How to have a healthy relationship with food

Sharing some things I have learned to improve my relationship with food over time.

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you have a beautiful week so far. Today, another day is full of strategic calls and I look forward to the class F45 and the family dinner.

For today’s post I wanted to share some thoughts Cultivation of a healthy relationship with food. This is something that may take a long time, especially if you grew up at 90 and in the beginning of 2000 (the worst diet and sending messages about the body image), maybe they had family members with problematic attitudes to the image of food/exercise/body or faced this area for various reasons.

For me it was definitely work and I really think that my children helped to improve my thinking about so many things. Looking back, my habits are not something I would agree with or encourage now, but at that time I really thought I was making amazing decisions with the harmful sending of the messages I was surrounded by books, magazines and online. I feel like I am in a good place, but I always learn and evolve, which is the way it should be.

Achieving good nutrition and developing positive eating habits begins with one key basis: having a healthy relationship with food. This process takes time, patience and determination, but it can be truly transformative. A healthy relationship with food can lead to restrictive eating, eating, orthorexia, mental challenges and even eating disorders in the long run. Today I wanted to talk about some things that helped me to develop a healthy relationship with food and focus on shifts of thinking, balanced food choice and thoughtful eating practices.

A friendly reminder that I am not a doctor or a registered dietologist. If you need help to improve your food relationship, find an experienced RD that can help you!

How to have a healthy relationship with food

Before chatting about specific strategies, it is important to understand the healthy relationship with food. This understanding will help you implement tips in a way that has a sense of your personal journey and unique nutritional needs.

What is a healthy relationship with food?

A healthy relationship with food is not about monitoring a particular diet, removing all groups of food or categorizing food as “good” or “bad”.“Instead, it is about understanding why and how you choose food, you will recognize hunger and fullness and remove the blame from your eating habits. This allows you to perceive food as fuel and nutrition, rather than something that must be afraid or obsessed. It allows food to be simply food, will be the ability to enjoy all your favorite things; Nothing is out of limits.

(My favorite gluten -free pop hearts from a devotee)

What does a healthy relationship with food look like?

Eat without guilt or anxiety, regardless of the types of foods you consume

Tuning into natural hunger and fullness of your body

To enable you to enjoy all groups of food without strict rules or restrictions

Exercise of conscious food and tasting meals

Understanding that one meal or snack does not define your overall health and will not do or break the targets of body composition

Recognition of emotional aspects of eating and their solution without shame

What are the advantages of establishing a healthy relationship with food?

Improved mental comfort

A positive relationship to food involves a reduction in stress, guilt and anxiety around food selection. You can enjoy your food without constantly taking care of calculating calories or feeling as if you choose a “bad” choice of food. You can go out with friends and enjoy yourself without emphasizing the menu.

Better digestion

When you exercise with knowledge of eating and listen to the hunger and fullness of your body, your digestion is improving. Eating in a relaxed state promotes better nutrient absorption and overall intestinal health.

More energy and vitality

Instead of limiting food groups, a healthier relationship with food allows you to properly drive your body, leading to more stable energy levels throughout the day. I also feel that this allows you to decide, because they do not rule you with printed food.

Reduced risk of eating disorders

Healthy eating habits and food labeling as “bad” can contribute to disturbed eating patterns. Healthy food thinking can prevent eating cycle, guilt and restrictions. If you are currently fighting eating disorder, please get the help you deserve. If you need resources, send me e -mail gina@fitness.com and I can direct you to some RDS who can help.

How to develop a healthy relationship with food

Practice conscious eating

Instead of eating on the autopilot, slow down and really enjoy your meals. Pay attention to flavors, textures and how you feel different foods. Avoid distraction, such as browsing by phone or watching TV while eating. Even better: Go out and enjoy the sun and fresh air when you eat.

Stop marking food as “good” or “bad”

All types of food can have space in a balanced diet. Instead of perceived food as something to earn or avoid, focus more on overall eating patterns than on one particular meal or snack. It’s fun, because when you take the food labels, you can tune in to those you enjoy and want to include in your life. For me, I always thought that pasta was so hard and naughty lol, but the truth is that I don’t like it very much. (Nothing doesn’t fit me lol!) I would have a lot of pizza, a cookie or a piece of cake.

Honor hunger and full of allusing

Your body is designed to be told when it needs nutrition and when enough. Pay attention to hungry signals and learn to stop eating when you feel satisfied rather than fill it too much. If you slow down and exercise with the knowledge of food, it is easier to recognize these allusions to hunger and fullness.

Challenge of diet culture

The diet industry benefits from the fact that people feel that they must follow strict rules to be healthy. Instead of falling into restrictive trends, focus on intuitive eating and choosing food that meets the needs of your body. The trendy diet always rotates and always contradicts each other lol. Let yourself be free from the Noic and find the nutrition strategy that works for you.

Allow all groups of food

Instead of removing all food groups, focus on balance. Each group provides basic nutrients, so it includes a number of foods supports long -term health. I like to emphasize protein, fiber, healthy fats and taste in every meal.

Solve emotional eating

Many of us turn to eating for comfort, relief from stress or boredom. Instead of using food as a management mechanism, explore other ways to drive emotions such as movement, diaries or spending time in nature. Sometimes when I am angry or frustrated, I will have a handful of chocolate chips (let’s be real here) and then do something else to go for a walk or jump to the reflection. Fresh air seems to always help.

Plan balanced meals

Food preparation can help remove stress from food selection. Ensuring food includes proteins, healthy fats, fiber and carbohydrates, you will keep you happy and support stable energy levels throughout the day. Some of the things I like at hand for a week: washed and chopped with salad green and salad topping, delicious dressing, a few protein options (such as grilled chicken or meatballs), a dose of hummus, an energy bite and a huge batch of roast vegetables. With that I can do so many different lunches and snacks.

Focus on progress, not perfection

Changing eating habits is the way. Some days will be easier than others, and that’s fine. Take grace and realize that small changes over time increase healthier thinking about food.

If you are looking for multiple ways to create a positive attitude to nutrition, check out my post teach children about nutrition.

What helped you to cultivate a healthier relationship with food? Leave a comment below – I’d like to hear your thoughts!

xoxo

Gina