Can you enjoy creamy mashed potatoes or your favorite holiday dessert without guilt later?

How you answer that question is an indication of your current relationship with food.

I teach people that having a healthy relationship with food means you can include all foods in moderation, without that sense of guilt.

However, this is challenging in a culture that deems certain foods “good” and other foods “bad.” Further, diet culture teaches that in order to lose weight you have to eat certain foods and avoid others.

So, how can we distinguish cultural lies from the truth?

One way is to understand how the body gains, maintains, or loses weight.

The truth is that if you consume more calories than you burn on average over time, your body weight will increase. This is known as a positive energy balance.

If you consume the same amount of calories as you burn on average over time, your body weight will stay the same. This is known as a neutral energy balance.

If you consume less calories than you burn on average over time, your body weight will decrease. This is known as a negative energy balance.

Understanding that energy balance alone determines weight change refutes the lie that certain foods are to blame. Hence, you can eat any foods you want and still maintain a healthy weight.

With that in mind, let’s look at three ways you can build a healthy relationship with food around the holidays.

1. Balance Pleasure & Purpose

The first way to build a healthy relationship with food is to balance pleasure and purpose in eating.

We eat food to nourish our bodies and to enjoy smells, flavors, textures, and temperatures of our food. If the pendulum swings to eating for pleasure most often, we can eat based on emotions (i.e. to celebrate, to feel better after a bad day, etc.) and won’t consider what nutrients our body needs.

If the pendulum swings to eating for purpose most often, we will eat based on rules and could ignore the need to enjoy what we are eating.

Work on meeting in the middle.

Choose foods that nourish your body. Use spices, herbs, and heart-healthy fats to maximize flavor. Prioritize cooking gradually to make it a life-long habit. Incorporate foods that are less nourishing for your body on occasion, and enjoy every bite.

Just know, if you can fall in love with foods that nourish your body, it will make staying in the middle easier.

2. Practive Mindful eating

The second way to build a healthy relationship with food is to practice mindful eating.

Mindful eating includes habits such as eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and focusing on the taste, texture, and temperature of each bite.

Mindful eating also includes only eating when you are hungry. Your body has ways of communicating physical hunger, such as light-headedness, headache, and growling of the stomach.

If you are not experiencing those signs, you may be experiencing psychological hunger. Psychological hunger is when a food sounds good for any variety of reasons, even though you’re not physically hungry.

Mindful eating helps you listen to your body and maximize enjoyment of food.

3. Focus on Connection

The third way to build a healthy relationship with food is to focus on connection at mealtime or celebrations.

Our culture uses food to be in community with others, which is a good thing. Whether you are at a party or dishing out a weekday meal for the family, focus on connecting with the people around you.

When we are truly present with our guests or family members, we can slow down and enjoy more of the experience.

Listening to your body, appreciating food, and enjoying people is a great way to celebrate the holidays, and everyday after.

How Can I Help?

If you struggle with your relationship to food, I would love to help.

Feel free to CONTACT ME HERE.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!