Finding Peace with Food: An Intuitive Eating Approach

Intuitive eating

Are you frustrated with the never-ending cycle of dieting, weight loss, and weight gain?  Research shows that dieting is unsustainable: if you lose weight on a diet, you have a high probability of gaining it back, and sometimes more, within 5 years. Furthermore, weight cycling can put you at an even greater risk for health problems than staying at a consistent weight, even if you are overweight.

While it is difficult to get off the dieting bandwagon, especially in a culture obsessed with thinness and diets, it is possible! This 10-week, online, module-based program uses the fundamental teachings of Intuitive Eating developed by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. This evidence-based approach is backed by over 100 research studies and guides participants in relearning instincts buried by years of dieting; the goal is to regain trust and the connection to your body by increasing body attunement and removing barriers to attunement. Our Intuitive Eating program has been developed to give you tools to improve your overall health through an approach that is not weight-focused, but health focused.

10 Online Modules

  1. Ditch the Diet Mentality: This module explores why traditional dieting often backfires and leads to weight gain. We’ll discuss the negative impact of dieting on both your body and mind, and hear from a certified Intuitive Eating counselor about healthier alternatives to restrictive eating plans.
  2. Honor Your Hunger: Everyone experiences hunger differently. In this module, we’ll help you tune into your unique hunger cues and learn how to listen to your body’s needs, so you can eat in a way that feels right for you.
  3. Food and Mood: Sometimes, we use food to cope with emotions without even realizing it. This module will help you identify if you’re eating in response to feelings and explore any food rules or restrictions that might be leading to overeating.
  4. Challenge the Food Police: We all have internal “food rules” that can create a negative relationship with food. This week, we’ll examine where these rules come from, how they affect you, and how to start letting go of them to improve your connection with food and your body.
  5. Make Peace with Food: At the heart of Intuitive Eating is the idea that you should give yourself unconditional permission to eat. This module focuses on embracing this philosophy to help you enjoy food without guilt or restriction.
  6. The Satisfaction Factor: Dieting often takes the joy out of eating. This module is about rediscovering the pleasure of food. We’ll work on enjoying what you eat and finding satisfaction in every bite without any judgment or guilt.
  7. Fitness for Every Body: Exercise should be about feeling good, not punishing yourself. This module emphasizes finding physical activities that you enjoy and that make you feel positive, rather than focusing on burning calories.
  8. Respect Your Body: In this module, we’ll focus on treating your body with kindness and respect. Learn how to meet your body’s needs and appreciate it for all it does, fostering a sense of gratitude and self-acceptance.
  9. Mind Over Media: Our society often judges people based on unrealistic standards. This module will help you challenge those media messages and learn to appreciate your own body and others, focusing on respect rather than appearance.
  10. Gentle Nutrition: The goal here is to develop a balanced and caring approach to nutrition. We’ll practice gentle nutrition by nurturing a healthy relationship with food, so you can nourish your body in a way that feels loving and supportive.

Session Details

Spring 2025: Modules 6 - 10

Kickoff Location: Magers Health and Wellness Conference Room - Room 100

When: Monday, February 3 (Dinner Provided)

Time: 5:15 - 6:15pm

Book - Intuitive Eating, 4th edition - a revolutionary anti-diet approach (Provided)

Presenters -  Samantha Selsor and Renae Harrison (Dietetic Graduate Students), Jaime Gnau MS, RDN, LD, CHES

Summary - This is an online, module-based program in which participants engage in discussions, complete activities, watch videos, and read articles on principles of Intuitive Eating developed by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. Modules 1-5 will be covered in the Fall semester and Modules 6-10 will be covered in the Spring semester. This program will start with a kickoff dinner in person with the option to attend via Zoom, if needed.  The program expectation is that you will complete one online module per week.  Voluntary meetings will be available and participation will give you one ticket per lunch towards Gift Card drawing.  After completion of each module, you will receive one ticket into a drawing for multiple $25 Gift Cards.

Registration

Please register using My Learning Connection:

  • Login at My Missouri State.
  • Go to the “Learning and Development” card.
  • Choose “My Learning Connection”.
  • Once there, type Finding Peace with Food into the search box at the upper right of the screen.
  • Follow the prompts to checkout and complete payment process

Questions

Please contact us by emailing EmployeeWellness@MissouriState.edu.