Having a negative relationship with food is something which can impact you in a great number of ways. Not only can it result in underlying health problems and weight gain, but it can also leave you feeling sluggish, unmotivated, and come to the point where you may not even be enjoying what you’re eating due to guilt.
Having a healthier relationship with food doesn’t mean a strict diet. It means being more mindful about what you’re eating and how to develop more positivity when it comes to recipes and your own eating habits.
Signs You May Have an Unhealthy Relationship with Food
- You’re gaining or losing an unhealthy amount of weight
- You never enjoy what you eat
- You’re eating too much in a compulsive fashion
- You’re eating in a rushed manner
- You’re always depending on fast food or takeouts
- You feel guilty about what you eat
- You’re too strict with your food. You refuse to deviate from any set food plan you’ve made and can be too picky
- You deny yourself too much regarding certain foods
How to Have a Healthier Relationship with Food
The following are some ideas to improve your diet and food health.
Research and Plan Your Meals
This is fundamental for a healthy diet because it means you can find all variety of healthy ingredients and delicious recipes that you know you’re going to love. It also means that you can plan the correct portion amounts for yourself, and it eliminates any risk of last-minute takeouts or unhealthy eating.
You can also begin to understand more of what you do and don’t like, so you don’t risk eating any food which you’re not going to enjoy or which you don’t look forward to.
Understand Why You Might Have an Unhealthy Relationship with Food
It’s important to take a step back and think about why you might have a negative relationship with food. Does your lifestyle mean that you don’t have much time to cook? Are you unhappy in any aspect of your life, meaning you turn to comfort food? Or maybe you’re not an experienced cook, so you avoid trying any new recipes.
It’s important to get to the bottom of bad habits to tackle the reasons first. There may be a variety of others reasons you’re eating unhealthily, such as mental health issues which lead to compulsive eating. There’s always help available, like binge eating treatment.
Don’t Restrict Yourself Completely
A healthy diet and feeling positive about your food doesn’t come from completely canceling out anything you consider bad, like chocolate or more fatty foods. It’s all about moderation and limiting your intake in a healthy way.
The more you strive to restrict yourself completely, the more you will come to resent your diet, and the more likely it will be that you are tempted by bad habits and undo what you’ve already achieved.
Avoid Grocery Shopping When You’re Hungry
The chances are high that you’re going to buy a lot more than you need to if you’re shopping when hungry. Not only that, but you’re more likely to be tempted by sweet treats or unhealthy items. Always go shopping when you’re feeling positive and when you have a full stomach, so that you can stick to only what you need.