Did you now that at any one time two-thirds of Britons are on a diet and 45 million Americans go on a diet each year? So, how do you make peace with food. Read our guest post from Madison Surdyke, an integrative nutrition health coach.
Get Clear On Your Intention
The first step to finding food freedom is all about uncovering what your intention is and your big WHY’s for wanting to make peace with food and your body. Intention is all about getting really honest with yourself and uncovering the limiting beliefs that have been holding you back and identifying new, empowering beliefs.
Why do you want to make peace with food? How will it make you feel? What will it mean for you if you do? What are the consequences if you don’t?
Break Free From the Diet Mindset
The diet mindset (or diet mentality) is that sneaky voice in your head that tries to decide your food and exercise choices for you without taking your internal body cues like hunger, fullness and satisfaction into account. The diet mindset is basically the “shoulds” and “should nots” of eating and exercise. The diet mindset destroys the trust in your body because the “rules” you create micromanage your food and exercise choices, ignoring how you feel.
First, start by recognizing the ways it shows up for you and affects your life. How much time do you spend thinking about food and your body? How much money do you or have you spent trying to change your body? How has the diet mindset affected your relationships, social life, mood and happiness?
You Know What’s Best For You
YOU are the ONLY person who knows what is best for you. Stop listening to outside sources to tell you what, when and how much to eat or exercise and get rid of your dieting “tools”. Take back your power and freedom. Say buh-bye to meal plans, diet books, diet foods, your scale and anything else you associate with “controlling” food and your body. These “tools” just only serve one purpose and that is to keep you preoccupied with food and your body.
Make Peace With Food – Foods Are Not Good Or Bad
Foods are not inherently healthy or unhealthy and you are not “good” or “bad” for eating certain foods. For example, if you were really hungry and craving something heavier and warm with a salty flavor, an orange really wouldn’t be a “healthy” choice because it would be denying your needs. In that case, a burger would actually be a better option.
Give Yourself Unconditional Permission
This means eating what you want, when you want and in the amounts you want without punishing yourself with “counteracting” behaviors. When you know whatever food you want will always be available, it loses power over you. Giving yourself unconditional permission to eat what you want ultimately results in variety and balanced food choices. You’ll want to feel good and feeling good comes with listening to YOUR individual needs.
Let Go Of Your Food Rules
A big part of making peace with food is letting go of your food rules. Think about all of the rules you have created for yourself. Is there one that might feel okay breaking? Can you experiment with allowing yourself to break this rule? Try to have compassion for whatever comes up for you. Notice how you feel before and after. Was it liberating? Are you ready to tackle another one of your rules? See if you can begin conquering your food rules one at a time at a pace that feels comfortable and safe for you.
The first time I did this was absolutely terrifying. I went to the store and bought white powdered doughnuts. I loved them as a kid and was so curious to see if they were still as good as I remembered. They sat in my pantry for a few days before I finally mustered up the courage to eat one. I ate a bite. Nothing happened. Then I kept eating. Still nothing. I finished the doughnut. And guess what? Still nothing! I was still alive and well. Nothing bad happened. I felt fine. I actually felt better than fine. I felt liberated. I felt proud. I felt like a weight was lifted off of me. I was FREE to eat whatever the hell I wanted and there was nothing to be afraid of.
Envision A New Relationship With Food
When you are struggling with a certain food situation, see if you can visualize the situation playing out perfectly in sync with your vision for your ideal relationship with food. Close your eyes and really picture it. What does it look like? How do you feel? Imagine yourself navigating the situation with confidence, ease and pleasure. Think about how good it will feel to listen to and trust your body.
Then when that situation arises, see if you can play out that vision. Afterwards, notice how you feel about the experience. Was it better than allowing your fear to run the show? Do you instead feel free and confident?
Take A Second Picture
For example, if you are nervous about going to a friends potluck party because you’re worried you’ll get “out of control”, take a second to picture what you want the experience to look like instead. Maybe you walk in and are so excited to see your friends. You aren’t obsessing over the food so you hang out and chat with your friends for a little while, and sip on some wine. You start to gently notice you are getting hungry so you head to the food table. You feel free and at ease. You choose the foods that will taste good and make you feel good without too much thought. You savor and enjoy every bite and you stop eating when you’re perfectly comfortable. Then you go back to chatting with and enjoying the time with your friends. You leave feeling happy, confident and satisfied.
The more you do this, the easier it will become. It will feel so good to have positive food experiences that you’ll keep adopting new beliefs and behaviors that allow you to do that. Eventually, it will feel natural and you won’t even have to think twice about it.
Wanna Learn More?
Schedule a free initial health consultation with me. It will be opportunity to be heard and to get a sense of what it feels like to have more support in your life. You’ll also learn how you can finally make peace with food and your body by working with me in my health coaching programs.
If you like this post, why not read our 20 tips for a healthier and happier you or 6 steps to break free from the comparison trap.
Bio
Madison Surdyke, the founder of Sunny Thymes, is an integrative nutrition health coach on a mission to help women transform their mindsets, make peace with food and their bodies and reclaim their freedom in life. She is also a recipe developer and food photographer, providing you will a variety of fun, delicious recipes to allow you to discover which ones satisfy you and feel good in your body.
