I am finishing up my presentation for the Women’s Health and Fitness Expo on Saturday in Kingston, NY. Lucky me! I get to go to Rhinebeck, a place where fairies flower-bounce in the glade. (Ahem, back to work.) I’ll be speaking on behalf of Diets In Review, discussing intuitive eating, the only weight loss method that makes any sense to me. I’ll be using a scale (questions – not a device for measuring weight) to portray the mindset of an intuitive eater vs. a traditional dieter. Take a look and see.
This Intuitive Eating Scale has pretty good questions, but it is by no means the only test in town. I’m not even using it correctly, insofar as it is meant to be a Likert-type scale (rate your answers from strongly disagree to strongly agree), not a True or False test. But, the way I see it, all incorrect answers call for some soul-searching. Like many research tools, this scale has been validated for Caucasian, middle-class, healthy, normal weight college students. Still, the level of agreement is highest for non-dieters (individuals at peace with food).
Take the Test
The correct answer is always “yes” except when (R) is present, when the correct answer is “no.”
- Without really trying, I naturally select the right types and amounts of food to be healthy.
- I generally count calories before deciding if something is OK to eat. (R)
- One of my main reasons for exercising is to manage my weight. (R)
- I seldom eat unless I notice that I am physically hungry.
- I am hopeful that I will someday find a new diet that will actually work for me. (R)
- The health and strength of my body is more important to me than how much I weigh.
- I often turn to food when I feel sad, anxious, lonely, or stressed out. (R)
- There are certain foods that I really like, but I try to avoid them so that I won’t gain weight. (R)
- I am often frustrated with my body size and wish that I could control it better. (R)
- I consciously try to eat whatever kind of food I think will satisfy my hunger the best.
- I am afraid to be around some foods because I don’t want to be tempted to indulge myself. (R)
- I am happy with my body even if it isn’t very good looking.
- I normally eat slowly and pay attention to how physically satisfying my food is.
- I am often either on a diet or seriously considering going on a diet. (R)
- I usually feel like a failure when I eat more than I should. (R)
- After eating, I often realize that I am fuller than I would like to be. (R)
- I often feel physically weak and hungry because I am dieting to control my weight. (R)
- I often put off buying clothes, participating in fun activities, or going on vacations (hoping I can get thinner first). (R)
- When I feel especially good or happy, I like to celebrate by eating. (R)
- I often find myself looking for something to eat or making plans to eat—even when I am not really hungry. (R)
- I feel pressure from those around me to control my weight or watch what I eat. (R)
- I worry more about how fattening a food might be, rather than how nutritious it might be. (R)
- It’s hard to resist eating something good if it is around me, even if I’m not very hungry. (R)
- On social occasions, I feel pressure to eat the way those around me are eating—even if I am not hungry. (R)
- I honestly don’t care how much I weigh, as long as I’m physically fit, healthy, and can do the things I want.
- I feel safest if I have a diet plan, or diet menu, to guide my eating. (R)
- I mostly exercise because of how good it makes me feel physically.
Your thoughts: How did you do? What do you think of the questions?
