Intuitive eating – why you don't have to miss out on anything anymore

Eat whenever you want, and exactly what you're craving? The concept of intuitive eating makes it possible.

5 Min

Last updated on 29.12.2025

from Paulina

Contents

Eat whenever you want, and exactly what you're craving? The concept of intuitive eating makes it possible. But we have to disappoint anyone who was hoping for an excuse to indulge without restraint at any time of day or night: it's not that simple, of course.

Basics: Hunger vs. Appetite

“Either I’m hungry or I feel sick!” – Yes, many of us feel that way. But actually, that just means we’re confusing hunger with appetite . Many of us don’t even know what true hunger is anymore, and that’s a good thing. Hunger is the body’s way of signaling that it urgently needs energy and nutrients. Appetite, on the other hand, is the desire for something delicious, often something very specific. This can then lead to late-night stockpiling at the gas station.

Appetite often comes long before hunger and is frequently satisfied immediately: "I need this right now!" – But in reality, you don't need a double portion of cheese nachos, and you know that as well as we do. Eating at every whiff of hunger inevitably leads to consuming more calories overall. to oneself as necessary.

Eating constantly when you're not hungry is one problem. The other is eating portions that are too large . Do you pay attention to when you feel full while you're eating? And if so, do you put your fork down or do you finish your plate anyway? Most of us simply eat the portion we're used to and don't question it. Not finishing your food is still considered impolite, but you know what we find impolite? Forcing someone to eat something that's not good for them!

The genes are to blame.

The tendency to eat beyond our limits is also ingrained in our genes: The food abundance in which large parts of the world's population live today has only existed for a few decades. Longer periods of famine – almost unimaginable for many of us today – were once the reality. Accordingly, the body is programmed to consume as much food as possible during times of plenty in order to create a reserve for the next lean period.

Food shortages have thankfully become very rare, at least in our latitudes. Large reserves are no longer necessary, but the desire to eat more than one currently needs remains . However, this can be somewhat reduced : small portions, eating slowly, and savoring every bite. Over time, you'll clearly notice whether you're truly still hungry or simply continuing to eat because there's still food on your plate.

What does intuitive eating mean?

Intuition is like a gut feeling, a sense for something that isn't solely based on reason. In relation to food, it means neither following a strict diet plan nor gorging yourself on everything that isn't buried deep enough in the fridge. It's about understanding the body's needs and giving it – simply and without pressure – what's good for it.

The concept of intuitive eating is therefore actually part of a larger whole: back to nature, learning to listen to your own body , mindfulness, and so on. Underlying it is the view that a healthy organism knows what is best for it and what harms it. Like animals, which instinctively know which plants are edible and which are poisonous, or stop eating when they are full.

In theory, a healthy, mindful person knows instinctively when, what, and how much to eat. In practice, this doesn't always work out so well, but that's what we're here for.

Intuitive eating: Here's what you should know

Let's be blunt: Intuitive eating doesn't work for everyone – at least not immediately. Those with a sweet tooth, whose appetite far outweighs their reason, need more structure. That's why they struggle with strict meal plans. Better advice. Even severely overweight people who urgently need to lose weight for health reasons and may have long forgotten what a balanced meal and a normal portion are, are better off starting with a sophisticated nutritional concept.

The only prohibition? Prohibitions!

Intuitive eating isn't just another diet that dictates exactly what you can and can't eat. The problem is that with a diet, your thoughts revolve precisely around what's forbidden. Because you've forbidden yourself sweets or carbohydrates in the evening, you can only think about heavenly, moist brownies or dream of pizza and pasta while picking at your salad.

Eventually, it happens as it must: In a moment of weakness, you give in to your cravings and then feel guilty afterward. Or you persevere and continue to torture yourself. In both cases, stress ensues, and we don't want that anymore, because stress is unhealthy and can make you unhappy and ill. In the long run, stress also leads to weight gain because it raises insulin levels and thus inhibits fat burning . It's clear that this doesn't align with the actual goal of your diet.

In intuitive eating, prohibitions are forbidden . It's not about categorizing foods as good or bad, but about understanding what's good for you and how you can best support your body in its functions . For example: You're hardly moving today, but you still crave pasta bake for dinner. Okay – but what if you left out a third of the pasta and replaced it with your favorite vegetables? This will fill you up without providing many calories and supply you with important nutrients. This way, you get what you want and do something good for yourself at the same time.

Intuition is no excuse

Every night, stuffing yourself with a bag of chips and then claiming your body was craving it (probably an acute salt deficiency or something…) won't get you anywhere. This isn't like a school test where you try to cheat your way through it. You're doing this for yourself. You don't have to justify it to anyone, except maybe your future self, who—weak and stiff-legged—would want to shake you and scold you for not even occasionally bothering to take the stairs instead of the elevator.

If you still find yourself making fun of yourself quite often, then the famous switch hasn't flipped in your head yet. That's okay, it can still happen.

Learn to eat intuitively with these tips

For anyone who wants to learn to eat intuitively, here are our five steps to success:

Take it slow and easy.

Intuitive eating is something you can perfect over time. Ideally, you'll find your own way and live by it for the rest of your life. But in the beginning, it's about learning to recognize your body's needs and interpret its signals correctly.

Know your basics

What nutrients do I need? What is my actual energy requirement? And how many calories are in my food? And how many calories do I actually need? (By the way, you can find this out in our calorie calculator. ) (Calculate it individually). These are all questions you should at least have rough answers to if you're truly interested in intuitive eating. If you know how much goodness is packed into a piece of bell pepper, you'll automatically be much more inclined to eat it.

Be honest with yourself

Yes, there are no forbidden foods here; you can eat whatever makes you feel good, and that definitely includes a big plate of carbonara or half a bar of chocolate. But: Do you stop immediately when you're full, or do you eat everything out of habit? Do you actually need something to eat right now, or are you just thirsty and a little bored?

Make yourself realize: The food isn't going anywhere.

And even if the food looks incredibly tempting: if you don't think it would be good for you right now, don't eat it just because it's there. You'll be able to eat most of it many more times in your life, ideally when you actually need it. This doesn't apply if Grandma cooked it; that gets eaten out of respect!

Be prepared

Intuitive eating isn't always practical for everyday life: On a stressful workday, you can't always take a break exactly when hunger strikes. Cooking is usually out of the question. And finding healthy food in many cafeterias can be a challenge. Prepare for such situations: cook a little extra in the evening and take a portion to the office the next day, keep healthy snacks in a drawer, or make yourself a filling shake .

Conclusion: Intuitive eating takes courage

Most people like to be guided by their positive memories. So it should be all the easier to enjoy a moment of fullness and not overeat . Of course, that's easier said than done. – But with intuitive eating, it's possible. Anyone can learn it if they're brave enough to leave old eating habits behind. The great thing is: with intuitive thinking , anything goes . You can eat what you want, when you want; just listen to your gut. The important thing is: you're allowed to. But you're also allowed to say no. It's okay if your plate isn't empty, and it's no big deal if you don't feel hungry. Just leave your fork. You'll find something else to do to stave off boredom.

Your body tells you exactly what it needs and when. That's why neither the thought of deprivation nor the feeling of being overly full arises, and the good feeling lasts a long time. You just have to take the courageous step and listen to your body . And if you do happen to overindulge, SHEKO Shakes are your best friend. They make it incredibly easy to balance out cheat days .