I am taking THREE certifications right now, in addition to doing my PhD program, because, yes, I am a total freak.

It is granting me a unique comparative view, because some of them differ in their perspectives: For example, one is an evidence-based program that has been shown to use mindful eating to decrease binge episodes amongst those with binge eating disorder. Another is a program that is more based on interoception and self-compassion. And another is mindfulness-based relapse prevention.

The person leading the second program I mentioned (interoception and self-compassion), emphatically asserts that she does not teach hunger and fullness to her clients (whom the majority have binge eating disorder). She recognizes that many people with eating disorders have distorted interoceptive signals and have to rely on structured meals as opposed to intuitive eating.

While the first program encourages intuitive eating (and if needed, a reliance on “external wisdom”) and mostly certainly teaches hunger and fullness. Or at least attempts to. Is it possible? For a hypothetical person who has had an eating disorder for 40 days, their hunger and fullness signals are probably going to be unreliable. Perhaps too sensitive or not sensitive enough. For someone with binge eating disorder, for example, their brain might say I’M NOT FULL, I’M NOT FULL YET, I’M NOT FULL YET. MORE MORE MORE MORE. So I do think it can be tricky to “teach” hunger and fullness.

In program #1, where they “teach” it, I have to give the credit, because in fact their program has been studied again and again to demonstrate statistically significant decreases in binge eating. So I won’t crap on it. I think trying to bring awareness to when is one hungry, and when is one full is a worthy exercise. Most exercises in increasing one’s interoceptive awareness are worthy exercises.

In program #2, I also think she has an interesting perspective in explicitly avoiding teaching hunger and fullness, and just focusing on other facets of interoceptive awareness. I do believe that the heightened awareness would eventually translate into awareness of hunger and fullness.

I have more thoughts regarding differences and contradictions between cert1 and 2 (and 3) as well as other schools of thought (and my own personal opinions) but for now I will just leave it there.