5 Vital Steps to a Healthy Relationship with Food

At one point in my life I thought I would never have a healthy relationship with food. I accepted this battle of wills as part of the human experience — and I was in for the long haul.

I had no trouble cracking the proverbial whip to keep myself nutritionally in line, but this type of force inevitably resulted in a backlash of inner rebellion.  And so ensued my “over-eat, over-exercise, under-eat, repeat” cycle.

Perhaps you can relate in your own personal struggle with food.

Do you find every new diet enticing enough to believe it’s finally THE ONE that will cure all your dieting woes and lead you to a trimmer, healthier, more stable-minded version of yourself for the “rest of your life”?

How many times have you gone down this exact path only to quit 3 days into the “diet” and resume your old habits?  Let me guess, too many to count?

It’s time to break free from “dieting”, from the constant struggle, from the doubt and guilt—from the yo-yoing between discipline and rebellion.

I did it. I’m free.

You can be free, too.    

• You can become less obsessed with counting calories and measuring out your macronutrients.
• You can begin to trust yourself to eat the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right times.
• You can do all of this without another strict diet plan to follow.

Here are 5 Vital Steps to creating a healthy relationship with your self and food:

1. Begin to View Food as Nourishment: Change your perception of food. It is not the enemy. At its most stripped down, food provides the basic constituents your body needs to survive—Gratitude will light your way to implementing this step.
2. Develop Awareness around Hunger & Satiety Cues: Develop an understanding of true physical hunger, satisfaction, and fullness. Learn how they differ from emotional hunger, satisfaction, and fullness—Curiosity will be illuminating on this step.
3. Boost Hydration: Adequate hydration can solve a multitude of dieting woes. From improved energy and digestion to curbing food cravings and over-eating, water is a vital component to maintaining a healthy body and relationship with food—Frequency is the cornerstone for success on this step.
4. Identify and Remove Foods that Don’t Serve You: There are foods, maybe even food groups, that trigger dysfunction in your body—you may even know what they are already but struggle to fully stay away from their temptation—Respect your body as you approach food choices one small change at a time.
5. Get in the Habit of Planning & Being Prepared: You’re either planning to succeed or planning to fail. It really comes down to that simple (and, yes, harsh) reality. You have the power to choose what goes in your body and when— Consistency is the foundation for success on this step.

Choose just one of the 5 steps and you’ll begin to dive deeper into creating a healthy and lasting relationship with yourself and the food you eat, which is imperative to understanding your needs and being able to meet them.

By following these 5 Vital Steps, I now experience a relaxed, joyful state of mind around food. I neither binge nor restrict.  I love food. I trust myself and I pay attention to my needs. I nourish my body. Most importantly, food is fun again!

Freedom is within your reach. The daily struggle, the constant fear, and the anxiety surrounding food will dissipate if you commit to making these 5 vital steps a way of life.

Written By Missi Holt