Are you starving yourself and eating things that you’re not excited about to achieve a certain look or body type? There is a way out, and it's not a diet.
It’s time to change your mindset and make peace with food and your body once and for all.
My aim here is to help you make peace with food and your body by sharing my own personal journey towards mental and physical health. My aim is to give you hope in your own journey.
My Story
It took me a long time to get over my issues with food. I’ve been allergic to eggs, peanuts, and dairy at various points in my life, and it took me a lot of mental work to get past the restrictive behaviors that went hand and hand with these allergies. You can read more about my journey with allergies here.
In essence, I had to be obsessed with checking nutrition labels and ingredients to not get sick. It made me feel restricted, afraid of food at times, and embarrassed for being "picky" when I went out to eat with others. This is not healthy. You should order whatever you please. If you’re paying for a meal, you should not go home feeling sick or unsatisfied.
Here are 7 other secrets that helped me learn to eat intuitively and without restrictions, while still finding happiness with my body:
1. Be Mindful and Intentional With What You Eat
Slow down and savor every bite of food. Notice the taste, texture, smells, feelings that eating brings up.
If while eating, you notice that you are not totally into it, put it down and stop.
2. Listen to Your Body
If after having dairy or fake sugars, your tummy is constantly roaring, you probably weren’t meant to have those things! This sounds really simple, but it’s amazing how many people ignore the cues their body gives them only to wind up with more digestive issues later down the line.
Also, try to only eat when you feel hungry, instead of bored, sad, happy, socially pressured, etc. If you can’t tell the difference, start writing down how you feel every time you get “hungry” and eventually you’ll learn the difference.
3. Value Quality Over Quantity
If you’re eating the right things, your body will know when to stop. For instance, if you eat a whole organic potato versus a smaller serving of fast-food French fries, your body will be much better off in terms of nutrition. The main issues with processed foods are that they often destroy nutrients and add in chemicals and excess salt and sugar. You body can tell the difference. So stop fearing calories and start fearing fake foods and additives.
4. Protein First
If you’re ever hungry and not sure what you’re in the mood for, always opt for a protein-forward dish (i.e. sashimi, meatballs, salmon, sautéed tofu, etc.). The more protein you can get is always better for your body… and it’s really hard to O.D. on protein. Don’t fret.
5. Start Making Your Own Food
Buy whole, real foods and start to make your own recreations of your favorite store-bought or restaurant-made foods at home. You will gain a whole new appreciation for the food and satisfaction from eating something that you really worked for.
Also, you may want to savor it more due to the efforts that went into making it.
Lastly, by preparing your own dishes at home, you can keep them clean and free of unhealthy additives that you may not even know were in the bought items!
6. Integrate Exercise That You Love Into Your Daily Life
If you say that you “hate all exercise,” I won’t believe you. There has to be one thing you enjoy that counts as vigorous physical activity, whether it is a conventional “exercise” or not. If you’re a gamer, get a fitness video game. Too busy to workout due to your work schedule? Start walking or biking to work or get a desk treadmill. Have children that take up all your time and exhaust you? Start playing more physical games with them like tag, dancing, or hide and seek.
Get creative! There has to be one thing you like. Lean into it and prioritize it daily (or almost daily).
7. Treat Yourself Whenever You Feel Like It
Remember that a treat is a treat, not an everyday occurrence. I live for the 80/20 rule, friends. Balancing healthy choices with mindful indulgences will lead to a more positive relationship with food.
I hope that these ideas for how to make peace with food and your body were helpful. Let me know if you try any of them out in the comments section below or share them with someone you care about!
With Love and Light,
Linds
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