You may not realize it, but having an unhealthy relationship with food is often more common than you think. These relationships come in different forms and are expressed differently among people, which is why it can be difficult to clearly define what unhealthy eating patterns look like - After all we all have different lifestyles, food preferences and dietary choices.

Alongside this, living in a current society which heavily praises “healthy” or “clean” eating practices, it can be difficult for people suffering from orthorexia (Having a unhealthy obsessions with eating foods that are categorized as being “healthy”), as their eating habits are praised by diet culture even though their relationship with themselves, others and food is falling apart. But orthorexia is quite an extreme example and deserves a post of its own.

To put in simple terms, I wanted to write this post because I believe that a lot of people struggle with their relationship to food - they might not even be aware of it - simply because each day we are faced with so much media about diet culture and how we should live our lives and mostly how and what we should eat. I we try to fallow all those rules, over time it may become overwhelming, restrictive and damaging to our health, even when it is promoted as a “healthy option”.

I hope you find this post interesting and that you could help yourself or others if you do start noticing any signs of unhealthy eating patterns.

ROLE OF FOOD IN OUR LIFE

Before I get into how disordered food relationships look like and what are some of the common symptoms, I wanted to first talk about food, especially the role it plays in our life.

I want to emphasize that while eating food is essential for intaking energy and vital nutrients, it is not the only role that food plays in our life.

Below are some other reasons for why food matters to us:

Source of energy and crucial nutrients: Macronutrients and micronutrients
Cultural and social bonding: Celebrations (birthdays, weddings etc.), social gatherings, sharing experiences with others, creating memories
Emotional wellbeing: Providing comfort and feelings of nostalgia and happiness

I wanted to briefly talk about the role of food here because I believe that if we only see food as a means of energy and nutrients source, we increase our chances of developing disordered eating habits. We may start feeling guilty about having eaten something, overthinking our food choices or just being generally dissatisfied because food is not eaten to be enjoyed but because it is something that we “have to do” in order to merely sustain ourselves and stay alive.

SIGNS OF A UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

Feeling guilty after eating certain foods
Being constantly preoccupied and thinking about food (what I ate, what I will eat next, how much am I “allowed” to eat etc.)
Experiencing generally less pleasure from food and eating (feelings of anxiety)
Feeling tired or exhausted from never fully nourishing yourself
Labelling foods as “good” or “bad”
Restricting foods which are “bad” for you
Excessively relying on calorie counters and apps which track your calorie consumption and when/ what you can eat
Seeking excessive comfort in food (too much emotional eating)- could encourage binge eating
Ignoring your bodies natural hunger cues
Having specific “cheat days” where we endlessly indulge in things we otherwise restrict
Feeling lots of stress and anxiety when eating with others because we are concerned about what others may think of your food choices.

WHAT DOES A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE?

Giving yourself unconditional permission to eat the foods you enjoy in moderation
Respecting your bodies natural hunger cues (eat when hungry, stop when full)
Eating everything in moderation and not having off limits foods
Not letting the opinions of others control what you should be eating
Not feeling the need to justifying the food choices which you make
Understanding that you as a person are not defined by the foods you eat
You eat food because it makes you feel good and rules you, not based on calories or solely on specific nutrients

HOW TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHIER EATING PATTERNS

Giving yourself unconditional permission to eat
Being aware of your natural hunger cues
Practicing mindful eating (Click here to see my post on how to eat slower)
Don't labeling foods as “good” or “bad”
Seeking professional help if you need it
Prevent restricting food - Restricting foods only makes cravings of those foods worse
Don't only view food in terms of its nutrition - look at all the other parts it plays in your life
Pay attention to the language you use about food (clean, junk food, cheat meal, forbidden, superfood, healthy…)
Start taking gradual small food risks which feel scary to you
Not beating yourself up for any food related reason
Making sure you are eating enough for your needs (activity, age etc)
Regulating your social media intake (can have a big impact on how you view food)
Consider what a sustainable longterm eating approach looks like for you
Try keeping a food journal can work for some (If it brings you further anxiety, don't keep a journal)

Although this is a rather undiscussed and ignored topic, I feel that it is really important to make sure we are eating well for our needs and fore mostly keeping a healthy relationship with food.

Food is so much more than just calories, nutrients or energy, so make sure to acknowledge and respect that. Improving your relationship in this sense will give you so much more appreciation for food and your body, while also giving you a new sense of energy and freedom to carry through your days.

As a last note to keep in mind: Being healthy is so much more than just looking “healthy” on the outside, it is deeply rooted in how you feel on the inside which is ultimately controlled by the relationships you have with yourself, others, food, exercise and other daily activities.