A nutrition trend known as “intuitive eating” aims to sidestep the strictness of traditional diets.
Intuitive eating is not a diet plan. It is “an approach to eating based on one’s internal needs,” according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Food choices vary based on a person’s physical or emotional needs, regardless of the type of food, number of calories, or time of day.
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According to Harvard, intuitive eating is used as a weight loss strategy and as a treatment for eating disorders.
Megan Roup, a Los Angeles-based celebrity fitness trainer and founder of the fitness app The Sculpt Society, spoke with Fox News Digital about how she embraced intuitive eating.
Intuitive eating focuses on satisfying hunger rather than eating diet foods that leave people feeling “empty.” (iStock)
Although Roup is not a nutritionist, her approach to sustainable physical training has permeated her entire lifestyle, including at home with her two children.
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“I listen to my body and eat intuitively,” she said. “That means I don’t restrict food … I really listen to my hunger cues — I eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full.”
Roup says she chooses foods that make her feel “good or energetic.”
Megan Roup (pictured), a renowned Los Angeles fitness trainer and founder of The Sculpt Society, told Fox News Digital how she embraced intuitive eating. (Megan Roup)
Roup admitted that in her early 20s she fell prey to “every diet fad,” instead of nourishing her body and listening to what it needed.
Sticking to strict guidelines around nutrition can make it “harder for us to listen to what our bodies really need and want,” she says.
Because Roup is an intuitive eater herself, she doesn’t impose any restrictions on her children.
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As a busy mom, she loves “quick and easy recipes,” like overnight oats for breakfast, featuring organic ingredients like almond milk, nuts and berries.
Roup also shared a smoothie recipe that her kids love. It includes almond milk, strawberries, blueberries, half a banana, a scoop of almond butter, chia seeds, and spinach.
As a busy mom, Roup (not pictured) loves “quick, easy recipes” and often involves her kids in food preparation. (iStock)
Her kids are also involved in the cooking process: Roup noted that her 3-year-old son enjoys throwing the ingredients into the smoothie blender.
“It’s good for her to see what we put in the smoothie… we strive to eat whole foods that make us feel good,” she said.
Combining fitness and nutrition
As with food, Roup advises against following strict rules and abandoning the “all-or-nothing mentality” when it comes to fitness.
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In her own training practice, Roup encourages her clients to let go of the idea that they have to train for hours every day.
The fitness expert recited one of her favorite mantras: “Promise less, so you can deliver more.”
The Sculpt Society is an online fitness platform that “combines low-impact full-body sculpting with really easy-to-follow dance cardio,” says Roup, pictured here. (Megan Roup)
“I would prefer that my clients come every day for 10 minutes and continue to do so throughout the week,” Roup said.
“Make it a habit so that you can stick with it every day. And I think that goes for food too.”
There is no rule book, she noted, and fitness and nutrition are not one-size-fits-all.
A nutritionist’s perspective
Dietitian and nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein shared her thoughts on the intuitive eating style in an interview with Fox News Digital.
She says she understands the appeal of the concept, especially for people who have been on strict diets in the past. But Muhlstein, of Los Angeles, says intuitive eating “can be impractical and unrealistic for most people, especially children.”
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“Proponents of intuitive eating say that if you want cookies, eat cookies; if you want fries, eat fries; and if dessert for dinner sounds appealing, go for it,” she said.
According to a nutritionist, it is “dangerous to eat too many processed foods”. (iStock)
“In a society flooded with highly palatable and addictive ultra-processed foods, giving in to every craving can have unhealthy consequences,” she warned.
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According to Muhlstein, the more processed foods you eat, the more you’ll crave them.
“Without practical guidelines, such as encouraging people to fill half their plate with vegetables or to prioritise foods high in protein and fibre, many will fall into the trap of overeating ultra-processed foods,” she said.
Setting an example
According to Roup, intuitive eating can help children develop a healthy relationship with food.
“It starts with modeling that behavior for them,” she said. “If you talk bad about yourself, talk about good and bad foods, put a lot of emphasis on certain foods … they pick up on that.”
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Parents should set a good example by staying active and putting their health first, Roup advises, and they should also adopt a “happy habit” of preparing and eating food that makes them feel good.
Intuitive eating is about “letting go of the rules and giving back autonomy to myself and my body, because everyone is different,” Roup says. (Megan Roup; iStock)
However, Muhlstein warned that allowing children to eat “whatever they want” could be just as dangerous as letting them “watch whatever they want” or “go to bed whenever they want.”
As a mother of three, the nutritionist stressed the importance of feeding children nutritious food.
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“With childhood obesity and diabetes at all-time highs, it is more important than ever to teach kids to love and enjoy healthy, nutritious foods,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Food really does taste better when you’re hungry, so it’s important for kids to eat enough fruit, vegetables, and protein.”
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Research shows that children who eat more fruits and vegetables and less sugar perform better in school and experience better mental health and well-being, Muhlstein said.
Roup encourages her clients to talk to a nutritionist if they need more guidance with intuitive eating. (iStock)
“Nutrition is an important aspect of parenting,” she added.
“Providing positive guidance and encouraging healthy choices from a place of love is essential to ensure the next generation does not suffer even more.”