How to change your relationship with food

Are your current eating habits making you want to change your relationship with food? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn 5 steps you can take to heal your relationship with food.

Our life experiences shape our current relationships with food. Maybe you picked up some habits from your parents, guardians or siblings. Or, maybe you developed some of your own tendencies as a result of diet or even trauma. Over time, our relationships with food evolve and develop into what they are today.

Sometimes, the relationship we are left with is not necessarily beneficial. Fortunately, that can change. By learning about your habits and tendencies, breaking them and implementing new ones that incorporate balance, you can change your relationship with food for good.

I want to change my relationship with food

First of all, pat yourself on the back for just having this revelation and seeking support. Change is never easy and the hardest part is accepting that it is necessary. So you are already off to a good start!

When starting a journey like this, it’s important to set yourself up for success by using self-compassion from the start. Basically, relax a little. Just as we discussed earlier, our current relationships with food develop over years, not days. With that in mind, does it make sense to expect to change your relationship with food overnight? Of course not. Give yourself a break, expect high speeds and remember, change takes time.

5 steps to change your relationship with food

Below are the top 5 tips I can give you to heal your relationship with food. They will take you through the many facets of your relationship and teach you how to rebuild each one. Don’t forget to take it slow. I don’t recommend trying to do all 5 steps at once! Start with one or two, then move on to another when you feel confident.

Let’s get into it!

Practice Mindful Eating

Here at Nutrition Stripped, we believe there are two important aspects of good nutrition every day: what you eat and how you eat. The concept of mindful eating is more about how to eat than what or how much you eat. All you need to do is refocus on your dining experience.

Start feeling your food and being present when you eat your meals and snacks. Remind yourself that eating is not a chore, it’s not work, and it’s not a means of exerting control. It is a way to nourish your physical body, experience or share your culture and more. You can learn more about the specific principles of mindful eating here. If you just follow this one step, before you know it, you will change your relationship with food.

Stop following fad diets and detoxes

This is big. Just don’t do it. I promise it’s not good for you. Diets are meant to keep you coming back, they put you in what I call a diet cycle. It’s the “on-orbit” vs. “off-orbit” cycle.

Once you stop jumping on these trends, you will be able to develop consistency. You will be able to nourish yourself in a way that works for your unique body and not someone else’s. Remember, food trends are a marketing medium, they are a business. To change your relationship with food, you need to break the cycle of dieting.

Eliminate food rules

Then kick the food rules to the curb. No more eating this and not that, or this is right and this is wrong. Food doesn’t work that way, especially when you want a balanced, positive relationship with food. Dietary rules are restrictive and controlling. They leave you feeling deprived, anxious, and even ashamed.

If you want to change your relationship with food, you’ll have to leave the diet rules behind. If and when you hear yourself following or even reciting a food rule, take a moment to stop. Ask yourself, “Is this a food rule? How can I maintain balance with food without following this rule?’ Over time, you won’t need to pause. You will have changed your relationship with food and these rules will no longer serve you.

Prioritize both nutrition and enjoyment consistently

We definitely need both. In order to nurture our physical, mental and emotional health, both enjoyment and nutrition must be prioritized. When we say food, we mean foods that physically nourish your body. When we say pleasure, we mean foods that bring you joy, regardless of their nutritional content.

If you can ensure that the vast majority of your meals and snacks prioritize both of these factors, you’ll be well on your way to changing your relationship with food. You won’t feel deprived and eating won’t seem like a chore. Food will become a pleasant, easy part of your life!

Try using the Foundational Five system to add nourishment and enjoyment the easy way.

Stop thinking of food as either good or bad

In order to prioritize both nutrition and enjoyment regularly, this is very important. If you constantly feel like you’re eating, “bad” food every time you eat pleasure-based foods, you’ll constantly feel guilty and ashamed. Plus, if you always feel like you “should” be eating nutrient-dense foods, you’ll feel like eating is a chore.

Take ethics out of the equation to change your relationship with food. Begin to think of food as simple sustenance, pleasure, or a combination of the two. This is! At first, this may require correcting yourself or reminding yourself occasionally, but before you know it, this will become your reality.

The Takeaway

You are likely to change your relationship with food. It just takes a few simple steps and a little dedication. Anyone can have a positive balanced relationship with food. Sometimes, you just need a little support!

Want to be more balanced with your food choices?