In recent years, intuitive eating (IE) has gained significant traction as a holistic approach to nutrition, challenging traditional dieting methods. This paradigm encourages individuals to reconnect with their body's natural hunger and fullness cues, promoting a healthier relationship with food. Intuitive eating is built on ten principles (Tribole & Resch, 2020):
• reject the diet mentality;
• honor your hunger;
• make peace with food;
• challenge the food police;
• discover the satisfaction factor;
• feel your fullness;
• cope with your emotions with kindness;
• respect your body;
• movement—feel the difference; and
• honor your health with gentle nutrition.
However, IE can now be commonly used in a general context referring to one’s ability to listen and understand one's body cues around hunger and satiety (Radvillas, 2023).
Benefits of Intuitive Eating in Athletics
Given that athletes are at a higher risk of disordered eating and eating disorders compared to the general population, it’s understandable that there is increasing advocacy for intuitive eating among athletes (Wells et al., 2020). Sports dietitians who deeply understand IE and incorporate this philosophy into their work are becoming invaluable resources within the athletic community.
While IE is an evidence-based approach used with disordered eating, there is limited research on using IE with athletes currently (Dye, 2024).
One key advantage is that IE serves as a valuable tool not only in sports but throughout an athlete’s life. It encourages a shift in mindset about food and body image, challenging the narrow standards often emphasized in athletics. Just look at the diverse body types of athletes at the Olympic and Paralympic Games—there is no single “athlete body.” Breaking free from this stigma is incredibly empowering.
Additionally, adopting an IE philosophy helps athletes understand that foods are not inherently “good” or “bad,” challenging the restrictive beliefs instilled by diet culture (Dye, 2024). This shift is crucial for sports nutrition, where not all interventions prioritize nutrient density or health. Sometimes, the focus needs to be on consuming enough calories in the most efficient way possible—think sugary foods versus high-fiber, whole-grain options.
An advantage for RDs and physicians who adopt an IE philosophy is the ability to counsel athletes on important topics like low energy availability (LEA) and relative energy deficiency syndrome (REDS) and focus on weight-neutral fueling strategies tailored to sport-specific interventions and recovery (Dye, 2024).
Is Intuitive Eating Applicable to Athletes?
The balance between listening to one’s body signals and fueling for performance can be particularly challenging for athletes. Unlike the general population, athletes have unique nutritional needs that often require targeted interventions to enhance performance, which may sometimes conflict with their natural hunger and fullness cues. For example, an athlete in a weight-class sport may need to adjust their caloric intake—eating more or less than their maintenance level—to meet specific performance goals. Similarly, ultra-endurance runners may require an extensive amount of calories, making nutrition feel like a full-time job. Additionally, physiological responses to exercise, such as appetite suppression, can delay hunger cues, leading athletes to overlook the need for post-workout meals. What feels intuitive may not always align with optimal performance. So, where is the balance?
Ultimately, athletes need to maintain semi-structured and regular eating patterns (Radvillas, 2023). Emphasizing meal timing around exercise and consuming optimal amounts of each macronutrient throughout the day is crucial. Having a structured routine—such as regular meal times and targeted calorie goals—can enhance intuitive eating, allowing athletes to better recognize when they feel hungrier than usual. They can also identify triggers for hunger, such as boredom or a challenging training session the day before (Radvillas, 2023). Without sufficient portions and regular meal timing, it becomes much more difficult to notice hunger cues and explore their underlying causes.
My General Advice
-Definitely consume 3-4 regular meals
-Try to fit 2-3 snacks
-Prioritize pre- and post-workout fueling
-Consider sport-nutrition products/supplements
-Use IE to fill in the gaps between day-to-day and/or season-to-season
-Work with an RD to receive nutrition counseling on things like dieting history, body manipulations, fear of certain foods, restrictive behaviors, etc.
Personally, my RD helps me map out when I can be more of an intuitive eater vs. a performance eater throughout the competition season. This has allows me to find a balance between IE and competing in a weight-class sport.
Reference:
Dye, A. (2024). Focus on fitness: Intuitive eating principles for athletes. Todaysdietitian.com. https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0424p34.shtml
Radvillas, H. (2023). 9 things to know about intuitive eating for young athletes. TrueSport. https://truesport.org/nutrition/intuitive-eating-young-athletes/
Tribole, E., & Resch, E. (2020). Intuitive Eating: An Anti-Diet Revolutionary Approach.
Wells, K. R., Jeacocke, N. A., Appaneal, R., Smith, H. D., Vlahovich, N., Burke, L. M., &
Hughes, D. (2020). The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC) position statement on disordered eating in high performance sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(21), 1247–1258. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-101813
About the Author
Jourdan Delacruz is a 2X Olympian and represented Team USA in the sport of Weightlifting for both the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. Jourdan holds a bachelor's in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Northern Colorado. She is pursuing her master's degree in sports nutrition with hopes of becoming a sport-registered dietitian. Jourdan is the founder of Herathlete, a brand committed to supporting female athletes through education and community.
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