I was talking to a prospective client the other day and she was telling me all about the food she eats, and apologizing and embarrassed sharing that she ate any food at all that wasn’t 100 percent clean or totally needed for nourishment. I hadn’t said a word about judgement or scoffed at her choices. I was just listening, and she had so much shame it made me so sad.
This is a burden too many of us carry. And it’s more shame than ANYONE needs.
I’m here to tell you food is something we can fuel with responsibly AND still enjoy some fun with. It’s the balance than matters.
Avoid Calling Foods “Good” or “Bad”
The moment we place restrictions on our food, calling them “bad” or “good,” we immediately allow guilt to take over when we eat these so-called bad foods. Try to change your dialogue around food. No foods are bad or good; they are just different. When these thoughts come up, ask yourself where this idea of “bad” or “good” food came from.
Does this food make you feel unwell or have you just been taught it isn’t a “clean” food therefore it’s bad? Instead of focusing on labels, pay attention to how food makes you feel.
Reset Your Relationship with Trigger Foods
Specific foods, especially those high in empty calories or fats, can be triggering for many people. These foods can instantly set off negative emotions and immediately make you feel guilty for eating them. We know it’s hard, but try to introduce some trigger foods into your diet slowly and approach them differently.
You don’t need to eat an entire pizza at once— start with a bite or a slice, whatever you’re comfortable with doing and stop eating them before you’re actually uncomfortable. When you eat a little of these foods, notice that you don’t automatically gain weight or become unhealthy. A lot of the fears we have around food are just that— fears!
Eat Mindfully
Remove Negative Influences
Pay attention to how you feel when you browse through your social media feed or when you watch your favorite television show. Do those feelings of guilt come up, or do you feel more pressured to restrict your foods? Begin to be mindful of these negative influences and reduce or banish them from your life. They are not helping or entertaining you! The cost isn’t worth it.
Speak to a Professional
You know yourself best. Breaking this negative relationship with food is no easy task, and if you ever feel like you can’t do it alone, remember that you don’t have to. There are many professionals out there that are trained to help you.
I’d love to help you reset your relationship with food if this is all overwhelming to you, and if you know that you need some intensive work in this area, we’d highly recommend seeking out the support of a therapist to help you dig into how break up these attachments. You do not have to do this work alone, but realize that it is worth doing.
If you want more step-by-step directions on how to uplevel your game in a manageable way, start exploring the possibilities schedule a FREE breakthrough call with us today.
Keeping it real!
