How to Practice Intuitive Eating with ADHD
***This was written from a lived-experience point of view, and is not meant to replace dietetic or medical advice from a professional***
If you’re like me and have ADHD, or maybe you have a loved one with ADHD and want to understand how intuitive eating works with neurodivergence, you’re in the right place! I am a firm believer that intuitive eating is for everyone, and that intuitive eating can be adapted to fit each individual’s needs. That’s why it is not a diet. Let’s talk through the barriers to intuitive eating those of us with ADHD might face, and how to work around them!
issue: sensing hunger/fullness cues
If you have ADHD or are neurodivergent, you might not have a great sense of your hunger cues. You also might not have a great sense of fullness either! If you do, wonderful. You can move onto the next section. If you don’t or aren’t sure, keep reading! This might be especially true if you are recovering from disordered eating or an eating disorder. Something to think about might be what other signs of hunger can you identify if the traditional “grumbling in your tummy” isn’t accessible?
Here are some examples:
Fatigue
Dizziness
Lack of focus
Shakiness
Irritability
Brain fog
Thinking about food (cravings)
Of course, lack of focus can be a tricky one with ADHD, but if you are feeling “off,” it might be time for a meal or snack.
issue: lack of structure
Sometimes it’s difficult to identify even those other signs of hunger. From there, it might be helpful to create some structure around food and eating to make sure you are nourishing your body consistently. This is an act of self-care and body nourishment, which is not antithetical to the ethos of intuitive eating. Some people may disagree with me, but I think they can suck it.
That might look like setting alarms on your phone to eat meals and snacks, or it might just be making sure you get at least 3 meals + snacks a day. It will obviously look so different for each person, depending on what you notice makes you feel your best. It may also change over time or day to day, which is normal and okay!
Another form of structure might be implementing some gentle nutrition principles, which involves adding in more nutrient-dense foods to your meals, rather than forcing yourself to eat those “healthy” foods instead of the foods you love and eat easily.
issue: making food decisions
Lacking an appetite or lacking cravings is common. It can be really hard to make food decisions when that’s happening! Or, you might be so overwhelmed by all the food possibilities that deciding what to eat feels impossible. There are a few ways to work around this!
Knowing what you like to eat and what normally satisfies you can be super helpful. Having those go-to’s that rarely disappoint will set you up for success in making those decisions and reaching some levels of fullness and satisfaction.
Having flexibility around changing your mind is 1. an incredible intuitive eating practice and an indicator that you have a positive relationship with food and 2. is great for when you’re not sure what you’re in the mood for or can’t make a choice! Have a little bit of everything, or allow yourself to change your mind if you start eating something and decide that’s not doing it for you.
Sometimes we won’t make the “right” choice. It’s human to not always have access to the most satisfying meal or snack, and it’s okay for food to simply be fuel sometimes!
issue: executive dysfunction and cooking
I find this to be a huuuuge barrier to eating exactly what I might be craving. Also a barrier to eating in general! This is where we eliminate the shame around “convenience” foods. Or “processed” foods (really all foods are processed, but that’s a different conversation). The healthiest foods and meals are the foods and meals that work with your brain. It’s OK if a lot or most of what you eat is takeout or can be made in under 10 minutes with the least amount of steps possible. Fed is better than hungry.
That being said, finding simple go-to recipes, or finding a buddy to body double with you while you meal prep every once in a while can be a great way to have food readily available for when hunger strikes! Because as you probably know, it can strike pretty last minute and pretty hard.
issue: eating a variety of foods
Although making peace with “all foods” is an incredible goal, it might be necessary to redefine what we mean by “peace.” Peace with all foods means there is no guilt or shame or rules around any foods. That does not mean you have to put yourself through agony to eat foods that you don’t like. Whether it be sensory, taste, or any other reason, it’s okay to not like some (or a lot of) foods. Could it be helpful to explore and challenge trying new foods every once in a while? Sure. Is it necessary to be eating all foods all the time to be considered an intuitive eater? Absolutely not.
It’s also so common to “hyperfixate” on certain foods. That’s also okay! Likely, eventually, that hyperfixation will move on to something else. Or it could stick around, which is totally fine. Remove any shame or guilt you may carry around eating the same things. All foods have nutrients, and if you need to practice some gentle nutrition to get some green things (my phrase for “veggies”) in alongside your favorite foods, that’s a totally cool thing to do too.
issue: eating for dopamine
Whoever said emotional eating isn’t productive or helpful is completely wrong. A lot of times, folks with ADHD are told that we are more likely to “eat for dopamine,” which can sound and feel kind of icky. But eating for dopamine can actually be really helpful, especially if you struggle with hunger cues or appetite. Again, fed is better than hungry, and emotional eating can be a lovely coping mechanism as well as a way to get food in.
issue: eating without distractions
Traditional mindful eating can be pretty darn inaccessible, especially for ADHDers. I’m here to tell you that eating while distracted is okay. If you want tips and tricks on how to go about it in a way that doesn’t feel like numbing out, I’ve got that resource for you! So please do not feel like you have to eat with zero distractions and fixating on internal cues that you might not even be able to access. It’ll simply be a waste of time and energy!
I hope all of these tips were helpful for you, and if you still have questions, comments, or concerns, reach out and let me know!
RECOMMENDED READING:
Eating for Dopamine: How to Navigate Emotional Eating with ADHD