Adult Eating Coaching: Cultivate a Trusting Relationship with Food

At the Ellyn Satter Institute, we understand that developing and maintaining a trusting relationship with food is a journey that lasts a lifetime. Whether you are seeking to improve your eating, overcome food-related anxieties, or simply want to find joy in eating again, our coaching program for adults is designed to help you reach your goals.

Why work with an Eating Competence coach?

Many adults face challenges when it comes to eating—whether it’s feeling overwhelmed by diet culture, struggling with food guilt, or experiencing difficulty in trusting your body’s signals. Our trained coaches use the principles of the Satter Eating Competence model (ecSatter) to help you rediscover the pleasure of eating and build confidence in your ability to nourish yourself.

Our Approach

We believe that eating should be a source of joy, not stress. Our coaching approach emphasizes:

• Eating Competence: We help you develop the skills to eat in a way that is relaxed, satisfying, and stress-free. You’ll learn how to listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues, enjoy a variety of foods, and eat in a way that is both nourishing and enjoyable.,
• Weight-Inclusive Support: Our coaching is weight-inclusive, meaning that we focus on behaviors rather than numbers on a scale. We support you in finding a balanced approach to eating that feels right for your body.
• Eating Practices: We guide you through mindfulness exercises that can enhance your eating experience, reduce anxiety around food, and help you stay present during meals.
• Personalized Guidance: Every individual is different, and our coaches tailor their approach to meet your unique needs and goals. Whether you are dealing with disordered eating, looking to improve your meal planning, or simply wanting to eat more intuitively, we are here to support you.

How is Eating Competence coaching different than traditional nutrition counseling?

Benefits of Eating Competence Coaching

Less loss of control with eating

Eating Competence coaching will empower you to gain insights into your eating by promoting awareness and intentional choices, helping to reduce binging and feelings of loss of control during meals.

Eating Competence Coaching Options

We have trained Eating Competence coaches who can guide you through Ellyn Satter’s How to Eat program. This personalized, short-term program (10 weeks) offers cognitive and behavioral treatment for distorted eating attitudes and behaviors. Working with a coach provides structured support in key areas:

• Training and Focused Eating Experiences: Learn relaxation and tuning in techniques, and a systematic approach to stabilize and develop positive eating behaviors.
• Self-Awareness and Acceptance: Build self-awareness around food choices, hunger, and fullness cues while practicing self-acceptance.
• Overcoming Negative Thought Patterns: ESI coaches help manage disruptions to eating caused by negative thoughts about weight, shape and size.

Looking for more flexibility?
We understand that committing to a full program isn’t for everyone. You may be further along in your journey to repair your relationship with food or you may benefit from fewer sessions, targeted to your specific needs. That’s why we offer flexible, pay-as-you-go coaching sessions.

Whether you’re looking for a structured program or an individualized approach to improving your relationship with food, our trained Eating Competence coaches are here to help.

Client Testimonials

Shonna

I was fortunate to be paired with an ESI coach who knew how to help me navigate my food related trauma from childhood. I was able to give myself permission not only to eat scary foods, but to ultimately release the guilt associated with those foods. I was even able to let go of the number on the scale! My weight stabilized after rebounding from very restrictive diets. Thank you ESI!