Nina Kaufmann

Confused about the difference between mindful and intuitive eating? Learn how these two practices support each other, and why you don’t need to do them perfectly to build a peaceful relationship with food.

Maybe you’ve been told to “eat mindfully” or to “listen to your body,” and now you’re trying to figure out what that even means. Is mindful eating the same as intuitive eating? Do you have to get them both exactly right in order to have a healthy relationship with food?

Of course not. Today we’re going to unpack this together.

What is Mindful Eating?

Mindfulness is simply the practice of being present with what’s happening – with your body, your emotions, your thoughts, without trying to fix it or judge it.
When it comes to food, that might look like slowing down, tuning into how something tastes, or noticing how you feel while you’re eating. With mindful eating, you consciously focus on the sensual experience of eating. It could include sitting down to eat, chewing your food slowly so you can fully taste it and notice the texture, smell.

Sounds simple enough, but it can be quite a challenge if you’re used to being distracted while eating, perhaps by watching TV, working, or eating on-the-go.

However, as usual, it’s important to point out that with mindful eating, you don’t have to aim for perfection. It’s about awareness. Being with yourself. Naturally, none of us can be a “perfect” mindful eater because, well, life happens. And that’s okay!

Remember the central philosophy of intuitive eating: some of the time/most of the time!

You can try to schedule one mindful meal or even just a snack a day, where you consciously focus solely on the eating experience, savoring every bite.

Not only is mindful eating enhancing the pleasure of eating and nurtures mental health – it can also help you tune into your hunger and fullness signals! They are definitely easier to notice when you’re focused on eating.

What is Intuitive Eating?

Intuitive eating is a bigger framework, that includes mindful eating (some of the time/most of the time,) but also encompasses a much broader philosophy.

It’s about rejecting diet culture, reconnecting with your body’s signals, honoring your hunger, respecting your fullness, and trusting that your body knows what it needs (even if you’ve spent years being told otherwise). It’s a non-diet, weight-neutral approach to food and health that puts you back in charge.

It also includes things like finding satisfaction in food, making peace with emotional eating, respecting your body (even on the tough days), moving to feel good and caring for yourself with gentle nutrition.

So while mindfulness can be part of intuitive eating, intuitive eating is much more than just slowing down.

The Key Difference

Mindfulness is a tool and intuitive eating is a framework.
Mindfulness helps you observe what’s going on, and intuitive eating gives you permission to respond to those observations with compassion and flexibility, while giving you broader guidelines to nurture your health.

You don’t have to eat in total silence, or chew each bite a 100 times to be mindful. And you definitely don’t need to be perfectly in tune with every cue to be an intuitive eater. It’s helpful enough to slow down a bit, remember to take a few breaths between the bites and try to notice your body’s signals.

How They Support Your Well-being Together

Mindfulness supports intuitive eating by helping you:

• Notice hunger and fullness without judgment
• Pause and ask what you really need in a moment
• Feel your emotions without numbing or reacting out of habit
• Actually enjoy your food and eating experiences

Intuitive eating takes that awareness and expands it.
For example: “You noticed you’re eating because you’re stressed – okay. What do you need? Is food the comfort you want right now, or is there something else that would feel nourishing, too?”

This moment of awareness allows you to choose how you want to respond instead of just acting habitually, automatically. Then, if you’ve noticed you might want a different kind of support to nourish yourself, you may refer to the emotional support list from Peace With Food – it’s incredibly helpful to be prepared for these moments!

Final Notes on Perfection

If you’re coming from a dieting or orthorexic background, you’re likely inclined toward perfectionism, or black-and-white kind of thinking. These inclinations are encouraged by diets and disordered eating, which often tell you “this is good, this is bad,” or “this is how you should eat, and that is wrong.”

Coming from such mindset, you might want to try doing intuitive and mindful eating “perfectly”, asking question such as “Did I honor my hunger perfectly?”
This approach can make intuitive or mindful eating seem like another thing you can “mess up.”

Therefore, I’d like to remind you: there’s no perfect way to eat. Both intuitive and mindful eating are practices; the point is to show up with curiosity and self-compassion!

Some days you’ll enjoy pizza while watching Netflix. Some days you’ll miss a fullness cue and only later notice you’re feeling uncomfortable. Some days you’ll stress-eat chocolate in your car.
It’s okay. You’re human. All of these experiences are a part of normal eating. The point isn’t to control your eating; it’s to build trust with yourself again.

Conclusion

While having their distinctive differences, mindful and intuitive eating are beautifully intertwined. One invites you into awareness. The other helps you act on that awareness with kindness, not control.

Let them support you, not stress you out.

You don’t need to be a perfect intuitive or mindful eater. You just need to keep coming back to yourself, again and again — with gentleness, curiosity, and care.

How Intuitive Eating Coaching Can Help

Developing a joyful, healthy relationship with food in a world of diet culture can be one of the greatest challenges we face. However, it’s necessary in order for us to truly nurture our health long term. That’s why I offer personalized coaching to support you through every step of this journey.

Together, we’ll:

• Unpack and heal the root causes of your food struggles.
• Gently release the harmful diet rules and beliefs.
• Rebuild your relationship with your body and food.
• Learn health and nutrition tools that actually work for you, not against you.

Clients often tell me they go from obsessing over food and feeling like they “can’t be trusted” to finally enjoying meals again; in peace, with balance, and without guilt. And that’s all I want for you, being able to live a full, happy, healthy life!

Book a free discovery call today, and let’s see how intuitive eating coaching can help you feel more at home in your body—no more diets, guilt, or stress.
I offer different packages so working with me can fit your lifestyle and your budget. Check them out here.

What It Looks Like to Work with Me

Each client’s journey is unique, but here’s a bit of a framework on how we’ll work together:

• Free Discovery Call – No-pressure chat to see if we’re a good fit. No strings attached!
• 1:1 Coaching Sessions – In-depth, 60-90 minute sessions focused on intuitive eating, mindset shifts, and practical strategies, individualized for your specific needs.
• Unlimited Messaging Support – Have questions, concerns or breakthroughs between sessions? I’ve got you covered.
• Workbooks and Practical Exercises – Tools to help you integrate intuitive eating into your daily life; whether we’re talking intuitive eating journals, gentle nutrition guides or coping with your emotions tools!
• Ongoing Guidance and Accountability – Support that flows with your needs, every step of the way. I’m here to listen—while I will offer insights and advice, I recognize that you’re the expert of your body and your experience. Therefore, everything we work through will be centered around your needs.

Or in the words of my client, “Nina helped me change my relationship with food in a way I never thought it could be possible. She gave me life long tools to empower myself and my health.“

Take the first step toward food freedom—my coaching packages start at only 97€. Click here to learn more!