Intuitive eating is a sort of anti-diet that is based on the idea that we should eat when we are physically hungry rather than on the schedule of a prescribed diet. In addition, eating should be a judgment-free, guilt-free experience. The program was built on the principle that temporary diets don’t work and that lifestyle changes are critical for overall health and well-being.

The term intuitive eating was coined in 1995 and was the title of a book by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. However, the idea has been around since the 1970s where it was used by authors and practitioners such as Susie Orbach, Geneen Roth, and Thelma Wayler.

Intuitive eating makes each person the expert of their own body and its hunger signals. Unlike a typical diet, intuitive eating does not impose guidelines about what to avoid and what or when to eat. Rather, it allows a person to make those choices. The biggest barrier to intuitive eating, however, is that most people have forgotten how to listen to their bodies as it concerns what to eat when to eat, and how much to eat. Basically, eat when you are actually hungry and stop when you are full.

The first step is to learn to trust yourself and understand your personal eating patterns. Are you eating when you are hungry, or are you eating because you are bored or emotional? True hunger is the body’s signal that we need to replenish nutrients. We should take in what we need; no more and no less. Emotional hunger is a form of self-medication and is driven by feelings of sadness, stress, boredom, and others.

Katie Hake, a registered dietician and writer for the American College of Sports Medicine recommends six tips to practice intuitive eating around the holidays.

Avoid the diet mentality: Practice eating regular meals and avoid skipping meals or over-exercising so that you don’t feel deprived.

Say No: It’s ok to politely refuse an extra helping or a dessert that you don’t really want. Eat what you need, not what someone else thinks you need.

Choose satisfying foods: If you choose healthy foods you actually like, you will be less likely to binge on less healthy foods or be tempted to stray later. Pick foods that appeal to your colorful senses, smell good, have an appealing texture, and are tasty. Also, don’t be afraid to try new things.

Eat mindfully: When eating, practice using all of your senses. Not only will it slow you down, but it will allow you to eat smaller portions and give you a feeling of being full. In addition, eating mindfully will also help improve the amount of pleasure you get when you eat.

Stay active: Set activity goals and work on increasing the amount of time you spend being physically active. This should be a gradual process where you increase the length and difficulty of an activity or activities over time.

Be kind: Be kind to yourself and others. Overall health includes multiple aspects such as mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, among others. Don’t feel shame when eating, as there are very few bad foods. For example, eating cheesecake is not bad, nor does it make you bad. It is simply a matter of how much and how often you should eat specific foods. So, having a small slice of cheesecake on occasion is ok for most people. Conversely, having fresh non-starchy vegetables is usually ok to eat more often and in greater quantities, as most are low in calories and high in nutrients.