Your relationship with food can go up and down, just like your relationships with your friends and family. Food may not be a person, but we interact with it several times a day as a basic human need. From a young age, influences such as using food as a reward or diet culture can negatively impact our relationship with food. Food became linked to emotions and social interactions like celebrations and comfort. Diet culture teaches us that food should be "controlled," and its strict, unrealistic rules lead to feeling "out of control" with food. This can cause guilt, shame, and failure. With all the emotions linked to food, unhealthy relationships with food are common. So, it's important to change how you feel about food. Here are some tips on how to build and keep a healthier relationship with food.
Get rid of the diet culture and food rules
Eating should be a pleasurable and enjoyable experience most of the time, rather than a source of tension and anxiety imposed by rigorous regulations. If you’ve been following food rules like eating at certain times or avoiding or limiting a certain food group, let try to break these rules and think about how they may not be helping you. In order to learn how to let go of a habit, evaluate one guideline you’ve been following and see how it feels. We’ve been taught by diet culture that we can’t trust our bodies’ hunger and satiety signals, but your body is wiser than you think and can regulate your intake without the need for micromanaging. A Registered Dietitian who specializes in Intuitive Eating may be able to help you if letting go of dietary restrictions is too terrifying or stressful for you.
Rather than having a scarcity mindset, try to cultivate a positive outlook on life
Rather of focusing on what you’re removing from your diet, think about what you can add in. This goes back to the idea that food is either good or bad. In order to get rid of anything from your diet, you’re probably thinking of it as “bad,” and this may cause you to think about it even more, making the process much more difficult. Instead, it is more beneficial to think about how to incorporate alternative meals in a way that is both fun and sustainable.
Don’t look at what others have on their plate as a benchmark for your own
Everyone has different body types and different nutritional needs. Remember that you are the expert on yourself, and what works well for someone else might not work for you. So, stop comparing and eat what’s best for you. Try to pay close attention to what your body is telling you and, most importantly, give your body the respect and food it needs.
Accept Unexpected Culinary Opportunities
If you’re going to have ice cream with pals, say yes. If you’re going to have a pizza with your partner or family, say yes. Practice letting go of the shame that often accompanies.
In order to participate in social events and feel included, you need to be spontaneous and enjoy yourself. You don’t have to stick to a strict diet all the time, and you don’t have to eat precisely all the time. Try the 80:20 rule, where you have “fun foods” with social and emotional value 20% of the time.
Be in the moment
When we sit down to eat, many of us do so with one hand on our smartphone while simultaneously watching television and responding to emails. By acting in such a manner, we are demonstrating a lack of regard for both our food and ourselves. Being aware of what you’re eating and recognizing when you’ve had enough requires you to be present and mindful with your meal.
It is important to keep in mind that there is no diet plan that is a “one size fits all” solution and will work for every single person. Just listen to your body, that’s when you can stay awake and choose the eating style that’s right for you.
