Dieting often causes an increased desire for so-called forbidden foods. Food habituation, when used properly, will cause you to eat normally, without the cravings and overeating. Because of this effect, there are no such thing as “good” or “bad” food.

Food habituation happens when a repeated exposure to food, results in a decreased eating response to the specific food. In other words, when you eat the same food over several days, it unconsciously becomes less appealing. This learning process in the body is natural, as the constant repetition of the food, will make it less attractive. The reason as to why this occur is, that food often stimulate an exciting and novelty feeling inside us. Whenever we eat something, we release satisfaction- and happy-hormones associated with it. However, when we eat the same food repeatedly over time, the effect on satisfaction simply wears off. Therefore, by allowing yourself to eat the food your body desire without guilt, you can eat whatever you want. Additionally, you will eventually wear off the cravings of these certain foods and ease further into more nourishing meals. All thanks to the food habituation effect.

A further explanation

Habituation in general, is a form of learning where you get a behavioural and physiologic response to something that is repeated over a longer period of time. Research has shown that this effect, can help men and women to stop overeating and gaining weight, whenever they eat something they consider to be bad.

Chances are, you have probably experienced it before; Have you ever eaten your favourite meal several days in a row, week after week, and then eventually you stop wanting it? Maybe it’s even gotten to a point were you’re starting to hate it? This is the food habituation effect.

The science behind it

There are several studies conducted when if comes to habituation. The same science article mentioned above examined how randomly assigned women responded to getting served a macaroni and cheese meal everyday versus once a week for 5 weeks. The women presented the meal every day resulted in a faster habituation and less food energy intake than the other group. This was regardless of size. On the contrary, the group that only got the meal once every week for 5 weeks, did not experience the same results. Based on these results, we might find some truth in that the constant presentation of a certain food can result in a faster rate of habituation to that particular food. Furthermore, we might even be able to experience a lower food energy intake in general.

Another study conducted research on the same topic with different randomised groups of women. One group got access to only one food and the other got access to a variety of foods. In conclusion, all participants showed a reduction in hunger levels. Additionally the group with the same food presented, showed a greater reduction in the response for the food and the liking of it.

These articles shows us that food habituation is real. We are all most likely to decrease the constant cravings of certain foods and maintain a stable hunger level, if we give ourselves unconditionally permission to eat. Once we give ourself permission without a side of judgement, and eat it often, the food becomes less novel and “special”. Therefore, by implementing a principle of “eating whatever you want without restriction”, you might be able to rid yourself from the constant binge eating, overeating and guilt. As a result, you’ll want the “forbidden food” less, and might even start nourishing your body even more.

Intuitive eating and the habituation effect

The food habituation effect is something that is considered a side effect in the lifestyle of intuitive eaters. This is because when people implement the principles of intuitive eating, they experience the habituation effect on a high scale. Intuitive eating is not a diet, but rather a set of principles to guide you into a lifestyle, to help avoid dieting, guilt and overeating. A few of the principles include; Not restricting yourself from any type food, stop labelling food as neither good or bad, and allowing yourself to deserve happiness regardless of what and when you eat.

Therefore, by implementing these principles you are additionally allowing yourself to increase the rate of habituation faster. Typically, when we see people who diet, this effect becomes slower because they don’t allow themselves the food. Dieters will diet for a short period of time, and once they are happy with their result, they go back to previous habits and binge eat on the “forbidden food” because now they are “allowed to”. Eventually, they regain a few pounds, and have to start dieting all over again. Hence, the habituation effect never gets to work its magic.

Why diets don’t work

As mentioned above, a vast majority of people that diet end up regaining their weight within the next couple of years. Additionally, they might end up gaining even more and further disrupt the natural functions of the body. Furthermore, the worst part is that dieting and regaining weight will only make people’s relationship with food worse. A lot of people, without knowing it, end up developing eating disorders or other unhealthy behavioural reactions and feelings such as long-term stress, anxiety and depression.

In the short-term, all diets do work, but eventually when you loose weight, your metabolism start to adjust and you will stop loosing additional weight. Additionally, you might experience an extra desire for the “forbidden foods”. Whenever you keep cutting calories or restrict yourself with food, your body will continue to fight back against you. Your body will never obey no matter how disciplined or hardwired you are. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are factors like habits and motivation. They will keep you going for a while, however, some will eventually wear off if its not aligned with your true values and beliefs. Typically most people end up back on the dieting course, and only make the fall longer and more dangerous.

Furthermore, whenever dieters do “break the rules” and eat something they consider as unhealthy or bad food, they feel an enormous amount of guilt. This food guilt only makes the matter even worse. One of the main reasons as to why people can’t stop eating or continuously regain the weight again, is because of this particular guilt. Dieters will eat one cupcake, believe that they’ve blown it all, feel “fatter” and eat even more. This vicious cycle is tremendously hard to break out of.

Why food habituation and intuitive eating work

Habituation happens with everything in life. We’ve all experienced it with love, a new toy, cars, travels, clothes, etc. We get accustomed to the novelty and good feelings of it, and in result, it gets less exciting and appealing. The same goes with food; – It becomes just food.

Once you give yourself unconditionally permission to eat what you desire, your body slowly changes. What you initially thought you wanted, like cake, chocolate or chips, becomes more “regular foods” and are not as exciting anymore. Your food habituation rate has kicked in. This fact is really something you have to experience for yourself before you believe it. When you experience this normal response your body has, you will eventually feel that your body wants more variety and more nourishing meals. Food becomes fuel, rather than something to obsess about or feel like you have to deserve. Instead of labelling food neither good or bad, the food habituation effect will help guide you into eating what your body really needs to survive. Additionally, you’ll be able to eat food with joy, rather than by force because you’ve craved it so much. Making peace with food is essential in intuitive eating.

As with all change, this process takes time. Be patient and let your body do the work. Once you accept that it is normal to eat normal, everything and anything, you start to heal. The healing of your relationship with food is crucial. How it’s done? Follow me to the point down below.

How to increase the rate of food habituation using intuitive eating

There might be a desire in all people to eventually be able to eat whatever we want without any concerns. The good news is, we actually can. By implementing the principles of intuitive eating, we can increase the rate of food habituation on the “forbidden” foods people have, and additionally show ourselves unconditional love.

1. Get rid of food rules and the diet mentality

We all have those special rules in our heads telling ourselves whether something is okay or not to eat. We even have our own rules of when it’s okay to eat. Maybe the society told us. These rules, varies from each person, however, some of them might be:

• I can’t eat chocolate, chips and candy other days than on weekends.
• I’m hungry, but I ate breakfast an hour ago, so I can’t eat again before lunch.
• I want ice cream for dinner today, but since I need to loose weight, I can’t have it.
• I ate cookies for lunch, now I have to go workout to “burn it off”.
• I’ve eaten too much today, so I don’t deserve too much food tomorrow.
• Since I’ve had a whole weekend of overeating, I need to start my Monday off with a smoothie and exercising.

This specific diet mentality is the sole reason as to why you feel guilty eating something you “shouldn’t”. There’s nothing wrong with having goals for yourself, however, by restricting and making yourself even more guilty, will only make your goals further away.

We all know that some foods might be healthier for our bodies in the long run, but we need to understand that food has no moral. Therefore, we cannot label food good or bad. By accepting that all food fits in order for you to be both healthy and happy, you will start to allow yourself all the food your body desires in a healing matter. This healing will most definitely help increase the rate of food habituation as well as heal your relationship with food. Once you’ve healed, you’ll start making natural food choices that you intuitively know will make you thrive, physically and mentally.

2. Reframe your inner thoughts

Blaming yourself for eating something will never be helpful. The guilt we experience will make us eat more, which in turn will make us feel “more fat” and even undeserving of happiness and health. This will further result in even more deprivation and restriction. This restriction and labelling yourself as a bad person for eating chocolate, will ultimately end up like this:

This vicious circle will only continue unless you get out of it. Therefore, besides getting rid of food rules, you need to be your own food police. You need to protect yourself from diet mentality thoughts.

Whenever you think about food in a way that label it bad, blaming yourself for being hungry or feeling guilty because you had a second serving of food; – Just stop. Take a moment to stop and observe the thoughts. Simply acknowledge them, and then simply let them go. This is easier said than done. However, here are some examples of reframing thoughts:

• Instead of; “This food is bad, and now I feel guilty”. Say this: “I know this might not be the healthiest choice, but no food is perfect, and my body and soul needed this today”.
• Instead of; “I ate chocolate today, so now I need to workout extra hard”. Tell yourself: “There is no such thing as “burning off” what I’ve eaten. I ate chocolate and it satisfied me. I will workout like I normally do, or if I don’t feel like it, that is okay too.”

Understand that your food choices will never make you a bad person. You are deserving of happiness, love and health regardless of your food choices. Tell yourself this, and your journey to increased food habituation, happiness and intuitive eating will be joyful.

3. View food as fuel – Normalise normal eating

Instead of viewing food as an obsession or something to deserve, try to think of it as fuel for your body and soul. Our bodies need a lot of fuel during the day. Additionally, some days we also want to enjoy ourself with snacks, candy, cakes, etc. You don’t have to give yourself occasional permission to eat these foods. You can have them whenever you want, without a side dish of judgement, guilt and shame.

Eating the so-called forbidden foods, are normal. There is no such thing as perfection, and everyone is eating these foods. Stop blaming yourself for it. If you have cravings, let them come. Eating is important, not only for your body, but also for your soul. Some days, weeks and even months will be different than others, and that is okay. Only when we can give ourselves permission to eat whatever we want, we might experience a week of full on binge mode on your favourite snacks. However, this step is essential to increase food habituation.

Once we do this, and repeat this process a couple of times. We will no longer have the urge to binge eat, but rather enjoy the snacks once in a while when we feel like it. Additionally, you eventually want to fuel your body and soul in a way that makes them thrive with nourishing meals. That is the beauty of food habituation and intuitive eating.

4. Eat slowly with your mind

“I’ve already blown it all by eating two cookies, now I might as well eat the whole package”. Remember your food police. This point goes hand in hand with the principles of getting rid of food rules and reframing your thoughts. If you ever think a thought like this, you always have to remember to stop. However, with this point you need to stop and really feel the sensations in your body. Do not feel bad or guilty because you’ve eaten two cookies or the whole package. Instead, stop and think about how your body is feeling.

Why do I feel the urge to eat the whole package? Did my body need this because I’ve restricted my self from this food or still didn’t accept that it is okay to eat it? If the answer is yes, ask yourself; How can I make sure that my uncontrollable eating doesn’t happen like this again?

After you’ve mindfully thought of the reason behind the binging, stay focused of the feelings in your stomach. Do I feel satisfied or do I want the whole package? It’s important to hear your body. If it craves something, let the body have it. Only then will the food habituation happen in a faster rate, and you’ll later enjoy the feeling rarely overeating and binging.

Intuitive eating is all about listening to your body, start loving yourself and make peace with food. Luckily, food habituation is just an awesome side effect from it.