Why “Just Eat What You Want” Doesn’t Always Work: The Difference Between Intuitive and Intentional Eating
There’s a moment I come back to often.
I was years into healing my gut, hormone imbalances, and autoimmunity– after more than a decade-long battle with eating disorders– when someone suggested “you should just eat intuitively.” I remember feeling like I was about to burst. Like, if it were that simple, don’t you think I would’ve done it already?
If I did that, I’d be living off bags of white cheddar popcorn and vanilla lattes, then waking up bloated, breaking out, and wondering why I felt anxious and exhausted by 3PM.
That moment crystallized something I’ve since seen over and over again in my clients: when your body is dysregulated, your cravings don’t always point you toward health– they point you toward safety.
Familiarity. Dopamine.
And that’s not intuition. That’s survival mode.
Why This Distinction Matters
The wellness world often sells intuitive eating as the solution: eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full, all food fits– and everything will fall into place.
But this model assumes your hunger and fullness cues are accurate– and that your body is regulated enough to actually self-direct.
But if you’re constantly chasing ultra processed foods, skipping meals, or bingeing at night, chances are your metabolism, nervous system, blood sugar, toxin burden, or gut dysbiosis are driving the show– not true hunger.
"All food is good food" sounds empowering until you’re bloated, foggy, anxious, and wondering why your period went MIA. Let’s be honest: some foods are nutrient-dense and metabolically supportive. Some create inflammation, hormone chaos, and gut dysbiosis. And pretending otherwise isn’t body-positive– it’s biologically dismissive.
Enter: Intentional Eating
Intentional eating is the practice of making choices that support your biology, even when your cravings tell you something else. It’s not about rigid rules, it’s about rebuilding safety.
This might mean:
• Eating a protein-rich breakfast before caffeine
• Building meals with protein, fat, and fiber to regulate blood sugar
• Eating proactively (not reactively) to avoid crashes or binges
• Noticing what actually digests well vs. what triggers symptoms
• Prepping food when you have energy so your future self doesn’t spiral
Why Intuition Gets Distorted
When the body is dysregulated, so is your “intuition.”
Let’s break it down:
• Blood sugar instability makes you crave sugar, caffeine, and fast carbs.
• High cortisol suppresses true hunger, then rebounds at night with ravenous cravings.
• Low progesterone (thanks to stress or under-eating) can drive mood swings, insomnia, and PMS cravings.
• Gut dysbiosis can increase cravings for processed foods that feed yeast and harmful bacteria.
• A nervous system stuck in fight-or-flight slows digestion, throws off hunger cues, and wires you to seek quick energy hits.
So if your body is stuck in a reactive pattern, those cravings may be coping mechanisms, not wisdom.
My Lived Experience
As someone who spent 15+ years bouncing between restriction, “clean eating,” and rebound binging (and then developed chronic GI issues and autoimmune complications), I’ve lived on both ends of the spectrum.
For years, I thought I was broken. I wasn’t.
I was just disregulated.
And no one had taught me how to actually rebuild trust with my body, physically and emotionally.
It wasn’t until I began eating with intention (with support and guidance from knowledgeable practitioners)– focusing on gut-healing foods, consistent meals, blood sugar balance, and emotional regulation– that things started to shift.
Only then could I even begin to listen to what my body wanted… because it wasn’t screaming anymore.
The Goal Isn’t Perfection—It’s Clarity
The goal isn’t to eat like a robot forever. It’s to build enough stability that your intuition becomes real.
That means:
• Craving grounding meals, not just fast comfort
• Recognizing when hunger is biological vs. emotional
• Trusting your body to tell you when it’s full
• Enjoying food without fear, but also without symptoms
When your body feels safe, your cravings shift. You begin to notice: That food felt nourishing. That didn’t sit well. I need something more stabilizing right now.
That’s real intuition. It’s quiet, clear, and grounded– not impulsive or desperate.
There’s nuance here that gets lost in the black-and-white narratives. Especially for people healing from disordered eating, gut issues, hormone imbalances, or chronic illness.
Intentional eating isn’t anti-intuition, it’s the PATH BACK to it.
It’s how we teach the body to trust us again, so eventually, we can trust it too.
By: Ale Lubezki | Holistic Health Coach