Over time, I share some of the things I’ve learned about improving my relationship with food.
Hello friends! how are you? I hope you’ve had a great week so far. Today is another day filled with strategy calls. I’m looking forward to tonight’s F45 class and family dinner.
For today’s post, I wanted to share some thoughts Develop a healthy relationship with food. This can take a long time, especially if you grew up in the 90s and early 2000s (the worst diet and body image messages), if you had a family with problematic attitudes towards food/movement/body image, or if you are struggling in this field for a variety of reasons.
For me, it’s definitely an ongoing job and I really think having a baby will help improve my way of thinking about so many things. Looking back, my habits aren’t something I would agree with or encourage now, but at the time I really thought I was making amazing choices with the harmful messages that were surrounded by books, magazines and online. I feel like I’m in a good place, but I’m constantly learning and evolving.
Achieving good nutrition and developing positive eating habits starts with one important foundation. It has a healthy relationship with food. This process takes time, patience and dedication, but it can be truly transformative. An unhealthy relationship with food can lead to restrictive diet, overeating, corrective therapy, psychological challenges, and even eating disorders in the long run. Today I wanted to talk about changing mindset, balanced food choices, and things that will help you build a healthy relationship with food.
Here I’m reminding me that I’m not a doctor or a registered dietitian. If you need help improving your relationship with food, look for an experienced RD who can help you!
How to have a healthy relationship with food
Before chatting about a particular strategy, it is important to understand what is involved in a healthy relationship with food. This understanding will help you implement tips in ways that make sense for your personal journey and unique nutritional needs.
What is a healthy relationship with food?
A healthy relationship with food is not about tracing a particular diet and eliminating an entire food group or categorizing it as “good” or “bad.”Instead, it’s about understanding why and how you choose food, recognizing hunger and fulfilling cues, and removing guilt from your eating habits. It allows you to see food as fuel and nutrition. It allows food to simply become food, the ability to enjoy everything you like. There is no ban on entry.
(My favorite gluten-free pop heart
What does a healthy relationship with food look like?
Eat without guilt or anxiety, regardless of the type of food you consume
Adjusts the natural hunger and bloating signal in your body
Enjoy all food groups without strict rules or restrictions
Practice mindful meals and eating meals
Understanding that one meal or snack doesn’t define your overall health, and it won’t set or break your body composition goals
Recognise the emotional aspects of eating without embarrassment and deal with them
What are the benefits of establishing a healthy relationship with food?
Improved mental well-being
Positive relationships with food include reducing stress, guilt and anxiety over food choices. You can enjoy your meal without constantly worrying about counting calories or feeling like you’ve made a “bad” food choice. You can go out and have fun with friends without emphasizing the menu.
Better digestion
Practice mindful dieting and listen to cues about hunger and fullness in the body will improve digestion. Eating relaxed will improve nutrient absorption and support overall gut health.
More energy and vitality
Instead of limiting food groups, a healthier relationship with food allows the body to be properly fueled, resulting in a more stable energy level throughout the day. They also feel that they can make healthy choices because they are not governed by the emotions of smoking food.
Reduced risk of eating disorders
Labeling unhealthy eating habits and food labeling as “bad” can contribute to disruption in eating patterns. A healthy food mindset can prevent a cycle of overeating, guilt and restriction. If you are currently struggling with an eating disorder, get the support you deserve. If you need resources, please email gina@fitnessista.com.
How to build a healthy relationship with food
Practice mindful diet
Instead of eating at Autopilot, enjoy your meal slowly. Pay attention to the flavors, textures and how the different foods make you feel. Avoid distractions such as scrolling through your phone or watching TV while eating. What’s even better: get out and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air as you eat.
Stop labeling food as “good” or “bad”
All kinds of foods can have a balanced dietary location. Rather than viewing food as something you earn, avoid or avoid, focus on the overall pattern of your diet, rather than a specific meal or snack. What’s interesting is that when you take the label out of food you can adjust it to what you enjoy and want to include in your life. For me, I always thought pasta was a very carbohydrate heavy, naughty lol, but the truth is, I don’t really like pasta either. (Don’t throw anything at me lol!) I would rather have pizza, cookies or cakes.
Respect the cues of hunger and fullness
Your body is designed to tell you when you need and when you need it. You will learn to pay attention to the hunger signal and stop eating when you feel satisfied rather than being overly satisfied. It’s easy to recognize these hunger and bloating clues if you practice mindful eating late.
Challenge diet culture
The diet industry benefits from making people feel like they need to follow strict rules to make them healthy. Instead of falling into a restrictive trend, focus on intuitive diets and food choices tailored to your body’s needs. Trendy meals are constantly spinning and are always inconsistent with each other. Find a nutritional strategy that will free you from the North and help you.
Allow all food groups
Instead of eliminating the entire food group, aim for balance. Incorporating a variety of foods supports long-term health, as each group provides essential nutrients. I like to emphasize protein, fiber, healthy fats and flavor in each meal.
Dealing with emotional diet
Many of us turn to food for comfort, stress relief or boredom. Instead of using food as a coping mechanism, we explore other ways to manage our emotions, such as moving in nature, journaling, and spending time. Sometimes, when I get mad or irritated, I have a handful of chocolate chips (let’s get real here). Then you do something else, like going for a walk or jumping to the rebounder. Fresh air always seems to be useful.
Plan a balanced diet
Preparing meals can help you relieve stress from making food choices. Ensuring your diet contains protein, healthy fats, fiber and carbohydrates will help you stay satisfied and support a stable energy level throughout the day. Some of the things I want to get that week: salad greens and salad toppings, delicious dressings, some protein options (like grilled chicken or meatballs), batches of hummus, energy chews, huge batches of roasted beggies. This allows me to make so many different lunch and snack combos.
Focus on progress, not perfection
Changing your eating habits is a journey. One day is easier than the other, but that’s fine. Give yourself blessing and realize that small changes over time lead to healthier ways of thinking about food.
If you’re looking for more ways to create a positive approach to nutrition, check out my post on teaching kids about nutrition.
What helped to develop a healthy relationship with food? Leave a comment below. I want to hear what you think!
xoxo
Gina
