Do you love food?

Ok, that’s kind of a silly question, but what’s your answer?

Do you love food?

All food or just specific foods?

I’ve always loved food, generally gravitating towards the sweet things. My mom is an amazing cook and baker, so I grew up making cookies with her and trying all kinds of new recipes over the years. As a teen I loved to bake cinnamon rolls, they were my absolute fave, I even considered them my specialty! I still love a good cinnamon roll…

Food is more than just food

But food is not just food, it’s so much more! It’s a cultural, social and personal thing that is rooted in our childhood experiences, family of origin and social circles. What we consider “normal” is likely different from others – this is obvious when we look at various cultures around the world.

I could talk about food all day (sorry family & friends!) and I love learning about it, but many people talk about food as a moral thing – “good” versus “bad” food, even associating this with themselves. Have you ever said “I’m being bad” as you are eating something sugary or deep fried?

Are you really bad?

Does what you ingest change who you are as a person?

No.

Your food choices are not you, they can certainly help build or hinder health but they are not a moral statement about you as a human being.

The point here is that choosing to see food as a means to support your health, build well functioning cells, supply energy and fuel your brain allows you to connect with food in a different way. In a healthy mental space.

Sometimes I choose to eat foods that are not health building, and I certainly enjoy those moments, but I then return back to the foods that fuel me. And I often notice how I feel more tired and less resilient when I eat certain foods, so I choose to eat these foods less often. As discussed in my post on healthy habits, food is not an all or nothing thing. There is flexibility within consistency (remember the 2 out of 3 approach!).

Extreme restriction isn’t helpful

Restriction and obsessive dieting is ineffective and can be extremely damaging to your mental and physical health. When restriction or unhealthy eating patterns continue it may develop into disordered eating, which is defined as anxiety around food, feeling shame or guilt around eating, rigid routines around food, meal skipping and more (1). Disordered eating has been associated with long term psychological distress and negative physical health consequences over the long term (2). If you feel like you might be in this category, check out https://nedic.ca/contact/ and reach out for help, you’re not alone!

I believe there is a better approach, one that supports your mental and physical health! Most of us are out of touch with our bodies and don’t pay attention to how we feel when we eat, often rushing through meals or almost forgetting what we ate while we watched TV or scrolled Instagram. Slowing down and eating mindfully can make a big difference, just noticing how you feel when you do this is a good place to start.

Quick Tip

Next time you sit down to eat (and please do sit down), take a deep breath before you begin and chew each mouthful slowly. Food is meant to nourish us, support our body, fuel our brain and provide us with the resilience we need to accomplish our purpose!

Next steps

If this all sounds foreign to you but you’d like to learn more, email me at hello@mindswellfed.ca and we can chat about what could move you forward. Or check out the other blog articles here to see what resonates with you.

As always, eat well and take care of yourself – there is only one you!

References:

Anderson, Marci. “What Is Disordered Eating?” EatRight, 26 Oct. 2018, www.eatright.org/health/diseases-and-conditions/eating-disorders/what-is-disordered-eating.
Kärkkäinen, Ulla, et al. “Do Disordered Eating Behaviours Have Long-Term Health-Related Consequences?” European Eating Disorders Review, vol. 26, no. 1, 21 Nov. 2017, pp. 22–28., doi:10.1002/erv.2568.