Are you on a GLP-1 medication and wondering how to eat in a way that you can continue for the long-term as well as supporting your body and mindset?
Intuitive eating could be the key to long-term success and maintaining your goal weight. Phlo Clinic’s Obesity Specialist Dietitian, Hazel, shares how you can apply intuitive eating principles, even while on GLP-1 medication. Here's what you need to know.
What is intuitive eating?
Intuitive eating, a concept developed in the 1990s by registered dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, offers a refreshing, non-diet approach to health that emphasises tuning into your body’s internal cues (hunger, fullness, satisfaction) rather than external food rules.
As the popularity of GLP-1 medications grows many people are left wondering how this appetite-suppressing treatment fits with the core principles of intuitive eating. Can you still eat intuitively if your hunger signals are muted by medication?
In this blog, we explore how intuitive eating can be interpreted and practiced alongside GLP-1 use, and what it means to stay connected to your body in a new way.
Intuitive eating and GLP-1 medication
GLP-1 medications such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, help reduce appetite which can support weight loss, and you don’t have to follow a strict or restrictive diet whilst taking these medications.
Many people feel pressured to eat as little as possible or to avoid certain foods altogether while dieting or taking weight loss medication. But intuitive eating offers a more balanced, compassionate approach which you can continue long after taking GLP-1 medication. It’s not about eating everything, anytime, and without thought. It’s about listening to your body and brain, choosing foods that support your health and wellbeing, as well as being able to eat something just because you fancy having it.
Key principles of intuitive eating
1. Reject the diet mentality
Many people on a weight loss journey have constantly been chasing a goal weight through different restrictive diets, which often only leads to frustration and is not a sustainable way of eating in the long run.
Social media and society have glamorised dieting and rapid weight loss. However, losing weight too fast can cause havoc on your physical and mental health.
This first key principle is all around letting go of the idea that you need to follow quick-fix and rigid diets for weight loss. Sustainable weight loss doesn’t require extreme restriction, especially when on a GLP-1 medication such as Mounjaro or Wegovy.
GLP-1 medication scan support weight loss but they’re not a quick fix. Intuitive eating invites you to focus less on the number on the scale and more on how you feel, what your body needs, and what’s genuinely sustainable for you.
Re-frame this approach as focusing on nourishing your body and releasing the guilt for eating certain foods because no foods are off limits. Your weight is a metric of health but embrace the fact that your health is so much more than just your weight. It also includes your emotional well being and physical health too.
2. Honour your hunger
Even if your appetite is low, your body still needs regular fuel and nourishment - especially protein, fibre, and fluids. Waiting until you’re ravenous (or skipping meals altogether) can lead to fatigue, cravings, or binge eating later.
Honouring your hunger means eating regular meals and snacks, even if you're not ravenous. It also means being proactive. Waiting until you’re overly hungry can make it harder to base your decisions on balanced choices and eat comfortably. Eating is a form of self-care, not indulgence.
Before starting on GLP-1 medication you may have struggled with intense cravings or emotional eating. Now your appetite might feel very different but your body still needs fuel and nourishment.
3. Make peace with food
Do you have a list of foods you would consider as “bad” or off-limits as well as “good” foods to eat? The thing is, when you restrict the foods you would consider as “bad” or off-limits, it often backfires and they actually become more tempting. Then when you do consume these foods, you tend to overeat and binge and/or feel guilty for doing so.
When you are on Mounjaro or Wegovy, you may naturally eat less as the medication reduces your appetite. However, the goal it not to use the medication as a way to punish or control your food choices. Instead, give yourself unconditional permission to eat all types of food, without judgement, to begin to build trust around food, reduce cravings and feelings of guilt.
4. Challenge the food police
This principle is about tuning out the internal voice that labels foods as “good” or “bad.” That voice inside your head shaped by years of dieting and societal messaging whether from social media, magazines, diet chat, can all lead to guilt, shame, and feelings of failure.
When you’re on GLP-1 medication, you might find yourself eating less or avoiding certain foods. But eating food is not a test of your willpower or worth. For example, you are not a bad person for choosing to eat a food you would consider as “bad” such as pizza or a doughnut. Instead look at your overall eating intake over the week.
5. Discover the satisfaction factor
Eating isn’t just about eating nutrients or eating for health, it’s also about eating the foods you enjoy simply for pleasure. Many people find they’re so focused on “eating right” that they forget to enjoy the experience of eating.
Even with a smaller appetite on GLP-1 medication, it’s still important to find satisfaction in your meals. When meals are satisfying, you’re more likely to feel physically and emotionally nourished, and less likely to seek something else to “fill the gap.”
Ask yourself:
- Does this meal satisfy my taste buds and the texture I’m looking for (i.e. something crunchy, creamy etc)
- Am I eating in a comfortable, relaxed setting?
- Do I feel content after eating this?
6. Feel your fullness
This principle is about noticing the signs that tell you when you've had enough. GLP-1 medications can make it easier to feel full, but it’s still important to pay attention to how you feel while eating.
Try to:
- Pause midway through a meal and check in with your body.
- Eat slowly and without distraction when possible.
- Respect your body’s signal to stop—even if there’s still food on the plate.
With practice, you’ll become more attuned to your new hunger and fullness cues, which may feel different than before starting medication.
7. Cope with your emotions
Many of us turn to food for comfort when we’re stressed, sad, bored, or anxious. There’s nothing wrong with using food for comfort occasionally, but if it’s your only coping tool it can become a challenge.
On GLP-1 medication emotional eating may feel less intense, but emotions still need attention.
Instead of judging yourself, ask:
- What am I really feeling right now?
- What do I need? Comfort, connection, rest, distraction?
Building up a tool kit of emotional coping strategies (e.g. journaling, calling a friend, getting fresh air) can help you care for yourself without relying solely on food.
8. Respect Your Body
Everyone’s body is different and that’s okay. Instead of aiming for a “perfect” shape or size, this principle encourages you to treat your body with dignity and care, no matter where you are in your weight loss journey.
You don’t have to love every part of your body to show it respect. It might mean:
- Wearing clothes that fit and feel comfortable now
- Speaking kindly about your body (or at least less critically)
- Listening to your body’s needs - rest, movement, nourishment
GLP-1 medication may change your body, but your worth isn’t defined by your weight.
9. Movement - feel the difference
Exercise doesn’t have to be punishing to be effective. This principle is about shifting from “I should exercise to burn calories” to “I want to move my body in ways that feelgood.”
Ask yourself:
- What types of movement do I enjoy?
- How do I feel after moving? More energised, relaxed, or clearer in the head?
On GLP-1 medication, your energy levels might fluctuate, so be kind to yourself. Short walks, gentle stretching, and dancing in the kitchen all counts in daily movement and exercise. Movement is most helpful when it supports your overall wellbeing, not when it’s driven by guilt.
10. Honour your health with gentle nutrition
The final principle focuses on making food choices that support your health and satisfaction. With reduced appetite, quality over quantity becomes more important.
Gentle nutrition means:
- Choosing balanced meals with protein, fibre, and healthy fats (see T plate model below)
- Eating regularly, even if you're not feeling hungry
- Letting go of all-or-nothing thinking (e.g. “I had chips, so I’ve ruined today”)
- Making space for enjoyment, cultural foods, and variety
It’s not about being perfect, it’s about doing what feels sustainable for you. Small, consistent choices add up over time.
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Ready to start your weight loss journey?
If you’re on a weight loss journey either with GLP-1 medication or looking to start on it, and you want to build lasting habits, our team are here to help.
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