Contrary to common misconceptions, IE is not synonymous with uncontrolled eating. Additionally, IE does not appear to lead to an increase in body weight or a decrease in diet quality, as it is often believed. Instead, IE is about making peace with food and the unconditional permission to enjoy foods, including those previously considered “forbidden”, while remaining in tune with the body’s physical and emotional cues in order to accurately meet one’s needs. [1]
Preliminary results from various IE intervention studies indicate that diet quality is either maintained or improved while following an IE approach.[2]
It’s important to note that although IE does not prescribe specific foods to eat or avoid, it does not deny the health benefits of consuming certain categories of food (e.g., fruits, vegetables, fish). Similarly, IE does not deny the health benefits of exercising, but there is an emphasis on helping people focus on how exercise makes them feel (e.g., better sleep, less stressed, more empowered, more energetic), instead of how it makes them look. [1]