nutritionist a few years ago Mia Rigden We shared our expertise on food freedom. As I read, I will admit that I was skeptical about what she was sharing. But I was skeptical that I would ever be able to release my alleviating food guilt. How can I truly feel free in a world filled with food rules, social pressures, and a constant tug-of-war between what I want to eat and what I think I am? must eat? But as I read Mia’s words, something clicked. Food freedom wasn’t about mindlessly eating whatever I wanted, it was about completely restructuring my relationship with food.
Mia defines food freedom as feeling confident and empowered in your food choices, loving what you eat, and letting go of guilt or stress about your plate. It’s about feeling energized, energized, in tune with your body, and creating healthy habits that fit your life and bring you joy. As someone who has struggled with negative thinking patterns around food for many years, this perspective resonated with me greatly.
How to completely break free from food guilt
For a long time I thought I was trapped in a cycle of shame and limitation. But Mia’s words offered a new path forward. By developing the habit of truly enjoying myself and understanding what nourishes my body, I was able to start trusting myself with food. The shift from control to empowerment felt life-changing. Inspired, we went deeper and shared the story. Lisa HaimI am a registered dietitian and mindful eating expert. Ahead, Lisa shares tips on simple, actionable ways we can all define our relationship with food and finally feel free.
The shift from control to empowerment felt life-changing.
What is food freedom?
Food freedom is the ability to be flexible in your food choices and use your values to help you decide what is truly important to you. When we gain food freedom, we feel tremendous power. It’s amazing to finally break away from “control” like dieting and calorie/macro counting and realize that the real power and control they seek comes from giving up control.
It may seem old and hard to believe, but when we remove the pressure we put on our external bodies and begin to trust our internal processes at work, we recognize that no food is “bad” and that we eat foods that are not. Being “nutritionally perfect” has no power to derail us or really affect our bodies. As long as we remain focused on the process and aware of our internal reactions.
How to change the way you think about food
Start noticing your thoughts about food. Many of us have food fears or specific ideas about what/when/how much we should eat. Once you start breaking them down (one at a time!) and challenging them, you can begin to build your inner wisdom. This is a modern mindful eating term used to describe the knowledge you have begun to gather about your own unique body.
Tips to help you deal with food guilt during the holidays
Here are some tips you can do to be more present for your loved ones without feeling overly full or wasting energy overthinking about food.
Find a safe place
As soon as you arrive at a place, find a place where you feel comfortable. My house is quiet, so it’s usually the bathroom. I usually go there first to catch my breath and check in on myself. I may or may not have to retreat there while eating. Many people can check in on their own without leaving the table. I think the holidays are harder. Because the laughter is loud and the pouring sound is loud. In some cases, there may be family factors, all of which can bring you down. So I need a place to check in with myself, give myself a pep talk, and evaluate where I am.
prepare
Do not enter any event without eating within the last 3 hours. this not so That means you have to eat completely before you eat and feel awkward while you’re there. At parties we lose control. You don’t decide what to provide, when to provide it, or how to provide it. All we can do is prepare as best we can. Don’t lose your cool over the salty and sweet brie and jelly sandwich. Stay calm, don’t starve yourself, and keep asking yourself what you want and how much you want it. And most of all, enjoy yourself. After all, you are there to have fun!
decide what you like
Buffets and large dinner parties make it difficult to choose what to eat. Instead, commit to one thing you really want and focus on that. Do you like sweet potatoes? exorbitant! Get excited about buying it and eating it. Don’t reach for what you think is “uh”. Look around, decide what you really like – what calls your name – and skip what doesn’t excite you. Pro tip: Don’t make this decision before you arrive. Let your body and intuition take the lead.
Don’t forget to have fun
Need to check out but feel like you can’t satisfy your hunger/cravings? That’s where “external wisdom” comes in. No one wants to feel painfully full without even enjoying their meal. Eat, have fun, and have fun – that’s what holidays are all about.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Camille Styles. All content provided by the author is the opinion of the author and is not intended to defame any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.
