As we near the end of the year, our focus begins to shift towards the many new beginnings of a fresh start! A new year brings so many opportunities to adopt or improve healthy lifestyle habits. One of the greatest healthy lifestyle aspects to adopt is having a healthy relationship with food, and Sweet Life Wellness is here to help you do just that! Join DC Metro Area Dietitian Kay Loughrey as she shares more!
The first step to building a healthy relationship with food is to begin to understand the purpose of food. Food’s purpose is to nourish our bodies and to provide energy. Nourishing our bodies, food gives us the nutrients we need to thrive mentally, emotionally, and physically. With good balance, food gives us the energy we need to lead a healthy and happy life. Additionally, food can also bring us joy as we share it with others, enjoy it in a special spot, or simply enjoy it for the deliciousness that it is!
Another step in having a healthy relationship with food is to eliminate wrong thoughts towards foods, such as viewing certain foods as only “good” foods and others as only “bad.” While it is true that some foods should be consumed in small amounts for health reasons, viewing foods as “bad” can lead to a deep amount of shame if those foods are overeaten or eaten when one is trying to stay on track with a goal that would avoid said foods. This shame can lead to poor emotional and mental health and poor food choices as a coping method.
Lastly, building a healthy relationship with food includes building an appreciation towards nourishing and nutrient dense foods. Sometimes in all our eating for enjoyment or for energy, we forget how beneficial every food can be for us nutritionally! Foods can help us fight illness, assist in preventing diseases, and lower symptoms of chronic diseases. Food can also bring stability to the body’s hormones, which also helps with emotional and mental regulation!
Tips for a Healthy Relationship with Food
~ Balance the foods you eat!
~ Remember… it is okay to enjoy your foods!
~ Learn what “full” means for your body!
~ Eat regular and consistent meals!
~ Remember to eat mindfully!
Food and our view of it can be such a tricky subject to navigate in our day-to-day lives. Yet with conscious choices and regular healthy meals and snacks, we can learn to enjoy our food and all the benefits it brings! Sweet Life Wellness hopes with what you have learned today as well as the tips above, you can continue to build a healthy view of the wonderful foods you eat! Read more from Sweet Life Wellness about creating a healthy relationship with food here.
Resources
National Eating Disorders Association. “How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Food.” https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/how-have-healthy-relationship-food. Accessed November 10, 2023.
University of California, Irvine Counseling Center. “How To Improve Relationship With Food.” https://counseling.uci.edu/how-to-improve-relationship-with-food/. Accessed November 10, 2023.
Syracuse University. “How Students Can Develop a Healthy Relationship with Food.” https://news.syr.edu/blog/2023/10/31/how-students-can-develop-a-healthy-relationship-with-food/. October 31, 2023. Accessed November 10, 2023.
Wahl DR, Villinger K, König LM, Ziesemer K, Schupp HT, Renner B. Healthy food choices are happy food choices: Evidence from a real life sample using smartphone based assessments. Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):17069. Published 2017 Dec 6. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-17262-9.
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
Karis N. Hicks
North Carolina Central University
M.S. – Nutrition Studies
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