The secret of our grandmothers is simple. Once, they lost weight without diets, without apps for counting calories, steps, or even scales. They lived healthily, worked in the fields, walked everywhere, and ate as their bodies told them. Today, we would call this intuitive eating. It's a complicated-sounding term, but in reality, it means something very simple: listening to your body and giving it food when it really needs it.

This approach isn’t a new wisdom from laboratories, but the quiet voice of grandmothers who believe we should eat when we are hungry, not when we’re bored.

What is intuitive eating, and why is it so popular today?

After the 2020 pandemic, when many people struggled with stress, anxiety, and unhealthy habits, interest in natural ways of caring for health soared. By 2025, the hashtag #intuitiveEating on social networks has surpassed more than 200,000 posts. This is no coincidence. The world is tired of diets, rules, prohibitions, and the constant feeling of guilt with every bite.

Research from 2023, published in the Journal of Eating Behaviors, shows that people who follow this approach:

• are more likely to maintain stable body weight (in the study, they had 62% less weight fluctuation),
  
  
• have a 45% lower chance of overeating,
  
  
• report 30% better mental well-being,
  
  
• and as much as 55% less guilt about food.

In simpler terms: when we stop punishing our bodies and start listening to what they need, our minds calm down, our stomachs work better, and food once again becomes something normal—no longer a battle.

Taylor Swift already spoke about this in 2010: during the week, she eats simple food, lots of vegetables, yogurt, salads, and on weekends, she happily enjoys ice cream, cookies, and burgers. She didn’t set harsh rules for herself. She said, I will never give up what I love.

That’s a message from the heart that we can all understand. If you love doughnuts, eat them. But eat when you’re hungry, not as a comfort reward after a stressful day.
In the world of pop culture, where the pressure on appearance is huge, it takes courage to remember to use common sense. There’s nothing wrong with following our grandparents’ ways: moderation in everything—extremes are never good. The main problem of today’s world is that we eat when we’re not hungry.

Scientists say that over 60% of people today eat because of emotions, not hunger. That means we eat when we’re sad, tired, nervous, fearful, or bored. Physical hunger is something else. It shows up in the stomach, making us feel empty, sometimes a bit tired, our stomach starts to growl. That’s when food actually helps. Emotional hunger is only in the head. We crave specific foods, most often chocolate, chips, or ice cream. Not because the body needs energy, but because we seek comfort. And after eating, we often feel guilty … It’s a vicious circle.

A University of Toronto study from 2022 showed that as many as 78% of people who eat due to stress report worse sleep, worse moods, and more body weight gain over two years.

How to listen to your body, like our grandmothers did

There’s no magic formula. The key is calm and observation. Grandmothers would say: have a glass of water first, then listen to your stomach. Studies show that over 30% of people mistake thirst for hunger. So, stick to this rule:

• When you feel like eating, ask yourself: am I hungry, or am I bored?
  
  
• Drink a glass of water (about 200–300 ml).
• Wait 10 minutes.
  
  
• If you’re still hungry, eat. If not, your body didn’t need food.

It sounds childishly simple, but sometimes the best solutions are very simple.

Why strict diets often fail

Diets promise quick results, but a 2021 study of 14,000 people showed that more than 90% of people regain the lost weight within two years after a diet—often gaining even more. Why? Because a diet isn’t a natural way of living. It’s a punishment. And nobody can endure punishment for long.

But when we listen to our bodies, we give them what they need. There’s no stress, no guilt, no resistance, no rewarding. Just normality.

How to start intuitive eating at home?

The greatest wealth of this method is that it’s free. You don't have to buy anything new—no apps, tools, or supplements needed. Just some silence in your mind and trust in your own body.

Steps:

• Don’t eat while watching TV or using your phone.
  
  
• Before a meal, take 3 slow breaths to calm your mind.
  
  
• Eat slowly, chew each bite about 15–20 times.
• Halfway through your meal, pause and check: am I still hungry?
  
  
• Grandmothers have a rule: eat enough to be satisfied, not stuffed like a barrel.

Folk wisdom is confirmed by modern science, so it pays to follow old-time advice:

• Warm soup at the start of the day wakes up digestion.
  
  
• Bitter teas, such as wormwood tea (wormwood is a plant with a bitter taste that stimulates digestion), help regulate appetite.
  
  
• A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar before a meal (diluted in water!) has always been used by old folks for better digestion. Today, research shows that vinegar helps with glycemic response and the sense of fullness.

Research from Stanford University (2024) confirmed that people who eat slowly and without distractions eat on average 22% less food, yet report the same feeling of fullness.

The home logic is therefore simple: slowly, moderately, and with respect for food.

When food is joy, not the enemy

Intuitive eating is not an excuse to eat pizza and ice cream every day. It is an invitation to rediscover true hunger, true moderation, and real respect for the body. To eat local, seasonal, warm, home-cooked food. To make food a gift, not a problem.