Restore Your Relationship With Food

Restore Your Relationship With Food

Eating is a wonderful experience. It nourishes our bodies, gives us energy, and is simply enjoyable. Unfortunately, though, if we have a bad relationship with food, eating can be a rather stressful experience. Not necessarily the act of eating but of choosing what and how much to eat. I have dealt with years of an up-and-down relationship with food. For instance, I went from calorie restriction to binge-eating, to eating healthy, then to a mix of both. I used food to feel in control, whether I stress-ate or barely ate at all. If you feel you struggle in a similar way, don’t lose hope. This article provides advice to help you restore your relationship with food.

Don’t think of food in terms of “good” and “bad”

The first way to restore your relationship with food is to not think of it like the devil and angel on your shoulder. For instance, the devil is telling you to eat the cookie while the angel is telling you to eat the kale chips. Thinking of food as a black-and-white issue completely dismisses the importance of eating in moderation. For example, if you say, “I can only have cookies on the weekend,” you’ll end up eating the whole cookie jar on Saturday. Whereas, if you allow yourself one cookie a day, you’ll save the jar to enjoy the following days.

Ditch the diets

The second way to restore your relationship with food is to ditch the diets! According to the National Eating Disorders Association, or NEDA, 95% of people who lose weight from diets regain it eventually—either within a few months or years. Diets open up the door to eating disorders because they do not promote balance but rather restrictive eating. Your body needs all of the macronutrients to function properly—proteins, fats, and yes, even carbs!

Eat to fuel your body

The third way to restore your relationship with food is to eat to fuel your body. The NEDA, says that “eating should be a balanced activity that is neither the best nor worst part of your day. You should enjoy the foods that you consume but not worship them.” Eating foods that you don’t necessarily prefer all of the time helps you to view it for what it is: fuel.

Click here to check out our blog titled “Tips to Beat Binge-Eating and Snacking.”