Summary: Food is not the enemy. Learn how to improve your relationship with food in this article.
You know that voice in your head that always gets you down? The one that tells you that you can’t do it or that you aren’t good enough? Well this “inner critic” can have a big effect on how we feel about our bodies, and therefore our relationship with food.
“I saw food as the enemy. I would binge on sugar, alcohol, and refined carbohydrates but deprive myself of any real nutrition.”
– Melissa Ambrosini
When I read this quote I realized just how many of us do this same thing. Whether you’re someone like me who would eat only “healthy” foods all week (and not eat enough…) and then binge on sugary foods on the weekend, or if you’re someone that thinks fat-free yogurt and a bagel is a healthy lunch, this advice is for you.
If you struggle with feeding yourself whole, nutrient-dense foods and viewing food as fuel and love for your body, here are a few steps you can use to begin to turn that relationship around:
How to Heal Your Relationship with Food:
Step 1: When you’re having a rough moment, tune in with yourself. Ask yourself “What’s really going on here?” When it comes to things like emotional eating, there’s ALWAYS an underlying feeling you’re trying to suppress, or you’re punishing yourself for not being good enough in some part of your life.
Step 2: Notice your emotions and examine them. Don’t judge them. They need to be released. Don’t get on Facebook or Instagram or turn on the TV. Just take 5 minutes and sit still and breathe. Feel the feelings.
Step 3: Journal how you feel about your emotions – stay present. Whether you really get eloquent about how you feel or you just let it all out by typing in a Word document – get it out and LET IT GO.
Step 4: Keep it up – make this reflection time a habit. Consistency is everything when it comes to changing parts of your life. Doing this for a week or two and then stopping will only get you right back where you started. Keep these tools in your back pocket and pull them out every time you can.