How Do You Relate To Food?
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As humans, we are reliant on food for survival; it is one of our most basic needs. Despite this, many of us have a complicated and sometimes difficult relationship with food. This can be problematic, as unfortunately we cannot avoid food if we are to survive.
We all have a relationship with food in some way, but for some people it can be a rather unhealthy relationship. Ultimately, this can lead to obesity and other health problems.
However, it is possible to have a perfectly healthy relationship with food and prevent obesity and the other health issues that can arise as a result, so all is not lost if they way you relate to food is less than healthy.
Disordered Eating
Although only a minority of people has a diagnosed eating disorder, there is a much more common version called disordered eating. This is an unhealthy and obsessive relationship with food and can develop into an eating disorder.
There are key signs such as permanently being on a diet; only thinking of food in black and white terms and mismatch between perceptions of weight and actual size.
One of its hallmarks is living to eat, instead of eating to live.
Despite trying to diet, individuals can become overweight and eventually obese as they may binge eat when they are on their own.
In The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook, you’ll learn skills and nutrition guidelines recommended by doctors and therapists for healthy eating and how to quell the often overpowering urge to overeat. Using a variety of practices drawn from complementary and alternative medicine, you’ll replace unhealthy habits with nourishing rewards and relaxation practices. If you feel like you’re caught in a cycle of unhealthy eating that you can’t stop, this workbook can help you overcome it.
Food And Emotions
Food is hugely connected to our emotions and it is a complicated relationship. How many people turn to food when they are feeling down or sad?
Food can be comforting but unfortunately this can become more than the odd comforting cake. For some people, possibly who are experiencing chronic stress, they eat to make themselves feel better, and this becomes hard to stop doing.
Eventually, this can lead obesity, as it is often only unhealthy food that provides comfort. Individuals who have a negative relationship with food can find themselves unnecessarily hard on themselves when they overeat the wrong foods. They can effectively punish themselves for wanting the food and giving in. This can significantly increase the stress they feel, and over complicate their relationship with food as they are associating more negative emotions with food.
When we constantly feel hungry and overeat, sometimes it’s not about the food. In this important book, a weight management expert presents the proven-effective Anchor Weight Management System to help people finally end their struggles with emotional eating and weight gain. The Emotional Eating Workbook: A Proven-Effective, Step-by-Step Guide to End Your Battle with Food and Satisfy Your Soul
A More Positive Relationship With Food
There are some characteristics of a positive relationship with food that most people can identify with. For example, it is perfectly acceptable to have everything in moderation, even the convenience food and alcohol. The key to not gaining weight is to have it in moderation. It is when this is not followed and these foods are consumed excessively that obesity can be a problem.
People with a healthy relationship can think mindfully and sensibly, about their food; if they fancy chocolate ice cream they will wait until they have had their next meal. This is so they will eat much less of it, but still enjoy the bit they do have. They also routinely leave half their dessert uneaten, when eat dessert. They rarely obsess over junk food, but choose healthy whole food meals instead.
Again, this can prevent becoming overweight and eventually obese as the ice cream and other unhealthy treats are being consumed in a much smaller portion. People with a positive relationship with food are able to open a bag of sweets or chocolate and only consume a small handful; those with a negative relationship with food will often eat the whole bag in one go. Again, this leads to obesity, as it is far too unhealthy to consume that much chocolate or sweets all at once.
Food As A Drug
For many, food becomes a drug and really, the foods made in factories are created to be addicting as they stimulate the pleasure centers in the brain making it difficult to avoid being addicted. With all the choices, we have in junk and processed foods many fall victim to it to their own inevitable demise.
Those who have deep-seeded emotional problems and associate food as the band-aid, or were taught to use food as a coping mechanism in childhood are doomed to have a negative relationship with food that begins to serve them in ways other than simple sustenance for survival.
Food is inevitably part of our daily life and unfortunately, we cannot escape it, as it is so critical to our survival. Unfortunately, this vital need can create a complex and sometimes unhealthy relationship with food, which ultimately causes many people to be obese.
Recognizing the signs and addressing them accordingly can ensure a more positive relationship with food. If you eat when stressed, routinely over eat, or eat behind any emotions you can get help, and you should as dealing with the root causes and your perception of food can alleviate this issue and lead to a healthier life and body.
