How to Improve Your Relationship With Food, According to a Clinical Nutritionist
Are you tired of feeling guilty or anxious about what you eat?
Are you ready to create a positive and joyful relationship with food? Look no further!
I’m Chloe Louise, a Clinical Nutritionist, and these are my top 3 tips for making friends with food and nurturing a healthier mindset.
1. Remind yourself that your body needs food
This may sound obvious, but many of us have developed the idea that we need to ‘earn’ food by exercising and putting our bodies under stress. But food is fuel! Whether you exercise today or not, biologically, your body will still need food to function at an optimal level. And one size does not fit all, meaning everybody’s dietary requirements are different (and comparison is never helpful).
Remember this quote, “If you deprive food for the sake of ‘body goals’, you deprive energy for life goals too.”
2. Practice mindful eating
Mindful eating involves paying full attention to the present moment and eating without judgment or distraction. It is about bringing awareness to your entire eating experience, from the food's appearance, smell, and taste to the physical sensations and emotions associated with eating. Here are some steps to eating mindfully:
Check in with yourself before sitting down for a meal. Ask yourself, “Am I hungry right now?” and “What is my body asking for?”
Practice gratitude or take a few deep breaths before eating.
Eat away from distractions (yes, phones) and connect with your senses.
Savour each mouthful and chew your food thoroughly until it forms a paste.
Remind yourself that you never need to eat to the point that you feel full, regretful or uncomfortable. Eat until the point that you feel satisfied.
3. Change the conversation about food
How often have you said or heard these phrases:
“I can’t eat that, I’m trying to be good.”
“I really should have exercised today.”
“I really shouldn’t have eaten that, I feel so guilty.”
“I don’t eat carbs, I’m watching my waistline.”
“Weight loss is easy; you just exercise more and eat less.”
“I’ve fallen off the wagon… I’ll start my diet again on Monday.”
We have been tricked into thinking about food as calories rather than nutrients. Too often, we label and demonise foods as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’. In reality, some foods will nourish our bodies more than others, whilst some foods will bring us joy, connect us to others or simply “hit the spot”.
Take a moment and reflect on your personal relationship with food…
It can be useful to explore potential emotional triggers that are creating guilt or anxiety around food; this looks different for everyone but most commonly involves stress, boredom, emotional eating or eating out of habit.
Remember, even if we all ate the same foods, we would all have different body types. Your body deserves to be well-fed and well-loved.
If you are looking for support in rediscovering joyful eating and improving your relationship with food, please contact us.
Chloe Louise
