How do you feel about food? Maybe you feel guilty about not eating enough fruits? Or you go through cycles of very strict dieting and then binge eating. Food is an important source of energy and nutrition we all need to survive but it can be a source of stress for some people.
Whatever the case may be, if you struggle to eat in a healthy and balanced way, you may need to stop and think about your relationship with food.
What does a healthy relationship with food look like?
A healthy relationship with food means being in touch with your body’s cues and being able to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. It requires you to free yourself from the pressures of eating ‘perfectly’ and to feel no shame or guilt about your food choices.
This means no food group is ‘off limit’ and you don’t have to wait till you have a cheat day to enjoy your favorite dessert. If you are going to have a slice of cake, you might as well enjoy it instead of being preoccupied with thoughts of wrongdoing.
When you have a healthy relationship with food, you feel in control of your eating habits rather than feeling like you are being controlled by cravings and diet cultures. Having a bad relationship with food can take away the pleasure from eating but a good relationship with food is liberating.
So how can I develop a healthy food relationship?
There are many things you can do to begin to improve your relationship with food. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Forget about dieting: it is so easy to get dragged into the diet culture and ‘watching what you eat’ but sometimes this can leave you feeling worse off. Instead of cutting things out, focus on a meal plan that includes a variety of foods in moderation.
- Try mindful eating: this means slowing down and being fully present in the moment while you eat. Eating mindlessly means you eat without thinking at all but mindful eating means paying attention to what is going on in your mind and in your body as you eat. This can help you become aware about the reasons why you eat; are you eating because you are hungry? Or because you are bored?
- Listen to your body: your body tells you when you are hungry and when you are full, all you need to do is listen. These days we rely on calorie counting and diet cultures to tell us when to eat and when to stop and we ignore the internal cues our bodies give us. Try paying more attention to what your body is saying and you may find it easier to regulate your eating habits and still enjoy your meals.
- Focus on enjoying food: food is essential for survival but it is also meant to be enjoyed. Allow yourself the freedom to eat whatever food you feel is best for you at any given time and just enjoy it. You do not have to create a set of rules on what to eat and you certainly do not have to explain your food choices to anyone. Enjoy the pleasure that comes from preparing, eating and sharing food with others and watch your relationship with food become more positive.
- Seek support: healing your relationship with food can sometimes be difficult so don’t hesitate to seek support from friends, family or even a professional if you feel that you need it.
In conclusion, your relationship with food is as important as any other relationship in your life and it needs to be nurtured and prioritized in order to flourish. A healthy relationship with food means being able to eat all foods freely without any restriction or guilt. As you try to navigate your relationship with food, remember that it is a personal experience, unique to you and can be controlled by you.
