Having a healthy relationship with food can mean many things. But from a holistic point of view, it means knowing how to take good care of yourself through proper nutrition. However, for many people, developing and maintaining a healthy relationship with food can be difficult; sometimes even seemingly impossible.
If you are one of these people, here are the best ways to improve your relationship with food effectively:
1. Explore other types of food
It’s important to step out of your comfort zone when it comes to food at least once in a while. If you’re visiting a yoga cleansing retreat center that serves vegan food, for example, make it a point to try dishes that you’re unfamiliar with. Sure, you may not like the taste of some foods, but broadening your experience with food is a great first step to improving your relationship with it.
2. Eat a balanced diet
It’s true that the phrase “eat a balanced diet” is an overused health tip, but that’s because it’s the standard of proper nutrition. Eat enough calories and macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) that your body requires on a daily basis to keep all of your bodily functions running normally.
3. Avoid fat diets
In conjunction with the last tip, it’s important to avoid fad diets so that your relationship with food remains healthy. Fad diets usually restrict or eliminate certain nutrients or food groups to achieve a calorie deficit. However, even if you lose weight and seem healthy using this fad diet, you may be causing harm to your overall health.
4. Prioritize nourishment over pleasure
The main goal of eating is to give your body the nutrients it needs to ensure your physical wellbeing. But sometimes, we eat solely for pleasure.
While there’s nothing wrong with eating the foods you like, it becomes irresponsible when we overindulge. To maintain a healthy relationship with food, your main goal should be to nourish your body with healthy foods and to please your tastebuds as well.
5. Avoid obsessing
There is no perfect diet to strive for, so there’s no point obsessing over the things you eat. Yes, we should be mindful of what we put in our bodies, but there’s a fine line between being mindful and being obsessed. As you’re nourishing your body with a complete diet, avoid recording every single detail of what’s on your plate; obsessing over your food will do nothing but harm your relationship.
6. Practice eating in moderation
A plate of burger and fries is not a bad meal. At the same time, a bowl of salad with no dressing is not a good meal. Food is food. And because some foods have more calories than others, the trick is to eat everything in moderation. So, don’t feel guilty about eating a chocolate bar once in a while. As long as you maintain a balanced diet, treating yourself to a nutritionally-dense food is not bad for you.
Developing a healthy relationship with food is just as hard as maintaining it, but the only way you can find out is to start now. If you think your relationship with food can use some work, keep these tips in mind.
