Our Young Adult Transitions program is designed for individuals ages 17 to 29.
Nutrition and mindful eating is part of the process at Engage by working with our young adults’ relationship with food. Our registered dietitian follows the practical principles of Intuitive Eating.
Intuitive Eating (IE) encourages a healthy relationship with food by focusing on internal hunger and satiety cues rather than external diet rules. The approach promotes body respect, self-care, and rejecting the diet mentality.
IE promotes satisfaction in eating while focusing on all aspects of health. This approach encourages our young adults to build structure into their eating habits and connect with their body’s wisdom to live and eat in a way that works best for them.
Being able to eat intuitively means that we make more of our eating decisions using our internal cues vs the external rules that diet culture has taught us to implement.
The development of healthy eating habits replaces a traditional diet-focused approach on goals. This approach helps young adults learn how to eat the nutrients required to sustain the lifestyle they want and support effective therapy. This is especially so for neurodivergent young adults with sensory concerns.
Ten overarching principles form the basis of Intuitive Eating. Research and experience provide evidence of its positive impact.
The term “Intuitive Eating” was coined by two dietitians in 1995, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. Since that time, many studies have shown the benefits associated with this approach. Evelyn and Elyse released the 4th edition of their book in 2020. In it, they describe 10 principles of becoming a more intuitive eater:
Shift focus from exercise for weight loss to how movement makes you feel (energized, strong, joyful).
By individualizing these principles to each young adult, intuitive eating can be a tool to help get to a place where eating is easier and more enjoyable.
Initially our nutritionist completes a nutrition assessment on all incoming Young Adults and then works from there, drawing from the principles of Intuitive Eating (IE). Sometimes young adults also will need help with sports nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, and body image, among others.
There are a number of profound benefits that result from an Intuitive Eating approach:
Helps build structure around eating habits
Intuitive Eating is not anti-health; it’s about finding balance without obsession. It’s a self-care framework that encourages trust in our body’s wisdom.
Independence and Connection
Engage Young Adult Transitions is a transitional living program and therapeutic community that assists young adults on their path to independence. Using attachment theory, we provide a foundation for forming connections, getting involved with the community, managing mental health, and building life skills for long-term success.
Engage offers structured autonomy—high support without creating dependence. Our therapists and life coaches are here to honor the young adults’ need to gain independence and freely move to a more secure sense of self and their relationships.
Our community offers high levels of therapeutic support that honors autonomy and independence while guiding young adults to a life of freedom, emotional wellness, and success.
This is common, especially after years of dieting. Start by checking in with your body every few hours (e.g., “Am I slightly hungry? Ravenous? Neutral?”). Fullness cues take practice—try eating slowly and pausing midway through meals.
