If you’ve ever wondered what “intuitive eating” really means beyond the Instagram buzzwords, this episode is going to give you the clarity you didn’t know you needed.

In today’s episode, Registered Dietitian and Intuitive Eating Counselor Jessy Barron joins us again! This time, to unpack the nuance, the misconceptions, and the surprising overlap between intuitive eating and responsible fat loss. Jessy brings her expertise as an intuitive eating dietitian to explain how this approach isn’t about rules or a “free-for-all,” it’s about mental freedom, body respect, and sustainable nutrition habits that last a lifetime.

From rejecting diet culture’s extremes to learning the power of the pause before you eat, we explore why intuitive eating is not a weight loss strategy, yet shares many principles with long-term, healthy body composition changes. You’ll hear practical ways to honor your hunger, respect your fullness, and plan ahead without falling into diet mentality. We also dig into “diet-induced food noise,” emotional eating triggers, and how to build trust with your body after years of restriction, overeating, or both.

"It’s not about the weight. It’s about the mental freedom around the punishment of the body.”

- Jessy Barron, RD, MS, RD

“Routines keep you progressing, rules you break and start over. You’re spinning your wheels with rules.”

- Jessy Barron, RD, MS, RD

This week on Here’s the Deal: Fitness, Nutrition and Mindset for People Who Don’t Want Life to Suck:

• Why intuitive eating has a framework, and why “winging it” isn’t part of it
• The ten principles of intuitive eating and where they overlap with fat loss coaching
• Why rejecting diet mentality is key to breaking the shame-and-restart cycle
• How to distinguish between real cravings and diet-induced “food noise”
• The role of planning and structure in intuitive eating success
• Respecting your body as the guiding principle for food decisions
• How belief systems and past diet history shape your relationship with food
• Practical coaching tips for honoring hunger, fullness, and satisfaction

Connect with Jessy Barron, RD:

• The Redhead RD on Instagram
• The Redhead RD Website

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of Here’s the Deal: Fitness, Nutrition, and Mindset for People Who Don’t Want Life to Suck, where we challenge the common understanding of what it means and what it takes to be fit and healthy! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

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