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How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Food
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What follows is an example of an internal dialogue of a “food obsesser”...
Porridge for breakfast = good. Apple for morning tea = good. Chocolate bar 3pm = bad. May as well eat a packet of chocolate biscuits and McDonald's for dinner because I’ve “ruined” my day anyway. Skip breakfast the next day and only eat an apple for lunch to make up for yesterday’s junk food blow out. Feel guilty for skipping the 6pm spin class because I have no energy. Eat a bag of lollies for an energy boost. Feel guilty again.
 Does this sound like you? Many girls and women around the world struggle with a food obsession. If you have this bantering going on inside your head, it could be time to stop and evaluate your relationship with food.
To have a healthy relationship with food means that overall you are able to eat for the reasons of physiological hunger instead of emotional ones and you can stop at a point where you feel satisfied. Of course sometimes you will slip up, but the big picture here is that it is not a common occurrence.
Where do I start?
To help you stop obsessing keep a food diary for a few days as an awareness tool. Examine it and look for any trigger points - for example, do you binge after a stressful day at work? Like all bad habits, they can be hard to break. Find a replacement instead of comfort eating. Think about other things you enjoy and that relax you and next time you feel like comfort eating replace it with a different activity.
Eat healthy
Don’t skip meals as you’ll miss out on nutrients and your blood sugar levels will drop, leaving you hungry and more likely to binge eat later on in the day. Every day eat two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables. When shopping, chose lean protein and wholegrain carbohydrates. It’s also important to get variety in what you eat. This ensures you get a wide range of nutrients. See food as your fuel. In a way your body is like a car - it needs good quality fuel to keep it running. So do you! If you’re not eating well you will feel tired, run down and will be prone to infection. Look after your body - it’s the only one you have!
It’s ok to have a “treat” every now and then
Another good tip to develop a healthy relationship with food is to remember it’s ok to enjoy a treat every now and then. Don’t tell yourself you are “not allowed” certain foods. This only leads to a cycle of deprivation, indulgence and guilt. Being healthy doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of things you love. If you have something, enjoy it and don’t feel guilty. The key is moderation and portion size. A block of chocolate is overload, a small chocolate bar as a treat is fine.
 Stop obsessing
Don’t obsess about food, calories and the size of your bum - learn to love your body. Everyone will have something that they are not entirely happy about, but it is more than likely you perceive this as much worse than anyone else. Appreciate your good points and don’t focus on the negative. A good way to learn to appreciate your body is to exercise. Challenging your body physically is a great way to see what you can accomplish. You’ll also get fit, keep healthy and tone up as a bonus.
Don’t waste your time obsessing about how you look and what you’ve eaten. Eat well and enjoy eating. If you think you have a serious body image problem or have an eating disorder, contact your GP. You might find this link helpful: www.eden.org.nz
Nicola Graham
Love being healthy and active? A career with New Zealand's Army could be perfect for you. Click here to find out more about the exciting opportunities. |
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