It’s a question I hear often. Can I practice intuitive eating and still want to lose weight? The short answer is yes. Intuitive eating and weight loss can feel like a tricky mix, but it’s normal to have mixed feelings. You can want food freedom and still wish your body looked different. That is okay.
The truth is, intuitive eating and weight loss can feel like two different things. Diet culture has told us for years that losing weight will make us healthier and happier. So of course you might still want that. Even if you’re tired of dieting. Even if it has never really worked for you in the long run.
Hi, I’m Meredith MacKenzie. I’m a binge eating therapist, intuitive eating coach, and the founder of the One Body To Love program. I help women who feel caught in the cycle of bingeing, restricting, and trying to fix their bodies. If you feel torn between wanting food freedom and still hoping for weight loss, you are not alone. This is a tender and confusing place to be, and it deserves care and compassion. For more daily support, practical tools, and honest conversations about body image and intuitive eating, come join me on Instagram.
Why Weight Loss Desires Are So Normal
If you want to lose weight, you’re not alone. Many people feel this way, especially after years of dieting. The desire can come from wanting to feel more in control, fit into old clothes, or be treated differently by others.
We live in a culture that praises thinness and links it to health, beauty, and success. Of course you might still want that. It makes sense.
For some, wanting to lose weight can also feel like a way to stay safe in a world that judges bodies. That doesn’t make you shallow. It makes you human.
Wanting weight loss isn’t a sign of failure. It doesn’t mean you can’t explore intuitive eating. It means you’re trying to survive in a culture that makes this hard.
Want to take the next step in your intuitive eating journey? I created a simple guide to help you explore the 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating and how they can support your healing.
What Intuitive Eating Says About Weight Loss
Intuitive eating does not ask you to stop wanting weight loss. It just invites you to put that desire in the back seat, not the driver’s seat. Here’s what that can look like:
- Intuitive eating is about listening to your body, not following outside rules or diet plans.
- It focuses on things like hunger, fullness, satisfaction, and self-care.
- It does not promise weight loss, weight gain, or weight maintenance.
- Some people lose weight. Some stay the same. Some gain weight. All of these are normal.
- The goal is not to control your weight, but to rebuild trust with your body.
This can feel scary at first, especially if you’ve been told that weight loss is the key to health or worth. But intuitive eating gives you tools to care for your body without making weight the focus.
I made a video that explores the 10 principles of intuitive eating. It’s a gentle, honest look at what it means to hold space for both weight loss and intuitive eating.
The Problem with Weight Loss as the Primary Goal
There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight. But when it becomes the main goal, it can get in the way of healing your relationship with food. Here’s why:
- Weight loss goals often lead to restriction, even in sneaky ways.
- When your main focus is weight, it’s hard to listen to your body’s real needs.
- Hunger and fullness get ignored in favor of “rules” or “points.”
- Food becomes something to control, not something to enjoy.
- If the scale doesn’t move, it can feel like failure, even if you’re taking care of yourself.
This can restart the binge-restrict cycle. You try to eat “perfectly,” feel deprived, then swing the other way. Then comes guilt, shame, and starting over again.
When weight is the focus, it’s easy to miss the deeper healing. Like learning to trust yourself. Like feeling calm around food. Like feeling more present in your own life.
Letting go of weight as the main goal doesn’t mean giving up. It means making room for more peace, more freedom, and more care.
How to Hold Space for Both Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss Desires
You can want to feel better in your body and still choose not to diet. These feelings can exist together. You don’t have to pick one.
It’s normal to feel torn. One part of you wants food peace. Another still hopes for a smaller body. That doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.
Holding space for both means noticing those thoughts with kindness. You might say, “It makes sense I still want to lose weight. And I also want to treat myself with care.”
Over time, the voice that wants peace can grow stronger. You don’t need to wait to feel totally confident to begin. You can start now, just as you are.
Curious about what actually changes when you start intuitive eating? In this video, I walk you through what to expect before and after, and how this journey really works. If you’re wondering what it feels like to let go of diets and start trusting your body, this is for you.
The Role of Grief and Body Image Work in Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss
Letting go of weight loss as your main goal can bring up grief. You might be mourning the body you imagined would bring love, confidence, or a sense of belonging. That loss is real and valid.
Grief can show up as sadness, anger, guilt, or even a quiet sense of disappointment. These feelings are part of healing.
Body image work is not about loving your body all the time. It is about learning to treat yourself with more care and respect, even on hard days. Some days will feel better than others.
It can help to ask, “What was I hoping weight loss would give me?” and “Is there another way I can feel that now?” Often, we are looking for comfort, confidence, or connection. These feelings can grow, even if your body stays the same.
This work takes time, patience, and self-compassion. You do not have to do it perfectly or do it alone.
Curious what happens when individuals gather to rest, grieve, and reconnect? I’m sharing a recap of my recent retreat—grief was a powerful theme. Thinking of joining next time? A fall retreat is in the works, join the waitlist to be the first to hear.
What True Food Freedom Feels Like
Food freedom can feel different for everyone, but here are some common signs that you’re moving in that direction:
- You eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full, most of the time, without guilt or overthinking.
- You trust your body to guide your food choices, rather than relying on rules or diets.
- You enjoy all kinds of foods, including those that used to feel “off-limits.”
- You no longer feel the need to “start over” every Monday or after a big meal.
- You feel more at peace in social situations, like eating out or going to a family dinner.
- You move your body in ways that feel good, not just to burn calories.
- You spend less time thinking about food and more time living your life.
- You are kinder to yourself on the hard days, and you don’t spiral when things feel off.
Food freedom isn’t perfect. There will still be ups and downs. But it brings more ease, more trust, and more space to be fully yourself.
If you’re wondering what a healthy relationship with food really looks like beyond the rules and guilt, I’ve got you. This blog breaks it down in a simple, compassionate way, no diets, no pressure.
Finding Peace with Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss Desires
It’s okay to feel torn. It’s okay to want food freedom and still wish for weight loss. You don’t have to choose one or the other right away. Intuitive eating gives you space to explore your relationship with food and your body without shame. Over time, the pull toward control can soften, and trust can grow. You are not broken. You are not behind. This journey is about coming home to yourself, one kind, curious step at a time.
And you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. My group coaching program, One Body To Love, offers a supportive and judgment-free space to step out of the binge-restrict cycle, unlearn diet culture, and gently reconnect with your body at your own pace.
If you’re craving deeper, personalized support, my 1:1 coaching can help you explore the roots of your relationship with food and body image in a safe and compassionate way. If you’re unsure what kind of support is right for you, I’d love to connect. Book a free discovery call today.
Looking for free resources? Subscribe to my YouTube channel for helpful videos on binge eating recovery, intuitive eating, and body image healing. You can also listen to my podcast, One Body To Love, for real talk, personal stories, and tools to support you on this path.
