Food is one of nature’s most fundamental necessities, yet our connection to it is not limited to a mere physical need. Food is a necessity for our existence in this world, but beyond the basic need, food is an emotion, culture, memory, and relationship. Compulsive eating is a type of eating disorder that has various detrimental effects on the body and mind. Fortunately, you can start taking measures in order to establish a more positive relationship with food. Here are some tips:
Listen To Your Body
One of the most fundamental principles of having a healthy relationship with food is the ability to understand when one is hungry or full. Do not neglect the signs like a rumbling stomach, fatigue, headaches, and irritability – they are signals that you need to eat. Similarly, if you feel drowsy, bloated, or nauseous after the meal, it may well mean that you have eaten enough. This is due to the fact that eating depending on the body signals as opposed to the emotions or the circumstances in which one is in will assist to encourage the practice of the mindful eating. It also becomes easier to regulate portion size and avoid both overeating and undereating as time goes on.
Be mindful of feelings towards food In a recent study conducted by the International Journal of Eating Disorders, three major areas of concern were identified which are emotions towards food.
Both the frequency and the content of your meals can be quite controlled by your feelings and emotions. Stress for instance may lead to you using food to cope with stress such as taking more baked foods than you ought to. Nonetheless, emotional eating is usually followed by regret, guilt, or shame. If you notice that you are using food in a way that is not related to actual hunger, take a deep breath. For instance, instead of heeding the call to grab a snack, you should ask yourself: ‘Am I truly hungry right now, or is it that I am stressed, bored or lonely, or maybe frustrated?’
Furthermore, one needs to be aware of feelings before, during, and after consuming food. The subconscious feeling of guilt over the foods one consumes means that it affects one’s judgement while eating addictively and feeling full leads to satisfaction. It is important to choose healthy foods you love and allow yourself a few liberties of eating foods you fancy without any guilt.
Discover Intuitive Eating Principles
Intuitive eating is an empirically supported approach aimed at teaching individuals a constructive, non-conflictual relationship with food. Core ideas include: eating when you are hungry; not going on a diet; enabling you to eat foods you like; accepting all food so that none are forbidden; and engaging in physical activities you enjoy. In contrast to the strict rules regarding dieting, intuitive eating is a concept that helps you get back to the natural signals about when, what, and how much to eat.
Although it requires practice, accepting the tenets of intuitive eating sets the foundation for a more trusting and compassionate relationship with food. As you become confident in responding to physical more than emotional eating cues, you regain control over decisions that feed the body properly.
Cook More Often
Eating home cooked meals as much as possible is beneficial for a number of reasons as explained below. First, it usually promotes an increased intake of nutrient-dense, whole, clean foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Second, home-made meals enable one to decide what to include in a meal, the proportion of sugar and salt to be used and the amounts of food to be consumed. Third, preparation of foods has been associated with increased meal satisfaction, as well as increased appreciation of foods. This type of writing skillfully guides the reader through the different stages and shows that taking one’s time to chop, stir, and simmer can turn eating into a meaningful activity.
Begin with testing new recipes that contain limited quantities of healthy ingredients like olive oil, garlic, lemon, ginger, greens, and plant-based proteins. Cook a grain such as quinoa or brown rice along with roasted vegetables at the beginning of the week in order to have quickly assembled sides to accompany the protein of each night.
Cultivate Mindful Eating Habits
In other words, mindfulness is the act of intentionally focusing on what is happening at the moment and doing so without criticism. When mindfulness is taken to eating the act slows down to increase awareness of the textures, aromas, flavors, and satisfaction level in a food. Here are some ways to eat more mindfully:
• Switch off all distractions such as television or phones and pay attention to your meal
• Chew the food slowly and carefully enjoy the taste and texture of the food
• Put down the utensils often and take a break before eating the next bite.
• Try to pay attention as to when you start to feel full, which is usually halfway through the servings.
• Think about how the presented meal influences your mood, energy, etc.
Practicing mindful eating daily allows you to become more conscious of such unhealthy behaviors as eating hastily, eating when distracted, or when already full. The more you develop your awareness regarding foods, the better you becomes at making changes towards healthier actions.
Encourage Creation of Social Relationships Involving Eating
In the company of other people, meals become moments of even stronger connection as well as sustenance. Focus on meals that bring people together, from a family dinner with loved ones to a night out at ethnic restaurants you have never visited before. Food helps to break the ice and when people are together in a conversation, the door is open for support or valuable experiences. When eating alone avoid eating at counters, instead find a place where you can sit alone but be able to observe people for instance park benches or cafes.
Lastly, a patient relationship with food involves a deliberate choice of what to eat, why, and in what proportions. Begin to pay attention to signals that indicate the body is hungry. Begin to wonder about the causes of emotional eating. Practice intuitive eating and mindful eating. Try to adhere to the communal meal plan as often as is feasible. If you make an attempt, it is not impossible to make food your friend, a source of energy and pleasure rather than a problem in your life.
