive, sustainable approach to healthy eating.
1. Build a Healthy Relationship with Food
The foundation of truly healthy eating lies in developing a positive relationship with food. This means:
– Stopping the use of food as a weapon to manipulate your body
– Letting go of the idea that food is solely a tool to change your appearance
– Learning to trust and respect your body’s signals
By shifting your mindset, you’ll be able to make food choices from a place of self-care rather than self-punishment.
2. Honor Your Hunger: Eat Enough Food
Many women have a distorted view of what constitutes “enough” food.
To eat healthy without restriction, it’s essential to tune into your body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. This is a fundamental principle of intuitive eating, which encourages you to honor your body’s needs rather than following external rules.
3. Seek Satisfaction and Pleasure from Food
Here’s a concept that might feel revolutionary: it’s okay to enjoy your food! In fact, finding pleasure and satisfaction in eating is crucial for sustainable healthy eating. Try:
– Allowing yourself to eat foods you genuinely enjoy
– Being present and mindful during meals
– Savoring the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food
Remember, food is not just fuel – it’s also a source of comfort, celebration, and connection with others.
Think of steps 1-3 as your high school diploma in healthy eating of eating and 4-7 as your college degree.
4. Balance Your Macronutrients
Once you’ve mastered the basics of honoring your hunger and finding pleasure in food, you can start focusing on nutritional balance. Aim to include a mix of:
– Proteins
– Healthy fats
– Complex carbohydrates
The key is to approach this balance without guilt or rigid rules. Some meals might be perfectly balanced, while others might not – and that’s okay!
5. Embrace Imperfection in Your Eating Habits
Perfection is the enemy of progress, especially when it comes to healthy eating. Give yourself permission to be imperfect by:
– Letting go of “good” and “bad” food labels
– Allowing flexibility in your eating patterns
– Recognizing that one meal or day of eating doesn’t define your overall health
Remember, consistent habits over time are far more important than striving for perfection at every meal.
6. Diversify Your Diet with a Variety of Foods
Eating a wide range of foods not only ensures you’re getting a broad spectrum of nutrients but also keeps meals interesting and satisfying. Focus on:
– Incorporating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables
– Trying new whole grains and protein sources
– Experimenting with different herbs and spices
By embracing variety, you’ll naturally create a more balanced and nutrient-rich diet without feeling restricted.
7. Individualize Your Approach: Listen to Your Body
The ultimate level of healthy eating without diet culture is learning to truly individualize your food choices based on your body’s unique needs. This involves:
– Paying attention to how different foods make you feel
– Adjusting your eating patterns based on your body’s responses
– Trusting that you know your body better than any external “expert”
This step requires practice and patience, but it’s the key to developing a sustainable, personalized approach to nutrition that serves you for life.
Putting It All Together: Your Path to Intuitive, Healthy Eating
By following these seven steps, you can create a healthy eating pattern that’s free from the constraints of diet culture and unnecessary restrictions. Remember, this journey is about progress, not perfection. It’s okay to take small steps and gradually incorporate these principles into your life.
As you move forward on this path, you’ll likely find that:
– Food becomes less of an obsession
– You’re able to eat when hungry and stop when full
– Meals become a source of enjoyment rather than stress
Remember, true health encompasses not just what you eat, but also how you think about food and your body. By rejecting diet culture and embracing intuitive, restriction-free eating, you’re taking a powerful step towards overall well-being and a more joyful relationship with food.
Are you ready to start your journey towards healthy eating without diet culture?
You can access all of our services on our work with us page. We have a number of programs and service levels enabling us to serve most women:
Free Resources and Masterclasses: Get started and get to know us better!
Private coaching with Stephanie and her team Stephanie and her team of Certified Non-Diet Coaches are waiting to support you in a one-to-one setting with an individualized plan.
Non-Diet Coaching Certification for professionals ready to integrate the Going Beyond The Food Method™️ in their practice and for women wanting to become Certified Coach and build a business coaching other women beyond the food.
Which diet is best for your health?
I was inspired to write this article based on a community member question, “Which diet is best for my health? I need to lose weight to be healthy… right?”
I hope this article helps you determine what is the best diet for you! (Hint: It may not be what you think.) Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:
What does it mean to be healthy?
Does “obesity” cause one to be unhealthy?
Is health beyond dieting and weight loss possible?
What is a weight-neutral approach to health?
Sustainability and health beyond dieting
Who is an ideal candidate for weight-neutral approach to health?
Why It’s Hard to Change Your Beliefs About Weight and Health
The prevalent diet culture conditioned us to believe that thinner is better in all aspects of life including our health. Therefore, dieting is the answer to health so there has to be a “best diet” … right?
We’ve always heard that thin equals healthy, and that dieting is the way to a thinner body. It’s the same indoctrination that leads us into thinking that a thinner body is more attractive because it is associated with health.
What does it mean to be healthy?
We all grew up with the idea that health is the absence of illness. But the World Health Organization has a definition of health that’s different from what we’re all used to. WHO defines health as “a complete state of physical, emotional, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Good health is essential to being able to handle stress and live a long and active life. It doesn’t just refer to the absence of disease, but also to the ability to recover from illness, to adapt to life challenges in general.
Does “obesity” cause one to be unhealthy?
The keyword here is CAUSE. Before we can answer the question, we must first understand the difference between correlation and causation. For example, smoking is correlated with alcoholism, but it doesn’t cause alcoholism. However, smoking causes an increased risk of developing lung cancer.
For example, a research found that obesity does not affect the risk of having coronary heart disease and stroke “Metabolic status is relatively stable despite rising BMI”. (However, it does increase the risk of developing diabetes)
But if the question is, “Is obesity associated or correlated with health risks?” the answer would be yes. If the question is “Is obesity causing disease?” the answer would be no. That’s where the big difference lies.
Here’s where it gets interesting – one-third to three-quarters of people classified as obese are actually metabolically healthy. Being metabolically healthy means having your blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels, and other metabolic markers within the normal range. That’s me and millions of “overweight” women.
Is health beyond dieting and weight loss possible?
Yes, and scientific research proves it!
A 2016 study by researchers at UCLA studied 40,420 adult participants in the most recent U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Researchers looked at the participants’ health as measured by six accepted metrics (not including BMI). These metrics are blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein.
The study found that 47% of people classified as overweight by BMI and 29% of those qualified as obese were healthy based on at least five of those other metrics.
Meanwhile, 31% of normal-weight people were unhealthy by two or more of the same measures.
What is a weight-neutral approach to health?
A weight-neutral approach to health is based on the idea that your health status or risk level can’t be determined solely by your weight.
It acknowledges that your weight is determined by a complex set of genetic, metabolic, physiological, cultural, social, and behavioral determinants. Many of these factors are either difficult or impossible to change.
Instead of focusing on a weight-oriented outcome, weight-neutral programs teach you to take charge of the factors within your control. These factors include your thoughts and behaviors. Taking charge of these factors will help you improve your well-being, regardless of your weight.
Research have demonstrated the weight-neutral approach to health have significantly decreased body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and depression. They’ve also increased sustainable, enjoyable self-care behaviors such as eating and moving well in the long term.
The Going Beyond The Food Method️ is a weight-neutral and non-diet health framework composed of eight core elements. Our health framework is grounded in holistic principles and functional medicine approach to health. It’s a five-step process that includes mindset, emotional regulation, mindfulness, body neutrality, and intuitive eating.
The method️ is based on four core pillars: Body Wisdom, Body Trust, Body Respect, and Body Neutrality.
Sustainability and health beyond dieting
The single most powerful advantage of a weight-neutral and non-diet approach like the Going Beyond The Food Method️ is sustainability. It helps you develop the ability to sustain health-promoting behaviors throughout your life.
Certainly, when it comes to health, consistency is significantly more powerful than short-term results.
A 2015 study systematically reviewed a weight-neutral and no-diet approach to health. It determined the overall effects on factors including weight, biochemical measures, food, activity, behavior, body image, and mental health.
- Weight stability (in 5 yrs)
- Improved biochemical markers
- Cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, CRP
- Sustained healthy behaviors & Improvement in:
- Dietary quality
- Psychological states
- Disordered eating patterns
- Self-esteem
- Depression
Who is an ideal candidate for a weight-neutral approach to health?
Truly anyone! Individuals who’ll benefit most from this approach are:
- Chronic dieters
- Women who are overly concerned with weight and shape (a.k.a. body image issues)
- Those who are repeatedly trying to lose weight and restricting food for two years or more
- Women who have had enough of dieting and regaining the weight that they lost
- Women who are intuitive eaters
Why it’s hard to change your beliefs about weight and health
Your reptilian brain is the reason why it’s not easy to let go of beliefs. It’s the most primal part of your brain that has the survival instinct. It seeks to protect you from danger. Because the diet culture has programmed your reptilian brain into believing that fat people aren’t healthy, you’ve since associated health with thinness.
That’s why your approach to health must also include mindset and thought reprogramming tools to help you change your core beliefs and negative self-talk. That’s what we do first inside our Conquer & Thrive community… been there done that as they say.
You can view the methodology in more details here.
Get started with the weight-neutral approach to health
To help you get started with the weight-neutral approach to health and make peace with food and your body, I have created a free audio guide for you to know exactly what to do when you stop dieting, emotional eating, binge eating and body image issues. Claim your way to freedom now!
What does it mean to be healthy?
Good health is essential to being able to handle stress and live a long and active life. It doesn’t just refer to the absence of disease, but also to the ability to recover from illness, to adapt to life challenges in general.
Does “obesity” cause one to be unhealthy?
The keyword here is CAUSE. Before we can answer the question, we must first understand the difference between correlation and causation. For example, smoking is correlated with alcoholism, but it doesn’t cause alcoholism. However, smoking causes an increased risk of developing lung cancer.
Is health beyond dieting and weight loss possible?
Yes, and scientific research proves it!
A study found that 47% of people classified as overweight by BMI and 29% of those qualified as obese were healthy based on at least five of those other metrics. Meanwhile, 31% of normal-weight people were unhealthy by two or more of the same measures.
What is a weight-neutral approach to health?
A weight-neutral approach to health is based on the idea that your health status or risk level can’t be determined solely by your weight.
It acknowledges that your weight is determined by a complex set of genetic, metabolic, physiological, cultural, social, and behavioral determinants. Many of these factors are either difficult or impossible to change.
Who is an ideal candidate for a weight-neutral approach to health?
Truly anyone! Individuals who’ll benefit most from this approach are:
>> Chronic dieters
>> Women who are overly concerned with weight and shape (a.k.a. body image issues)
>> Women who are repeatedly trying to lose weight and restricting food for two years or more
>> Women who have had enough of dieting and regaining the weight that they lost
>> Women who are intuitive eaters
Why it’s hard to change your beliefs about weight and health
Your reptilian brain is the reason why it’s not easy to let go of beliefs. It’s the most primal part of your brain that has the survival instinct. It seeks to protect you from danger. Because the diet culture has programmed your reptilian brain into believing that fat people aren’t healthy, you’ve since associated health with thinness.
Where do you start to make peace with food?
Throughout my research, I’ve discovered that there is more to overeating, emotional eating and even binge eating than just food.
Most patients & students with food struggle will have body image struggle, negative mindset, overthinking behaviors. They are overwhelmed with an emotional roller coaster, lack confidence with food choices, low self-esteem. Moreover, they put their life on hold until they “lose the weight once and for all”.
This article talks about how to start to make peace with food and your body. In addition, I share how you can end the diet cycle to empower you to be your own expert. Here’s what you’re going to learn from this blog post:
How I started to make peace with food
Free resource to get started to make peace with food
How I started to make peace with food
Eight years ago, that was me. I consulted with a variety of specialists and experts hoping they would find what was “wrong” with me and that I could finally find the solution. Each appointment or purchase resulted in a few hundred $ and a new diet or protocol.
I would follow the guidelines, and yet I was always back to the starting point within weeks and months. This went on for years…
You see… There’s nothing wrong with me that could be fixed with a diet or protocol. The approach made everything worse. It compounded the side effects, made me gain more weight and have a deeper emotional relationship to food.
There’s nothing wrong with you. In fact, emotional eating, overeating eating and weight gain are part of the diet model. The diet and weight loss industry wants you to believe there’s something wrong with you because that belief keeps you coming back. Likewise, it keeps you feeling broken… keeps you feeling unworthy. That’s what we call the diet culture.
What is Diet Culture?
Diet Culture is defined as the worship of thinness and equating it to health and moral virtue. If you’ve been part of this culture, you might have spent your whole life thinking that you’re broken just because you don’t look like the “thin ideal.”
Diet Culture promotes weight loss as a means of attaining what it perceived to be a higher status—the thin ideal. Certainly, it oppresses people who don’t match up with its supposed pictures of health and attractiveness.
It compels you to spend a massive amount of time, energy, and money trying to shrink your body, even though intuitive eating research clearly shows that almost no one can sustain intentional weight loss for more than a few years.
The good news is, it’s just a cultural movement. Belonging to a cultural movement is completely optional and something that you can say “no” to. Most importantly, you have the power to make the choice to be free from this oppressive culture.
How to break the diet cycle to make peace with food?
Breaking the Diet Cycle is possible and will come as a result of healing our relationship to food with acceptance and compassion. Moreover, it can be achieved by seeking to heal our relationship to food, respecting our natural hunger and fullness cue and accepting our bodies.
Intuitive Eating is a proven and well-researched self-care eating framework that teaches us to have a healthy relationship to food, therefore, empowering you to trust your ability to meet your needs, distinguish between physical and emotional hungers, and ultimately, develop body wisdom.
Intuitive Eating is the most effective approach to recover from years of dieting. In fact, that’s what changed my relationship to food and body and allowed me to start living my full life right away without having to lose weight.
This is what I teach women inside our Conquer & Thrive community so they, too can make peace with food and their body, and start living their full life now. Yes, it’s possible!
Free resource to get started to make peace with food
To help you get started to make peace with food and your body, I have created a free audio guide for you to know exactly what to do when you stop dieting, emotional eating, binge eating and body image issues. Claim your way to freedom now!
How I started to make peace with food
Eight years ago, that was me. I consulted with a variety of specialists and experts hoping they would find what was “wrong” with me and that I could finally find the solution. Each appointment or purchase resulted in a few hundred $ and a new diet or protocol.
The approach made everything worse. It compounded the side effects, made me gain more weight and have a deeper emotional relationship to food.
What is Diet Culture?
Diet Culture is defined as the worship of thinness and equating it to health and moral virtue. If you’ve been part of this culture, you might have spent your whole life thinking that you’re broken just because you don’t look like the “thin ideal.”
How to break the diet cycle to make peace with food?
Breaking the Diet Cycle is possible and will come as a result of healing our relationship to food with acceptance and compassion. It can be achieved by seeking to heal our relationship to food, respecting our natural hunger and fullness cue and accepting our bodies.
Free resource to get started to make peace with food
To help you get started to make peace with food and your body, I have created a free audio guide for you to know exactly what to do when you stop dieting, emotional eating, binge eating and body image issues. Claim your way to freedom now!
This Is Why You Struggle With Food
Whenever I meet new women and tell them about my mission of spreading awareness about how women can end their struggle with food and be at peace with food and their body without being on a diet. That we can be healthy without being thin and we can access optimal health and happiness unconditionally, women always say, “Wow, is that possible?” to which my response is…
“Yes. It’s actually our birth right, sister. You and I weren’t born to be on diet and hate our bodies.”
And then the conversation always turns to…. “Well, it’s different for me, Stephanie” or “I’m so “screwed” up when it comes to food not sure it can ever change” or “I’ve tried before”.
My answer: “First sister, there’s nothing wrong with you. The problem is not you, it’s what we’ve been taught about food and our bodies. The problem is the diet model, not you.”
This article tackles why you struggle with food and teaches you how you can make peace with food and your body. Also, I share how you can end the cycles of yo-yo dieting and empower you to be your own expert. Here’s what you’re going to learn from this blog post:
What’s the antidote to the eating pendulum swing
Innate body wisdom
You see humans were born with this innate wisdom that allows us to know what, when and how we should eat. If you have children, you know that… babies cry when they’re hungry and refuse to eat when they are full. They naturally know how to regulate their eating and accepting of their body. All of us women were once like that too, that is until we went on our first diet.
We were intuitive eaters and neutral with our bodies. Diet and diet culture did a “number” on our relationship to food and our body.
Research is clear that dieting has three main side effects:
- Short term weight loss and long term weight gain
- Major stressor to our mind and body
- Distort our relationship to food and body image
Why do we struggle with food?
I hope you’re ready for this because once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
You see, most women have been hypnotized by the societal narrative that says it’s NORMAL for women and even HEALTHY to be on a diet. (I was too for 25 years more.)
If you read that sentence and right away your brain says “Well, some diets are healthy”, if that’s you that’s a good sign that you are hypnotized, too.
I really, really, really want to get you to understand that diets do not work. But in order for me to do that, I need to show you something:
That was my life for 25 years…. dieting and then overeating. Cravings all the food I restricted to lose weight to regain the weight lost.
Diets don’t work
Studies after studies the results are clear: 95-98% of dieters regain all of their weight within 1-5 years Just like I did. Maybe just like you?
Diets don’t work because of how reptilian brain reacts to food restriction and deprivation. Our brain perceives dieting as a threat to our well-being and engage in a protective reaction. Cravings, emotional eating, overeating aren’t due to a lack of willpower or discipline rather a biological reaction.
Why does our eating swing like this? Simply our body is responding to the period of starvation (dieting) with a period of feasting. And no, we can’t get away from this primal survival behaviors hence why 95%of dieter experience it.
What’s the antidote to the pendulum swing?
Love. Respect and Trust.
Just as a pendulum won’t abruptly stop at center, you won’t either. You will probably swing back and forth between restriction and chaos a few times before your pendulum (mindset, feelings, thoughts, behaviors) gently settles into the middle. Is it uncomfortable? Yes, it can be. But not as uncomfortable as spending the rest of your life swinging wildly.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Honour your hunger even when you’re afraid of what that means. Strive for satisfying meals even when your brain is shouting “don’t eat those carbs!” Learn to listen to your body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. Remember no food is off-limits, so there’s never an emergency to finish eating what’s on your plate.⠀⠀⠀⠀
That’s what I call Going Beyond The Food. Helping women make peace with food and body. Ending the cycles of yo-yo dieting and empowering women to be their own expert. You being the boss of YOU. Learn how we do this by joining our Conquer & Thrive community.
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And know this calm and collected approach to eating is all possible for you, when you’re ready to stop restricting. 💗
Why do we struggle with food?
Most women have been hypnotized by the societal narrative that says it’s NORMAL for women and even HEALTHY to be on a diet. In short, we were socialized to be on a diet.
Why diets don't work
Diets don’t work because of how reptilian brain reacts to food restriction and deprivation. Our brain perceives dieting as a threat to our well-being and engages in a protective reaction. Cravings, emotional eating, overeating aren’t due to a lack of willpower or discipline rather a biological reaction.
The antidote to the pendulum swing
Love. Respect and Trust.
Just as a pendulum won’t abruptly stop at center, you won’t either. You will probably swing back and forth between restriction and chaos a few times before your pendulum (mindset, feelings, thoughts, behaviors) gently settles into the middle. Is it uncomfortable? Yes, it can be. But not as uncomfortable as spending the rest of your life swinging wildly.
Innate body wisdom
Humans were born with this innate wisdom that allows us to know what, when and how we should eat. If you have children, you know that… babies cries when they’re hungry and refuse to eat when they are full. They naturally know how to regulate their eating and accepting of our bodies. All of us women were once like that too that is until we went on your first diet.
Non-Diet Approach for Health Coaching
When I first started in my nutrition practice the term “non-diet approach” didn’t even cross my mind. “Anti-diet approach” didn’t even exist. Unbeknown to me, I was practicing the “diet approach to nutrition” simply because that’s what was taught in health & nutrition school.
Fast forward close to 10 years now, a lot have changed. The non-diet approach is growing rapidly, so has the anti-diet approach and intuitive eating is booming.
So, let’s discover what is the non-diet approach.
Core values of the non-diet approach
The pillars of the non-diet approach
Non-diet approach training for professionals
What is the non-diet approach?
The non-diet approach to health coaching & nutrition is the exact opposite of dieting. It recognizes that food, eating and body weight aren’t the problem to be fixed. It’s a weight-neutral approach to health instead of focusing on a weight-oriented outcome. This approach focused on all the other factors that can impact one’s health beyond body weight. In other words, the ultimate goal is to support the patients to become their own experts at their bodies.
The Going Beyond The Food Method™️ is our proprietary methodology that helps women to recover from diet culture and learn the non-diet way of life. Firstly, our 4 pillars are Body Wisdom, Body Trust, Body Respect, and Body Neutrality. Secondly, our framework is composed of 5 steps process: Intuitive eating, Body Neutrality, Self-Coaching, Emotional Intelligence, and Mindfulness.
Core values of the non-diet approach
The non-diet approach to health coaching and nutrition holds key core values: Fundamentally, it recognizes that diets do not work. It’s holistic in nature. It is focused on the Why not the What, it’s focused on finding solution that are based on love and compassion. Moreover, it believes that all humans and bodies are worthy.
Diets don’t work
A 2016 study by researchers at UCLA studied 40,420 adult participants in the most recent U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Researchers looked at the participants’ health as measured by six accepted metrics (not including BMI). These metrics are blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein.
The study found that 47% of people classified as overweight by BMI and 29% of those qualified as obese were healthy based on at least five of those other metrics.
Meanwhile, 31% of normal-weight people were unhealthy by two or more of the same measures.
A number of research studies show that weight loss is not necessary to improve physical health. Studies have also found that fitness is more predictive for mortality than weight. This study defined ‘fit’ as 3-4 hrs per week of walking.
Note: “Fit” is not synonymous with “thin” or “lean.” That’s Diet Culture. Being fit means being in good health, especially because of regular physical movement.
Furthermore, trying to change your health status simply by losing weight has not only proven to be an ineffective approach but also carries potential negative side effects to your health. The focus on intentional weight loss via dieting can be harmful. Multiple studies demonstrate negative side effects of dieting behaviors. The three most documented negative effects are weight cycling, disordered eating, and weight stigma.
The non-diet approach for health coaching is holistic
The World Health Organization defines health as “a complete state of physical, emotional, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” The non-diet approach is a weight-neutral approach to health is based on the idea that your health status or risk level can’t be determined solely by your weight.
Instead it recognized that humans are more than a physical body: mental, emotional, spiritual and physical human bodies.
Its focus is on the WHY instead of the WHAT
The non-diet approach looks at the root cause of the behaviors. For example, when considering nutrition it considers why the individual is eating instead what the individual is eating. What we eat, how we eat and when we eat come second to why we eat.
Compassion versus fear-based threat
The non-diet approach will help the client switch his approach to health behavior to one of compassion for self. It will help form a relationship of respect towards one’s body helping the client to make choice based in love for body and self instead of fear (fear of disease, fear of weight gain, fear of other people opinion, etc…)
All humans are worthy; All bodies are worthy
The non-diet approach is grounded in the fact that all humans are worthy therefore all bodies are worthy. The non-diet recognizes the danger to one’s health when face with any stigma, discrimination or prejudice.
Therefore, the non-diet approach must be anti-discriminatory: anti-fatphobia, anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-transphobia, anti-classist, non-binary, etc.
The pillars of the non-diet approach for health coaching
When practicing the non-diet approach to health and nutrition with clients, practitioners must follow a sequential order in their approach. Although adaptable in nature, some fundamental pillars must be in place
1. Investigation of belief and history
The first step is for the practitioner to have a clear understanding of the current state of their clients/ patients relationship to food and body. A number of assessments are available: Intuitive eating assessment, Body Acceptance Assessment and Dieting Impact Inventory.
Next, the practitioner will help the client understand how they go to be where they are right now using a dieting timeline. It’s very important for the patient to understand that it’s not their fault but instead diet culture.
2. Mindset & Unlearning Diet Culture
The next phase of the non-diet approach is the most important: unlearning. Unlearning the diet mindset, dogmatic beliefs about food and exercise, the thin ideal, etc..
When we trained professional inThe Going Beyond The Food Method™ our practitioners are trained in a Cognitive Behavior Therapy approach called Self-Coaching. This will be the tool they will teach their client to help them unlearn Diet Culture.
3. Attunement & Reconnecting
As the client progress in unlearning diet culture the next steps will be to help patient to reconnect with their body via body sensation. Using various mindfulness approach our graduates of our non-diet certification have a number of tools available to them to teach their client attuned with their body.
The first set of sensations we focus on with the clients are eating cues: hunger, fullness and satisfaction. Gradually, clients will be able to trust their own ability to read and interpret their innate body sensations.
4. Emotional Intelligence & Processing
As the client gets more attuned to her own innate body wisdom, the focus will shift to building skills set to process emotions & feelings. One of the most effective tools for this step is deconstruction of the eating behavior using two questions: What am I feeling? and What do I need?
The outcome of these pillars is to build emotional intelligence and shift the individual engagement with their emotions from Reacting to Responding.
5. Empowerment & Relearning
The non-diet approach is truly beyond the food and this next pillar is the reason behind this powerful transformative process.
To help build empowerment, the process of habituation will be use to help client regain power over fear foods. Gradually reclaiming their power at first with food and naturally expanding their empowerment to other part of their life using their inner wisdom.
6. Respect & Liberation
In this last step practitioner will support client in the process of rebuilding a relationship of respect with their own body. Engaging in body image healing using body neutrality and Health At Every Size approach to help build an inventory of health promoting behaviors.
At this point in the process client is also ready to re-engage with food using a gentle nutrition philosophy and with exercise using a joyful movement approach.
Non-diet approach training for professional
We have created a number of free non-diet approach training resources to help you begin learning more about this revolutionary health approach. Join my non-diet professional community by requesting our non-diet professional starter pack.
You can also listen to our non-diet podcast.
The non-diet approach mentorship program
The Going Beyond The Food non-diet approach mentorship program is a space where you can receive support guidance to become the best non-diet professional. It’s a program geared to refine your non-diet professional skills set and teach you the skills you need to build a successful business that can impact thousands of women. It will help you develop as a powerful leader and help other women come back to their power. You will learn how to harness your ability to support and help other women. As a result, you can impact thousands of other women and dismantle diet culture.
Non-Diet Approach FAQs
The non-diet approach to health & nutrition is the exact opposite of dieting. It recognizes that food, eating and body weight aren’t the problem to be fixed.
It’s a weight-neutral approach to health instead of focusing on a weight-oriented outcome. This approach focused on all the other factors that can impact one’s health beyond body weight. In other words, the ultimate goal is to support the patients to become their own experts at their bodies.
The non-diet approach to health and nutrition holds key core values: Fundamentally, it recognizes that diets do not work. It’s holistic in nature. It is focused on the Why not the What, it’s focused on finding solution that are based on love and compassion. Moreover, it believes that all humans and bodies are worthy.
1. Investigation of belief and history
2. Mindset & Unlearning Diet Culture
3. Attunement & Reconnecting
4. Emotional Intelligence & Processing
5. Empowerment & Relearning
6. Respect & Liberation
We have created a number of free non-diet approach training resources to help you begin learning more about this revolutionary health approach. Join my non-diet professional community by requesting our non-diet professional starter pack.
You can also listen to our non-diet podcast.
The Going Beyond The Food non-diet approach mentorship program is a space where you can receive support guidance to become the best non-diet professional. It’s a program geared to refine your non-diet professional skills set and teach you the skills you need to build a successful business that can impact thousands of women.
Intuitive Eating Mentorship For Professional: First Do No Harm
I help women with intuitive eating mentorship programs today but it wasn’t always so…
8 years ago, I was 2 years into my nutrition practice, Carolyn walked into my office. And she had just been diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. She desired to be “healthier”.
I proceeded to take a diligent intake. And this intake process included a food journal, detailed health history as well as a symptomology assessment. Based on my assessment I concluded that a “whole food diet” would support her goals. Along with other lifestyle modifications.
Not only how I was teaching nutrition different but also my approach. So Carolyn would add foods to her plate instead of removing foods. Carolyn left my clinic with her food list, food journal and “ideal plate” handout in hands.
Then two weeks later she was back for a follow-up. Within 10 minutes, she was in tears.
“I’m so sorry Stephanie I wasn’t able to follow what you told me to do and thought this time would be different. My urges to binge on processed food at night are back in full force. “
“I ate my kids’ food in secret. What is wrong is wrong with me??”
Are we causing harm to our clients?
Shifting to a non-diet approach to health
The Going Beyond The Food Method™️
Non-Diet Professional Training
If you would like to listen to the article in audio format the Going Beyond The Food Show – Pro Series Season 1 Episode 1
Links mentioned on the episode
PRO Series – Free Training & resources
Non-Diet Coaching Certification
Are we causing harm to our clients?
We do not know what we do not know.
I was aggravating an underlying condition for Caroline. Not only did Carolyn had a disordered relationship with food but also with her body image due to years of chronic dieting. And all of my assessment tools and training never accounted for this condition. I was neither taught to assess how patient-related to food or to consider past dieting behavior in my assessment.
Fast forward 8 years later. When I reflected back on my first few years of practice not only most of my female clients were in fact in a disordered relationship with food but I also was.
Most nutrition experts engage in disordered eating
In 2012, an international study in 14 countries found a whopping 77 percent of nutrition students felt that eating disorders were a concern among their peers. And the reasons behind this are complicated: theories run from an obsessive overexposure to information about food and exercise, to pressure within degrees to be an “ideal nutritionist.”
Individuals that develop disordered eating may at first initiate a quest for a healthier lifestyle but then dysfunctional, compulsive beliefs about food emerge that then impair health, work, and social functioning.
If you are curious to know if have a disordered relationship to food then you should complete our free professional Non-Diet Coaching intake forms. Assess yourself and share your results with us!
Shifting to a non-diet approach to health
Carolyn was the most impactful client-practitioner I have had to this day.
Not only did she triggered in me a must needed professional shift but also a personal transformation. So my quest for another way of serving my client and healing myself began with her.
7 years ago when I searched for support, training and non-diet coaching certification nothing existed. Instead, I read the Health At Avery Size® research and book by Dr. Lindo Bacon. And then began applying a weight-neutral approach to health in my practice.
Over the next 4 years, I collected both a variety of professional and personal skills. This collection of tools is today known as The Going Beyond The Food Method™️. And this non-diet methodology is currently taught in Undiet Your Life Coaching Program
The Going Beyond The Food Method™
The Going Beyond The Food Method™️ is a way of working with clients and patients which removes that emphasis and pressure to eat for weight loss or health. Instead, it embraces the Health At Every Size® weight-neutral approach to health, intuitive eating, body neutrality, mindfulness, and a self-coaching mindset.
This non-diet methodology respects the fact that each human has innate body wisdom. And that our the body knows what we need and what is best for us including food, eating, movement, weight, and self-care.
A practitioner who uses our methodology is focused on helping women rebuild a relationship of trust, respect, and neutrality with their bodies.The client is empowered to identify what will be best for her to optimize their own health and wellbeing.
At the core, a holistic based approach recognizing the 4 human bodies: mental, emotional, spiritual and physical human bodies. This non-diet approach for health coaches, nutritionists or any other health experts is a gentle process. And it focuses on skills building.
Ultimately, it’s about helping women conquer back their power and thrive unconditionally!
Intuitive Eating Mentorship
The Going Beyond The Food Mentorship program is an intuitive eating mentorship program, an anti-diet training and body image professional training. And it’s designed to support health professionals desiring to shift their practice to a non-diet model.
This is what I was seeking but couldn’t find years ago.
As a professional, a non-diet approach to health and nutrition can be scary as it empowers your client and patient to be their own health expert.
Non-Diet Coaching Professional Training
“If we are not going to hand out meal plans and “good and bad” food list, what will we do?”
That is a very common question and also a great starting point to understand which professional skills set will be required in a non-diet approach.
Food choices and healthy habits aren’t only derived from intellectual knowledge but also from our emotions and thoughts. This applied not only to healthy habits but to every habit we choose to do as a human.
As a non-diet practitioner, you will need to help with your clients with the mindset and emotional intelligence tools. We teach self-coaching for intuitive eating.
Chronic dieters and women who dislike their bodies are in their head instead of their bodies. You will need to help them come back into their body and to connect to their bodily sensation including their eating cues. Mindfulness is the perfect tool to cultivate body attunement.
Intuitive Eating Training
Intuitive eating is a well- researched and complete framework to help you reframe the before, during and after relationship to food with women. As a certified Intuitive eating counselor, I have studied directly with Evelyn Tribole and now included this empowering framework with all my clients in our non-diet online training.
As a non-diet professional, your skills wouldn’t be complete without a tool you can use to help your clients to heal their relationship with their body image.
Body Neutrality is the framework I have selected to teach in our program. It helps women understand that we aren’t defined by own physical bodies. This body image professional training goal is to respect and accept your body for what it is – and that’s it.
Non-Diet Business Coaching
Shifting your business to an anti-diet business model requires some small business adjustment mainly in the content of your professional services, health programs, and marketing.
Your intuitive eating business skills will require you to move to a serving message from selling messages. Your future client or patient will need to be educated about what is a non-diet and weight-neutral approach to health.
The 5-step process to build a successful Anti-Diet Business
1. Determine the non-diet business format that will support your personal goals
2. Define & refine your ideal clients and their needs
3. Create a non-diet service offer.
4. Market your offer or product using our exclusive non-diet transformation funnel system.
5. Deliver your product.
Bonus – Scale & Diversify
How to Get Started
We have created for you a number of free intuitive eating mentorship training resources to help you begin your research in the field of non-diet approach to health.
You can access this non-diet professional training by clicking here.
You will find non-diet online training, webinars, podcasts, and articles.
One last thing
Here’s the truth: As long as you teach any labelled diet (Keto, paleo, GF, DF, ….) and or handout food list and meal plan, you aren’t teaching sustainable health or nutrition. Point.
If the above is you, just about now you’re likely pissed at me. That’s ok sister! I get it. I was on the receiving end of this exact discourse about 4 years ago and I was mad but it planted a seed in my mind… and here I’m today!
It’s not your fault. As far as I know, today…no nutrition school or health coaching program currently offers Intuitive eating as part of their curriculum. So how were you supposed to know??
But now you know…. So, what will you do? Continue to arm people teaching diets or learn intuitive eating for yourself and slowly, gradually integrate it in your practice and help your client real sustainable changes.
It’s your choice. If you choose to opt-out of diet culture, we can help you in your journey.
We do not know what we do not know.
Most nutrition experts engage in disordered eating.
Individuals that develop disordered eating may at first initiate a quest for a healthier lifestyle but then dysfunctional, compulsive beliefs about food emerge that then impair health, work, and social functioning. If you are curious to know if have a disordered relationship to food then you should complete our free professional intuitive eating intake forms. Assess yourself and share your results with us!
Intuitive Eating Resources
I rounded up my best free intuitive eating resources, body neutrality resources, and Health at Every Size resources. It includes books, blogs, podcasts, programs, and courses.
Intuitive eating and body neutrality are increasingly becoming popular among women for a number of good reasons. For one, it’s been proven to lead to positive health outcomes. In addition, both are a healthy approach to health that puts you in control of your eating behaviours and body image.
Health at every size is the overarching weight-neutral health principle that drives the foundation of both intuitive eating & body neutrality.
This blog post is aimed at helping you discover intuitive eating resources to support you in your journey Going Beyond the Food: which means ditching diet culture, making peace with food and your body.
The meaning of Health at Every Size
My top 4 free intuitive Eating resources
Health at Every Size resources
What is Intuitive Eating?
Intuitive eating is an evidence-based approach to eating that allows you to be the expert of your own body. And this self-care eating framework enables you to develop a healthy relationship with food and your body.
Moreover, it teaches you to trust your ability to meet your own needs, distinguish between physical and emotional hunger, and ultimately develop body wisdom.
Most importantly, eating intuitively is well–researched and proven health framework supported by more than 100 intuitive eating studies as of 2020.
What is Body neutrality?
Body Neutrality definition is about empowering you to embrace yourself as you are. That’s including the parts you don’t like about yourself. And its focus is to avoid self-hate while simultaneously relieving you from the pressure of having to love your body.
And the framework of Body Neutrality recognizes that not everyone is going to love every part of themselves all the time because that’s an unrealistic expectation, to say the least.
In short, the goal is to respect and accept your body for what it is – and that’s it.
What is Health at Every Size?
Health at Every Size definition is a philosophy and an approach to health. Linda Bacon, Ph.D wrote the book Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight.
The book demonstrated through health at every size research and studies that health behaviours influence health more than weight.
Above all, the HAES movement promotes the simple truth that all bodies are good bodies. It shifts the focus away from dieting for weight control.
Instead, it steers you toward self-care practices that support your body’s natural wisdom and vitality.
My top 4 free intuitive eating resources
#1 The Going Beyond The Food Show
This is my intuitive eating podcast. A collection of 200+ episodes that cover all topics about intuitive eating, body neutrality, and health at every size.
I suggest you get started at show 199 and move your way up!
#2 Health at Every Size Manifesto
A free HAES guide is provided by Dr. Linda Bacon. And it explains the Heath at Every Size approach to health and provides sustainable research-based evidence that demonstrates that health is accessible at any body size.
#3 Beauty Redefined
Beauty Redefined is a non-profit, dedicated to promoting positive body image online and in live speaking events. This website is run by identical twins Lexie Kite, Ph.D. and Lindsay Kite, Ph.D.
These two experts teach body image resilience through research-backed online education available on their website, and social media. Visit their blog and TEDx Talk.
#4 Get Started Guide
I created this free guide to help women understand the basics of intuitive eating. Most importantly, this guide is followed by a series of educative articles to help you to get started on this new journey.
Get the FREE guide here.
Intuitive Eating Resources
There are 3 levels of resources for you if you are ready to learn intuitive eating.
#1 Intuitive Eating Books
Evelyn Tribole is the ultimate intuitive eating expert, my teacher, and my mentor. She has dedicated her career to training health professionals with the intuitive eating framework.
All of our programs at Going Beyond The Food are certified by The Original Intuitive Eating Pro®.
#2 Structured Online Intuitive Eating Program
The Intuitive Eating Project is a 5-week online program.
In addition, it is a self-study program to teach you Intuitive Eating in an easy step by step, supported by an online community, and dozens of videos, guides and integration exercises. And it’s lead by myself, Intuitive Eating Expert, Stephanie Dodier CNP.
#3 Intuitive Eating Program Private Counselling
Two options for you:
#1 If you want to work with a local intuitive eating certified counsellor, then, you can visit this directory to locate someone to work with you 1-on-1.
#2 You can visit this intuitive eating coaching page on my website. Not only will you be able to read more on my coaching programs but also submit your application if you would like to work with me 1-on-1.
Most importantly, my 1-on-1 coaching is inclusive of body neutrality and health at every size alongside with intuitive eating.
Body Neutrality Resources
Are you ready to get started making peace with your body? Then, there are 3 levels of resources for you.
#1 Body Neutrality Books
I would suggest starting reading books. Things No One Will Tell FAT Girls by Jess Baker is a lived-experience book combined with research. This book was a game-changer!
The second book you should read is definitely The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women by Naomi Wolf. This is a classic that redefined the relationship between beauty and female identity. Body image issue is a feminist issue! Must read for all women.
#2 Body Image Courses & Programs
I would suggest two online programs. Both of these programs are a step by step structured program to heal your body image and make peace with your body.
#1 Beauty Redefined Body Resilience Program. A 8-week program to build body resilience by helping you navigate body shame, objectification, and unreal ideals.
#2 The Body Image Accelerator, this is my baby. A 5-part online program to help you accept your body using the body neutrality framework.
#3 Body Image Private Counselling
Two options for you:
#1 Jess Baker is a Recovery Support Specialist with a long history working as a Psychosocial Behavioral Specialist. With both formal education background and lived experience I’m pleased to recommend Jess. You can find more about working with her here.
#2 Would you like to work 1-on-1 with me? You can visit this intuitive eating coaching page on my website. Not only will you be able to read more on my coaching programs but also submit your application if you would like to work with me 1-on-1.
My 1-on-1 coaching is inclusive of body neutrality and health at every size alongside with intuitive eating.
Health at Every Size Resources
Ready to relearn health and adopt a weight-neutral approach to health? I have a few options for you. Three levels of resources for you:
#1 Health at Every Size Books
The first place to get started is to read Dr. Linda Bacon’s Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight. Think of this book as the bible of the weight-neutral approach to health.
Next, I would suggest my colleague, Christie Harrison’s book Anti-Diet. Her book is very well researched and structured for you to understand why health is available to you now!
#2 Health at Every Size Course
If you are looking for a step by step structured program to teach how to support your health in a weight-neutral holistic methodology…
Going Beyond The Food Health Mastery is a 9-module curriculum. And this program will teach you how to support your body towards the best health without having to lose weight. Not only without restricting food or taking any supplements! This program is taught by myself, Stephanie Dodier CNP.
#3 Health at Every Size Private Counselling
Want to work with a Health at Every Size care provider? You can visit this directory to locate someone to work with you 1-on-1.
[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”What is Intuitive Eating? ” answer-0=”
Intuitive Eating definition is an evidence-based approach to eating that allows you to be the expert of your own body.
This self-care eating framework enables you to develop a healthy relationship with food and your body.
Teaches you to trust your ability to meet your own needs, distinguish between physical and emotional hunger, and ultimately develop body wisdom.
I hope this helps sister!
Intuitive Eating Coaching
All women that come to intuitive eating coaching have failed… failed at many diets.
I love when women’s diets do not go according to plan… I get really excited because I know they are on the brink of huge transformation.That’s when you are forced to make a choice… stay in your comfort zone repeating your old patterns to jump on the next “new” diet…OR move forward past your dieting comfort zone and towards something different.
That’s when I come in… helping you feel the fear of trying something different and still move forward with courage.
What is intuitive eating coaching?
How do you teach intuitive eating?
Can intuitive eating really work?
What is intuitive eating?
Intuitive eating is a proven and well-researched self-care eating framework that teaches us to have a healthy relationship to food, empowering you to trust your ability to meet your needs, distinguish between physical and emotional hunger and ultimately develop body wisdom.
The intuitive eating definition is a framework to recover from years of chronic dieting and diet culture. And it’s focus is on rebuilding a relationship of trust and respect towards your body while supporting your health and happiness.
Our unique approach, The Going Beyond The Food Method uses the frameworks of body neutrality alongside to intuitive eating and cognitive behavioral coaching. We integrate body image coaching along with intuitive eating specifically body neutrality has a a focus to avoid self-hate while simultaneously relieving you from the pressure of having to love your body. I shared the foundation of this approach since 2016 in my intuitive eating podcast, “The Going Beyond Food Show”
What is intuitive eating coaching?
That’s when me and my team comes in.
Over the last 8 years I have created the Going Beyond The Food Method, created and develop the curriculum of Undiet Your Life Coaching Program. Over in the last 3 years I focus my work on creating The Non-Diet Coaching Certification a program uniquely developed to train health professionals in the Going Beyond The Food Method. A number of graduates from the Non-Diet Coaching Certification are part of my coaching team at Beyond The Food along side with me as the lead Certified Non-Diet Coach.
As your partner, your Certified Non-Diet Coach a non-diet coach will support you in understanding and removing what is in the way of you becoming an intuitive eater. And what is in the way of your life without food and weight obsession Beyond The Food.
Your Non-Diet Certified Coach will challenge you to say “no” to going through the old patterns and enthusiastically say “yes” to the possibilities that are available to you with intuitive eating and body neutrality.
The journey of intuitive eating coaching
The journey begin by taking an overview of your life and dieting history and identifying areas that need action and/or attention. Then your Certified Non-Diet Coach will complete a series of assessment on your eating habits, body image and mindset.
Then you Certified Non-Diet Coach will assist you in establishing clear, concrete, measurable goals and support you in deploying a plan to achieve these goals. There is no old habits, patterns you cannot shift when coached by a professional coach. You are capable of so much more than you know or are currently creating.
At Beyond The Food we do not believe there is a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to 1-on-1 coaching. We create a unique strategy for you, individualized based on your past, specific needs and goals. Your Certified Non-Diet Coach responsibility is to guide you and supporting into solving the roadblock as they come along the path to your goals and keep your moving forward when you want to quit.
We listen with understanding and 100% confidentiality. Our relationships with my clients are intimate, honest, and rewarding. As we move closer to your goals being acheive the relationship with your coach will naturally evolve in a way that best supports you.
How do you teach intuitive eating?
Our work together is organized following my proprietary methodology The Going Beyond The Food Method™️. As an intuitive eating coaches, the outcome of our work together is a neutral relationship of trust and respect towards your body and its innate wisdom.
Our approach is unique for many reasons. We teach intuitive eating & body neutrality through the lenses of a lived experience combined with a holistic and science-based lens.
If you’d like to get a sense of my journey, as the founder of Beyond The Food Method read this article I wrote: Intuitive eating before and after: my story.
Can intuitive eating really work?
Here’s the most fascinating aspect of intuitive eating and body neutrality, it’s that you can’t fail. You can’t fail because it’s not a diet! And because I’m confident in myself and not afraid to sign my own praise… here’s why women love my coaching:
“This experience was life-changing and worth every penny!”
So first thing, know that I’m sharing my experience being an executive coach myself… and I’ve worked with dozens of global coaches personally and professionally. Coaching with Stephanie was life-changing forever and worth every penny you’ll put into it. – Anna Buber Farovich
“My work with Stephanie led me through a massive transformation!”
Stephanie is kind, inspiring and her knowledge and experiences helped me to sort out some issues I was not sure about and led me through a massive transformation both personally and in my business.- Hanka Valaskova
“Stephanie has really changed my life. I’ll never go back to the way it was…”
I’m in the Board of Directors and have a very busy lifestyle, but Stephanie’s coaching on perspective on life, lifestyle and dealing with our food issues has really changed my life. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the way it was.–Eithne Wait
You can access more videos, audio and written testimonials here.
How do I get started?
You can access all of our services on our work with us page. We have a number of programs and service levels enabling us to serve most women:
Free Resources and Masterclasses: Get started and get to know us better!
Private coaching with Stephanie and her team Stephanie and her team of Certified Non-Diet Coaches are waiting to support you in a one-to-one setting with an individualized plan.
Undiet Your Life group coaching program is for women to learn how to eat intuitively, become body neutral, and learn self-coaching at their own pace while being supported in a group setting by Stephanie and her team of Certified Non-Diet Coaches.
Non-Diet Coaching Certification for professionals ready to integrate the Going Beyond The Food Method™️ in their practice and for women wanting to become Certified Coach and build a business coaching other women beyond the food.
How can I know if I’m the right fit for intuitive eating coaching?
If you’ve been on and off diets for longer than you like to admit, think your life will start when you finally lose the weight, while you eat emotionally, binge and hate your body: This is for you!
I had the opportunity to coach Ashley Dorough from The House of Dorough in the context of her blog and she filmed part of our session. I would encourage you to listen to the part of her first session. If you’d like to see more videos visit her IGTV account.
Part 1 – Is this your story too? -Click to watch
Part 2 – Why it’s beyond
I’m really busy now how will I find the time?
Well, that’s part of the journey. Discovering what is holding us back from having the time to take care of ourselves. The truth is, there’s never going to be enough time. Diet brain keeps you stuck in your patterns and cycle because you are waiting for the right time when you can do it all perfectly.
Listen to Ashley describe her self-care story… and my coaching.
Will I lose weight during the intuitive eating coaching process?
Well, that’s part of the journey. Discovering what is holding us back from having the time to take care of ourselves. The truth is, there’s never going to be enough time. Diet brain keeps you stuck in your patterns and cycle because you are waiting for the right time when you can do it all perfectly.
Listen to Ashley describe her self-care story… and my coaching.
Will I lose weight during the intuitive eating coaching process?
First, know that it’s completely normal for you to want to lose weight. We live in a society that is filled with weight stigma and thin ideal. That’s diet culture. Intuitive eating and body neutrality goal aren’t to help you lose weight. If you are focused on weight loss, it will actually undermine the process. While some people lose weight, others don’t. Our journey together is not about weight loss.
Listen to Ashley asking me “Is it ok if I want to lose weight?” … and my coaching.
If would like to access more science-based information on this topic visit these 2 articles on my intuitive eating blog: Health beyond dieting and Intuitive eating & BMI.
I have tried so many diets will intuitive eating coaching work?
Good news, it’s not a diet. Diets have a 91-95% failure rate on 3-5 years’ timeframe so no surprise it didn’t for you either. Dieting leads to weight gain. This process is completely different from dieting because the goal is not weight loss, it’s about learning to appreciate our body and rebuild a relationship of trust and respect with ourselves and our body.
Listen to Ashley and me answering the question “If it’s not about weight loss then what is it about?”
Why can I just do one session with you?
How long did it take you to get here? 1 hr or 10, 20, 30 years? I know for me it took 25 years and hoping to undo it all in 1 hour kept me stuck. The fear of commitment is in part the way in which your Diet brain operates to keep you stuck. Committing your time, energy and resources, your own transformation is part of the learning. If this is too much for you now, consider the environment of intuitive eating group coaching where we use the same methodology but no direct interaction with me.
13 Intuitive Eating Myths You Shouldn’t Believe
These intuitive eating myths come as no surprise since intuitive eating has been named the #1 nutrition trend for the year 2020.
Since it is such a departure from dieting it’s bound to have lots of misconception, fear-mongering (Thank you, diet culture!) and yes false beliefs surrounding this practice.
These myths cause confusion and doubt. As a nutritionist and expert, I get all sorts of questions like:
“Is intuitive eating healthy?”
“Will eating intuitively make me gain weight?”
“Will intuitive eating work for me?”
In this article, I dispel the biggest 13 intuitive eating myths that I’ve come across since I started my own intuitive eating journey. And in the process of debunking these intuitive eating myths, I hope to help you better understand what eating intuitively means and what it can do for you.
Here’s a quick summary of all these intuitive eating myths:
Myth 1: Intuitive eating is unhealthy.
Myth 2: Intuitive eating will make me gain weight.
Myth 3: Intuitive eating means I’ve given up on myself.
Myth 4: Intuitive eating is simply the “eat when you are hungry and stop when you’re full” diet.
Myth 5: You can be a good intuitive eater or a bad one.
Myth 6: You can count macros and still be an intuitive eater.
Myth 7: Intuitive eating means you eat whatever you want, whenever you want.
Myth 8: Intuitive eating is for healthy-minded people. I won’t do it right and I’ll gain weight.
Myth 9: Intuitive eating doesn’t solve my “over-eating problem.”
Myth 10: Intuitive eating doesn’t lead to weight loss.
Myth 11: Intuitive eating will make you binge on food that you shouldn’t be eating.
Myth 12: Intuitive eating is impossible because of food addiction, and certain foods are addictive.
Myth 13: Intuitive eating is only for people with eating disorders.
Before we dive into these myths, let me first explain what intuitive eating means.
What is Intuitive Eating?
The best and most accurate intuitive eating definition I can give is this: “a self-care eating framework that uses your body’s internal cues of hunger, fullness, and satisfaction to guide your eating behavior.”
Note that this is an eating framework, not a diet program. Unlike diets that dull your sensitivity to your body’s eating cues, intuitive eating encourages you to listen to your body and helps you develop trust in your body’s innate wisdom. Intuitive eating is supported by 100’s of studies showing the health benefits of intuitive eating.
Now let’s look into the 13 intuitive eating myths one by one:
Myth 1: Intuitive eating is unhealthy.
This comes mainly from the fact that intuitive eating allows you all kinds of food, even the ones you may consider “unhealthy.”
Fact: Yes, when you eat intuitively, you can all the foods, because part of the intuitive eating process is to give yourself unconditional permission to eat. This means if you start intuitively, you will likely eat the food that you’re currently restraining. Perhaps that’s carbs if you’re doing keto or animal products if you’re vegan.
Now, one interesting fact to understand is that the World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
This means that health is not just all about the food you eat.
Health is also the quality and quantity of sleep you get, your mental health, emotional stability and balance, spiritual health, movement, etc.
Researchers have found that food restriction has negative physical and psychological side effects. This means food restriction affects your mental health.
For instance, studies reveal that women who go on a diet and restrict food have higher levels of cortisol in their bodies. Cortisol is a hormone that our body releases in response to stress. This hormone is linked to higher levels of inflammation, high blood pressure, change in blood lipids, and other negative factors that can adversely affect your health. Also, the restriction has been associated with depression and anxiety.
We also know that scientific studies associate weight cycling with morbid health conditions, meaning that being caught in an endless cycle of restricting and overeating leads to negative health consequences.
So is intuitive eating healthy? The answer is a big YES because it prevents all the negative side effects associated with dieting!
Not only that…Many of the intuitive eating benefits such as lower cholesterol levels, decreased stress, and improved mental health is backed by scientific evidence!
Myth 2: Intuitive eating will make me gain weight.
Another version of that myth is intuitive eating causes weight gain.
Now, before I go any further, I want to validate the desire for weight loss that you might have. These are real and consistently encouraged in the society that is laden with weight stigma. Weight stigma is also known as weight bias, weight-based discrimination, and also stereotyping based on a person’s weight.
So it makes perfect sense that you are afraid of gaining weight or that you desire to lose weight.
Fact: Intuitive eating DOES NOT cause weight loss or weight gain all the time. The truth is, none of us knows what the body will do as a result of changing the way you eat. If a dieting coach or guru predicts that you will lose 20 pounds in four weeks as a result of their new diet, that is BS.
We don’t know what’s going to happen with your body when you start becoming an intuitive eater. No one knows except your own body!
But we know that, when you start eating in accordance to your body’s natural hunger and satiety cues, this eating behavior will send information to your hypothalamus, that gland in your brain that regulates the hormone production around appetite and weight regulation.
Your hypothalamus establishes your set point, which is the weight range which your body believes to be healthy for you. Intuitive eating will take you to that weight range.
Now, that weight range may not be what you want. It may not be the “ideal” BMI for you. But your body’s innate wisdom knows it’s best for you.
(You can read my blog post about your body’s setpoint if you want to have a better understanding of the topic. Also, here’s a study that shows that Health At Every Size has more positive outcomes than dieting for weight loss.)
Intuitive eating will not either make you lose weight or gain weight. It will only support doing your body what is best for you.
Myth 3: Intuitive eating means I’ve given up on myself.
Another version of that is “Intuitive eating is lazy” or “Intuitive eating is just an excuse to eat whatever you want and not have to practice dietary control.”
Fact: If you think this myth is true, it means that your self-worth is based on how you engage with food. Likely your self-image is tied to the size of your body or looks and food is the weapon of choice to control your body appearance.
The truth is we were all born worthy. Along the way, someone came and led us to believe that we needed to earn our worth. Perhaps a few years later, dieting came into your life and then you associated a thin body with worthiness.
Then, after a few years of dieting, you associated your eating habits with how worthy you are. Thus, in your mind, eating “everything” meant you weren’t worthy.
Also, people judge those who eat intuitively as “lazy” because they associate their self-worth with dieting or eating “healthy.”
But does intuitive eating mean you’ve given up on yourself and that you’re lazy? Quite the contrary. It means that you are actually trusting yourself and that you have removed your self-worth from the way you look and the way you eat and reconnect to your innate power.
Myth 4: Intuitive eating is simply the “eat when you are hungry and stop when you’re full” diet.
Fact: This seems to be one of the most common intuitive eating myths, because the diet culture is prevalent in our society. When you have this myth in mind, that’s your diet brain speaking to you. It makes you believe that you must control what you eat in one way or another and that you are innately not smart, wise, or good enough to know what you should eat. Your diet brain makes you fall for the next diet or repeat the same diet.
The truth is, intuitive eating is not just another diet. Rather, it’s an entire eating framework. It’s a philosophy that changes your entire relationship with food. There’s more to it than just what you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat.
Intuitive eating is about the entire relationship, what comes before and after. This means changing your perception around how you should engage with food and what it means to be engaged with food. I’ve broken down how to eat intuitively in 5 easy steps.
Myth 5: You can be a good intuitive eater or a bad one.
In other words, intuitive eating works for some people and it doesn’t work for others.
Fact: We know that diets don’t work.95% failure rate within 1-5 years. As a result, you have worked really hard at a process that doesn’t and adopting on the way perfectionistic behaviors and an all-or-nothing mindset. With each diet, your brain gets rewired to see food, exercise, lifestyle, health, behavior as good or bad or “all in or all out.”
The longer you diet, the longer you maintain this all-or-nothing frame of mind. I’ve worked with women who are typically 40 plus and that have been dieting at least 10, 15, 20, 30 years. What I’ve found is that this all-or-nothing mindset has spread throughout their entire life.
That’s why Going Beyond the Food Academy is a life-changing process. The first step of the program is to learn tools to shift your mindset away from “diet brain.” Subsequently, this changes the way you interact with your whole life.
Is it possible for you to be good or bad at intuitive eating? The answer is no because intuitive eating is a process, not an end goal. It’s a way of being.
Myth 6: You can count macros and still be an intuitive eater.
As intuitive eating becomes more popular, I’ve been seeing other versions such as keto-intuitive, flexible eating with intuitive eating, vegan intuitive, intuitive cheat day, etc.
Fact: People are getting tired of dieting. Their bodies are getting run down. Their emotions are all over the place. People are looking for another way. And so, diet culture is repackaging and renaming their diet programs so they could fit into intuitive eating because that’s what people want.
However, none of those programs is intuitive eating.
Their diet culture version of intuitive eating is the same old diet programs with “intuitive eating” attached to them. They do this so you’ll feel better about their programs and get you to be more attracted to their products.
Any rule around food is not intuitive eating. When you have rules as to what you should be eating, that means you don’t trust your body. Can you count macros or be keto-intuitive or a flexible eater and still be an intuitive eater? The answer is no.
Myth 7: Intuitive eating means you eat whatever you want, whenever you want.
Another version of this myth is “You can’t eat healthy on intuitive eating. Intuitive eating means intentionally eating unhealthy food.”
Fact: In a way, this is true. But then so what? Why is it a problem to eat what we want whenever we want?
Human’s love dichotomy. Labeling good or bad food makes us feel safe… It makes us feel like we are in control which cannot be further from the truth.
When you transform your eating pattern from dieting to intuitive eating, you have to lift all the rules around food.
There’s a period of time, the honeymoon period, from the moment you begin to when you become at peace with food where you’re trying to figure out what it means for you to eat when you want and whatever you want.
I call it in my program the elastic band period, where you go from restricting to finally achieving food freedom. Imagine pulling an elastic band towards you and then releasing it. What would happen? The elastic will go completely the other way. Then, it will rebound to restriction and go the other way again.
Every time it does a loop, it’s going to have less force in it. Then with time, it’s going to stabilize and be back to normal. That’s what happens when you become an intuitive eater.
When you release the rules, your reptilian brain is like “Holy crap. You mean we can eat the carbs we’ve been restricting for years? Let’s eat it all!” That’s what happens.
But it doesn’t last long, because intuitive eating teaches you to respect your body. When you eat too much of the food that was forbidden before, you likely not feel your best. Ever tried to eat donuts at every meal for a week?
You have to satisfy your reptilian brain and to really prove to your body that there are no more rules. Then your body will stabilize itself.
Myth 8: Intuitive eating is for healthy-minded people. I won’t do it right and I’ll gain weight.
Another version of this myth is, “Intuitive eating works only for certain people. I’m different.”
Fact: Intuitive eating is not another diet or a new scientifically-created way of eating. It’s innate in all of us. We were all born intuitive eaters.
Just observe a baby. When she feels hungry, she cries. When you feed her, she stops crying. Then, she stops feeding when she’s full and falls asleep. The cycle begins anew she feels hungry again.
Intuitive eating is simply going back to the way you were born.
Now, why would you feel it’s not for you? Your diet brain is partly responsible for that. It’s saying, “You know, girl, you’ve been dieting for years. Look where you are today. You’re not doing this right. You have to have a lot of restriction and control. Otherwise, you’ll lose control. You’re not good enough to do intuitive eating.”
Is intuitive eating only for certain people? Absolutely not. It’s for everyone because we all have it within us to be an intuitive eater. But if you want to be 100% sure, take the intuitive eating quiz.
Myth 9: Intuitive eating doesn’t solve my “emotional eating problem.”
Fact: There is only one truth around that. Intuitive eating does prevent emotional eating. Now, here’s the thing. I didn’t say solved it. I said to prevent it.
If you find yourself saying that eating intuitively won’t solve your emotional eating problem, again, it’s your diet brain speaking. You have been programmed to seek an external solution to an internal problem. You internally developed the behavior of using food as a soothing or regulate your emotions. This behavior is what we commonly refer to as emotional eating.
And now, you want a quick fix, a formula to come along and tell you how to prevent that. That’s the model of dieting. It’s all external. It’s just about food.
Intuitive eating will not solve the problem of emotional eating… but you will. It’s really up to you. Through the process of intuitive eating, you will figure out why you’re using food to cope with your emotions. Here’s another scoop for you: emotional eating is normal. Emotional eating is a gift when understood properly.
Myth 10: Intuitive eating doesn’t lead to weight loss.
Another version of that is “Intuitive eating can work for weight loss.”
Fact: Intuitive eating is not a weight loss program. The purpose and the goal of intuitive eating have nothing to do with weight management.
Now, because intuitive eating is becoming more and more popular, diet culture has latched onto this trend. It sells intuitive eating as a way to lose weight.
But I’m going to tell you this: if you see intuitive eating being marketed as a weight management program, then it is NOT really intuitive eating.
“… but I need to lose weight” the root causes of the desire to lose weight is what needs to be addressed for most women.
Myth 11: Intuitive eating will make you binge on food that you shouldn’t be eating.
Another version of that is “I’ll eat intuitively, but I’ll just eat junk food.”
Fact: If that’s what your body needs, then yes, you’ll binge on food you shouldn’t eat.
It may make you uncomfortable because you might believe that your body does not know what it needs. Thus, you might be thinking that you need to rely on someone or something else to tell you what your body needs.
The part of the intuitive eating journey is coming back to a respectful relationship between you, the spirit, and your body. This means that you do support your body through healthy behavior. In response, your body supports you through life.
When you experience a desire to binge or overeat, it’s because your body is trying to tell you something. The body is trying to point out to you that you are in a state of imbalance, that is something inside you is not okay, and it needs to comfort itself through food.
So does intuitive eating lead you to binge on food you shouldn’t eat? The answer is no. But it does make you more aware of the messages that your body tries to send you.
Myth 12: Intuitive eating is impossible because of food addiction, and certain foods are addictive.
Now, among the intuitive eating myths, this is a loaded one. Before anything else, if you are currently holding the belief that there is such a thing as food addiction or sugar addiction, I would refer you to episode 153 of The Beyond The Food Show. We had a food addiction specialist actually do a complete analysis of my eating pattern and my eating history. I shared all the results publicly with everyone via the podcast and a video interview.
She came to the conclusion that the Going Beyond the Food Method was extremely effective in healing or helping people to overcome what they believe to be sugar addiction or food addiction.
Fact: The belief that food can be addictive is debatable. At this time there is no study demonstrating human addiction to food and sugar.
The only study showing demonstrating evidence of sugar addiction in a rat model and researcher came to the conclusion that sugar addiction in the rats was only present when sugar was restricted.
If you’re currently thinking you are addicted to food and or sugar, I highly recommend that you seek help immediately.
Is intuitive eating impossible because of food addiction? The straight answer is no. But if you struggle with food or sugar addiction, there’s a deeper level of work that you need to do before you can actually become an intuitive eater.
Myth 13: Intuitive eating is only for people with eating disorders.
Fact: No. In fact, it is not, because intuitive eating is the natural way that humans engage with food. We were all born with this propensity.
Now, intuitive eating is used in the treatment of eating disorders. Why? Because it’s very effective. People who suffer from eating disorders are actually not connected to the innate cues of hunger and fullness and satisfaction. They use food in a disordered way to meet their unfulfilled needs.
When your eating behavior is causing harm to you physically, emotionally, or mentally, that’s when you need to seek professional guidance and help immediately.
Intuitive eating is not only for eating disorders, although it is used to treat eating disorders. It is for ALL of us.
Bonus: Myth 14: Intuitive eating has no scientific basis.
Fact: This is by far the easiest of all intuitive eating myths to debunk. Intuitive eating is a proven and well-researched eating framework. As of today, there are well over a hundred intuitive eating research studies published, most of them peer-reviewed, that demonstrate the efficacy of intuitive eating.
To this day, there is not one scientific research that shows any kind of danger associated with this eating framework.
Intuitive eating has a scientific basis. There will be more research around it as more and more people become intuitive eaters.
Ready to Begin Your Intuitive Eating Journey?
Now that I’ve debunked all these intuitive eating myths for you, I hope you have a better understanding of what eating intuitively really is. So how do you feel about intuitive eating now? Are you ready to start becoming an intuitive eater?
Here’s what I recommend that you do: First you can access all of our services on our work with us page. We have a number of programs and service levels enabling us to serve most women:
Free Resources and Masterclasses: Get started and get to know us better!
Private coaching with Stephanie and her team Stephanie and her team of Certified Non-Diet Coaches are waiting to support you in a one-to-one setting with an individualized plan.
Undiet Your Life group coaching program is for women to learn how to eat intuitively, become body neutral, and learn self-coaching at their own pace while being supported in a group setting by Stephanie and her team of Certified Non-Diet Coaches.
Non-Diet Coaching Certification for professionals ready to integrate the Going Beyond The Food Method™️ in their practice and for women wanting to become Certified Coach and build a business coaching other women beyond the food.
Welcome!
I’m Stephanie Dodier
I am a non-diet nutritionist, educator, and feminist business leader challenging everything we’ve been taught about food, health, and coaching.
I help health professionals confidently coach food and body without co-opting diet culture.
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