“Intuitive Eating Is Just an Excuse to Eat Whatever You Want!” – Debunking the Diet Culture Spin

If you’ve ever dipped a toe into food freedom or intuitive eating, chances are someone (maybe even that little diet-culture voice in your own head) has said:

“Isn’t that just an excuse to eat whatever you want?”

Sound familiar?

This myth is one of diet culture’s favourite weapons — because it sounds logical on the surface but is actually designed to keep you stuck. So today, we’re busting it wide open. Because intuitive eating is not chaos, not “letting yourself go,” and definitely not a permission slip to eat pizza for every meal.

Let’s break it down, myth-busting style. 💜

Why This Myth Is So Damaging

Diet culture paints intuitive eating as reckless:

  • “Oh, you’ll just binge on junk all day.”

  • “That’s not health, that’s giving up.”

But here’s the real truth: this black-and-white thinking is what keeps you trapped in the binge–restrict cycle. Restriction fuels overeating. Guilt fuels shame. Shame fuels more restriction. Rinse, repeat.

Intuitive eating flips the script. It’s not about abandoning health — it’s about healing your relationship with food and body so you can eat from trust and respect, not guilt and fear.

Why Diet Culture Misrepresents Intuitive Eating

Here’s the thing: diet culture is a $72 billion dollar industry. Its survival depends on you doubting yourself.

👉 If you’re ashamed of your cravings, you’ll buy the fat burners and detox teas.
👉 If you’re chasing the “perfect body,” you’ll throw money, time, and energy at every new plan.
👉 If you believe hunger is weakness, you’ll stay distracted and depleted.

Intuitive eating is a direct threat to that business model because it teaches you:


💜 Your body’s wisdom is trustworthy.
💜 Hunger and cravings are not moral failings — they’re information.
💜 Your worth is not determined by size, weight, or discipline.

When you start listening to yourself instead of their rules, you’re out of their marketing funnel. And that terrifies them.

What “Unconditional Permission to Eat” Really Means

One of the most misunderstood principles of intuitive eating is unconditional permission to eat.

Diet culture spins this into: “So you’re saying eat cake all day, every day?”

But here’s what it actually means:
🪻 No food is off-limits.
🪻 Eating comes from curiosity, not fear.
🪻 You ask, “What feels good in my body right now?”
🪻 You check in with hunger, fullness, satisfaction.

Yes, you can have pizza. But when guilt isn’t driving the bus, you’ll notice how it feels in your body — and sometimes, your body will say, “Actually, I’d like something else.”

Permission doesn’t lead to chaos. It leads to trust.

The Magic of Tuning In

Here’s what happens when you stop restricting and start listening:
💜 Food stops feeling like it has power over you.
💜 You learn which foods energise you, and which ones don’t.
💜 You feel satisfied — not just physically, but emotionally too.

Intuitive eating isn’t about overeating or “giving up.” It’s about creating peace. It’s not impulsive, it’s intentional. It’s not chaos, it’s calm.

That’s why diet culture hates it — because a woman who trusts her body is powerful, confident, and free. And free women don’t buy skinny teas.

Your Takeaway

Bestie, intuitive eating isn’t about saying “eff it” to your health. It’s about saying yes to yourself. Yes to trust. Yes to peace. Yes to living without guilt, rules, or shame.

So the next time someone says, “Intuitive eating is just an excuse to eat whatever you want,” remember: it’s not giving up. It’s giving back — to you.

Ready to Go Deeper?

Inside my program The Break Up, I’ll walk you step-by-step through breaking free from binge eating, diet culture, and body shame. You’ll learn:

  • The foundations of intuitive eating.

  • How to stop the binge–restrict cycle for good.

  • Tools to regulate your emotions without food.

  • Practical, therapist-approved strategies for body trust.

It’s time to stop shrinking yourself and start living fully.