77: What Intuitive Eating Actually Means + Why Social Media Gets It Wrong
What Intuitive Eating Actually Means (Because Instagram Lied to You)
Think intuitive eating means eating whatever you want? Think again. Tara breaks down what intuitive eating really is, how to tell hunger from cravings, and why your body might be lying to you.
If you've spent any time on wellness Instagram or TikTok, you've probably seen intuitive eating portrayed as this magical solution where you just eat whatever sounds good and your body somehow figures it all out. Pizza at midnight? Your body knows what it needs! Ice cream for breakfast? Trust your intuition!
Yeah... not quite.
In this episode of Broads, Tara's setting the record straight on what intuitive eating actually means, because spoiler alert: it's not just eating whatever you want whenever you want. It's way more nuanced than that, and honestly, way more useful once you understand it properly.
The Social Media Version vs. Reality
Here's the thing that drives Tara crazy about how intuitive eating gets presented online: it's often framed as this completely structure-free approach where you just follow your cravings and everything magically works out. But let's be real, sometimes your cravings are straight-up lying to you.
Stress makes you crave comfort food. Hormones mess with your appetite. Boredom sends you to the kitchen when you're not even hungry. If you're just blindly following every craving, you might end up feeling like garbage, not energized and satisfied.
True intuitive eating isn't about ignoring nutrition science or pretending your body is some all-knowing oracle. It's about understanding what your body actually needs and making choices that support your energy, strength, and overall well-being, both now and long-term.
What Intuitive Eating Really Means
So what is intuitive eating if it's not just "eat whatever sounds good"? According to Tara, it's about developing a genuine understanding of your body's signals and nutritional needs, then making informed decisions without obsessing over every calorie or macro.
The real skill here is learning to distinguish between actual hunger and other signals your body sends. Are you hungry, or are you:
Stressed and looking for comfort?
Bored and seeking stimulation?
Dehydrated (because thirst can masquerade as hunger)?
Tired and your body's begging for energy?
Hormonal, with your menstrual cycle affecting your appetite?
This is where intuitive eating gets real. It's not about denying yourself food when you're genuinely hungry, but it's also not about mindlessly eating every time your brain says "hey, food sounds nice right now."
The One Thing Tara Always Tracks (And Why)
Here's where it gets interesting: Tara doesn't count calories or track macros obsessively, but she does pay close attention to one key factor in her diet - protein.
Why protein? Because if you're strength training or trying to build muscle (which, let's be honest, most Broads listeners are), protein is non-negotiable. Your muscles literally need it to repair and grow. You can eat "intuitively" all day long, but if you're chronically under-eating protein, your body composition goals are going to suffer.
This is the balance that social media often misses: intuitive eating doesn't mean ignoring nutrition. It means understanding what your body needs and making sure you're hitting those targets without white-knuckling your way through a restrictive diet.
How to Tell the Difference Between Hunger and Cravings
This is probably the most practical skill you can develop when it comes to intuitive eating. Tara breaks down the difference, and it's a game-changer.
Real hunger builds gradually. It's physical, your stomach growls, you feel low energy, maybe you get a little lightheaded. It's satisfied by most foods, not just specific items.
Cravings, on the other hand, come on suddenly. They're mental. They're for specific foods (usually something sweet, salty, or comforting). And here's the kicker: eating what you're craving often doesn't actually make the craving go away, you just end up wanting more.
Learning to pause and ask yourself "am I actually hungry, or is something else going on?" is the foundation of eating intuitively in a way that actually serves you.
Your Menstrual Cycle Is Messing With Your Appetite (And That's Normal)
Tara dives into something that doesn't get talked about enough: how your menstrual cycle affects your appetite and cravings.
Your body's nutritional needs literally change throughout your cycle. During the luteal phase (the week or two before your period), your metabolism increases slightly and you might genuinely need more food. Those pre-period cravings aren't just "weakness", there's actual physiology behind them.
Understanding this helps you practice intuitive eating in a smarter way. Instead of fighting your body's natural rhythms or feeling guilty about needing more food at certain times of the month, you can work with your cycle instead of against it.
Intuitive Eating When You're Strength Training
If you're lifting weights and trying to build muscle, intuitive eating requires an extra layer of awareness. Why? Because your body can't build muscle out of thin air, it needs adequate protein and calories.
The risk with purely intuitive eating when you're training hard is that you might under-eat without realizing it. Your appetite doesn't always match your nutritional needs, especially if you're in a calorie deficit or if you've spent years dieting and your hunger signals are a bit wonky.
This is where that protein tracking comes in. You can eat intuitively for the most part, but having some awareness of whether you're hitting your protein targets helps ensure you're actually fueling your performance and recovery.
Finding Your Balance Between Structure and Freedom
The sweet spot isn't between "clean eating" and "total chaos", it's between structure and flexibility. It's knowing enough about nutrition to make informed choices, while also being relaxed enough to enjoy food without guilt or obsession.
Intuitive eating isn't a free-for-all, but it's also not a prison. It's about making choices that make you feel good now and support your long-term goals. It's about understanding when your body genuinely needs something versus when you're eating for emotional reasons. And it's about giving yourself permission to have that cookie without spiraling into either restriction or a binge.
What's your biggest challenge with intuitive eating? Is it distinguishing hunger from cravings, eating enough protein, or something else? Share your thoughts with the Broads community on Instagram @broads.app.
