4 Ways to Change your Relationship with Food

Do your current eating habits make you want to change your relationship with food? IF SO, you've come to the right place. 

Our life experiences shape our current relationships with food. 

Maybe you picked up some habits from your parents, guardians, or siblings. Or, maybe you developed some of your own tendencies as a result of dieting at an early age or even trauma. Over time, our relationships with food evolve and develop into what they are today.

 Sometimes, the relationship we're left with isn't beneficial for us. Thankfully, this can be changed…by learning about your habits and tendencies, breaking them down, and implementing new ones that embody balance. You CAN change your relationship with food for good.

 Change is never easy, and the hardest part is simply accepting that it's necessary. K?

 When embarking on a journey like this, it's important to set yourself up for success by utilizing self-compassion from the start. Essentially, cut yourself some slack. Just as we previously discussed, our current relationships with food are developed over years, not days. With this in mind, does it make sense to expect to change your relationship with food overnight? Of course not. Go easy on yourself, expect speedbumps, and remember, change takes time. 

4 STEPS TO CHANGE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD

Start with one or two, then move on to another when you're feeling confident.

Let's get into it!

1. Practice Mindful Eating

Here at Better Health by Accountability, we believe there are two important aspects of eating well every day: what you eat and how you eat.  The concept of mindful eating is more about how to eat rather than what or how much you are eating. It's all about putting the focus back on your experience at mealtimes.

Start to experience your food and be present when eating your meals and snacks. Basically slow the eff down. Remind yourself that food isn't a chore (all the time), it's not a job and it's not a means of exerting control. It's a way to nourish your physical body, fuel your muscles from your workouts, take a break, share an experience, and so much more. 

2. Stop Following Trending Diets and Detoxes

This is a big one. Just don't do it. Stop. Just stop. I promise it's not doing you any good. Diets are meant to keep you coming back, they put you into something I call the diet cycle. It's the, “on track” vs. “off track” cycle.

As soon as you stop jumping into these trends, you'll be able to develop consistency. You'll be able to nourish yourself in a way that works for your unique body, rather than someone else's. Remember, diet trends are a means of marketing, they're a business. In order to change your relationship with food, you have to ditch the diet cycle.

3. Prioritize Both Nourishment and Enjoyment Consistently

We absolutely need both. In order to nurture our physical, mental, and emotional health, both enjoyment and nourishment need to be prioritized. When we say nourishment, we mean foods that physically nourish your body. When we say enjoyment, we mean foods that bring you joy, regardless of their nutritional content.

If you can ensure the vast majority of your meals and snacks prioritize both of these factors, you'll be on your way to changing your relationship with food. You won't feel deprived, and food won't feel like a chore. Food will become an enjoyable, easeful part of your life! My Motto: It's what you do most of the time that matters. 

4. Stop Thinking About Food as Either Good or Bad

In order to prioritize both nourishment and enjoyment regularly, this one's pretty important. If you constantly feel like you're eating “bad” food whenever you eat enjoyment-based foods, you'll constantly be riddled with guilt and ashamed. ALSO, if you always feel like you, “should” be eating nourishment-based foods, you're going to feel like food is a chore.

Take morality out of the equation to change your relationship with food. Start thinking about food as simple nourishment, enjoyment, or a combination of the two. You can do this.

I have clients in the beginning of their programs who ask me “Can I have this?” and I secretly cringe a little. Ok maybe not so secretly since I now just said it out loud…but here's the thing – you can have anything you want. Does this fit into what YOU want as you're moving towards YOUR goals. Trust me, trust yourself, you know!

At first, this may require you to correct yourself or remind yourself on occasion, but before you know it, this will become your reality.

THE TAKEAWAY

Changing your relationship with food is possible. It just takes a few simple steps and dedication to the process. Anyone can have a positive balanced relationship with food. Sometimes, it just takes accountability support!