[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Individuals’ relationship with food is often complicated and multilayered due to the complex nature of food. Food is not only a source of nutrition, but it is also associated with love, family connection, social events and observing religious holidays. When individuals are encouraged to explore their relationship with food, some realize that food for them is a companion that they reach to when feeling lonely or bored. Others relate it to a source of comfort when feeling sad. Some use it as a friend to celebrate with when happy. Hence when trying to establish a healthier relationship with food, it would self-defeating to just shame and judge oneself rather compassionately explore ones deep-rooted beliefs about food.

Key Points You Should Know about Eating Habits

1. “Good and Bad foods”: Many individuals categorize food as either good or bad. Some meals are now labeled “cheat meals” or “cheat days.” Such mentality promotes an ideology that one is either being good or bad, eating clean or dirty, leading to feelings of shame, and guilt. Rather individuals are encouraged to perceive food as an experience of nutrition, sensation and satisfaction.

2. “Giving up on body look good”: Many individuals try to change their eating habits in order to change the way their body size or shape to fit into perceived socials standards of a bodies. One needs to develop an acceptance that the bodies come in different shapes and sizes and it is not required to fir into any standards. The body is vehicle to be taken care of but not to flaunt to others.

3. “Develop a connection to your body”: The body knows best what it needs. It will crave sugar when low on energy, sodium when lacking minerals; hence connecting to one’s body is the best way to develop healthy eating habits. Meditation and mindfulness are the best practices to establish such connection.

If you’d like to get a professional consultation about your food habits and how they are tied to your mental health, don’t hesitate to contact our eating disorder therapists.