Healthy Relationship With Food

Posted April 22, 2014 by Katie Fleming in Life After Five
Far too many people, particularly women, have an unhealthy relationship with food.  On one end of the spectrum, people tend to hold a great deal of fear and anxiety around food, leading to severe restriction.  On the other end, people tend to pair food with certain (or all) emotions, leading to general overeating.

With so many people trending towards one end of the spectrum or another, how do you know what a middle ground, or healthy relationship with food looks like?

 3 Traits of a Healthy Relationship with Food:

  1. Mindful Eating.  Essentially, you eat when you are hungry, and stop eating when you feel comfortably satisfied (Note – this is several bites before feeling painfully full!)
  2. Minimal Hunger Anxiety.  You rationally anticipate becoming hungry a few hours after your last meal, and you are comfortable with the physical feeling of hunger.  You don’t spend most of your day focused on where your next meal is coming from, and how to prevent feeling hungry.  At the same time, you don’t associate the feeling of hunger with joy or accomplishment.  For you, hunger is simply a signal that your body is looking for nourishment and energy.
  3. Food = Fuel AND Fun!  You eat for nutrition.  Food is the fuel for your body!  Your main diet consists of healthy, nutrient dense foods.  Once in a while, you freely indulge in dessert, cocktails, etc, without becoming overwhelmed with feelings of guilt or shame.  You live in the moment.

About the Author

Katie Fleming
