Most people don't think they have a relationship with food, but trust me, you do. Everyone does. Whether it is a relationship purely for sustenance or a relationship that you share all of life's ups and downs with, there is a relationship there.
Food should be used to satisfy our need for nutrients and energy. We should eat to live, not live to eat. For many of you this can be accomplished by simply changing the way you think about food. Here are some tips to help you and your family look at food in a healthier way.
Stop and Think - Are you eating because you are hungry? Because it is noon? Because you just got bad news? Because you just got a promotion? There are many external stimuli that trigger us to eat. We eat when we are happy, sad, lonely, bored, depressed, celebrating, and the list goes on and on. Try to change your emotional ties to food. Food should not be the answer to your mental and emotional dilemmas; it is not a drug for the soul. Stop and think about why you are eating.
Change the Way you Talk about Food - "I cheated", "I fell off the wagon" or "I was so bad." Food is not capable of feelings. The chocolate cake will not be hurt if you don't eat it. There is no "wagon" to fall off. If you change the way you talk about food you will change how you look at it. This will change the way you judge yourself based on what you eat or don't eat. Indulging from time to time is perfectly OK. Remember that every food choice is exactly that, a choice. It doesn't make you good or bad. Respecting your body and making healthy choices should not be followed by guilt and remorse when we choose a food outside of the typical healthy eating plan. Remind yourself no one is perfect. Moderation is key.
Stop Eating as a Reward - We often use food as a reward. "If you eat all your vegetables you can have dessert" or "If I go to the gym I can have ice cream." These kinds of statements set up an emotional connection with food. Eating and emotions should be kept separate. It is also important to emphasize this with children as well. Rather than telling your kids that if they are good in the grocery store they can have a cookie, tell them that if they are good in the grocery store they can play outside when they get home. Use activity as a reward rather than unhealthy food options. Practise the same with yourself as well.
Developing a more conscious relationship with food is important. It will help you make sensible food choices without feeling guilty. You will start to respect the feeling of fullness and enjoy the pleasure of eating. Once you can look at food as a way of meeting your body's need for nourishment you can develop a healthy, more satisfying relationship with food.
Say it! Mean it! Do it!
