Intuitive Eating versus Cognitive Restriction

Cognitive Restriction is an intention to mentally control eating behaviour in order to lose weight or not to put on weight.

You restrict yourself or follow food rules, if for example…

  • You are hungry but don’t eat because it’s bedtime
  • You are not hungry but you eat because it’s breakfast
  • You want to eat a sausage roll but you eat a salad
  • You would love a second serving but you stop eating
  • You don’t allow yourself to enjoy a chocolate bar
  • You control yourself 
  • You don’t listen to your internal cues 
  • You fear to put on weight, etc…

Intuitive Eating or normal eating behaviour is the ability to respond to our physiological, nutritional and emotional regulation systems. The hunger/satiety system maintains a set point or settling point throughout our lifetime with few variations in accordance to our lifestyle.

You eat intuitively, if…

  • You eat when you are hungry
  • You eat what you want
  • You eat what you like
  • Your appetite for a specific food is gone (at meal time) but still want to eat another type of food
  • You eat in satisfying your personal beliefs, like religious, ethical, ecological reasons…
  • You eat for emotional reasons to comfort yourself which is completely normal if not repetitive or exclusive 
  • You make responsible choices
  • You stop eating when you are satisfied and content 

Intuitive Eating is the ability to eat naturally and with pleasure!

Check out these two YouTube links…

1st When eating is combined with pleasure

2nd When satiety starts… 

If you would like to share any videos of your little ones enjoying food… please do!