Day Six – Self Evaluation

Over the past week, I laid the foundation for why dieting doesn’t work and how diet culture has influenced our eating and desire to lose weight. Understanding this can allow you to take back your life and no longer allow food and dieting to rule you. This means allowing yourself to start to developing a positive relationship with food.

In most cases you are born enjoying food. Picture the infant who excitably takes breastmilk or formula. The older baby that can’t wait to eat food. Somewhere along the way you may have lost that joy.

Was it because of the food rules in your house? Were you forced to eat food you didn’t want? Did you have to sit at the table until you cried or gagged on food? Was the food you were served bland diet foods? Did you learn that food was something to be afraid of for fear of becoming fat? So many times early experiences with eating can interfere with the joy around eating.

As Ellyn Satter says, “When the Joy Goes Out of Eating, Nutrition Suffers.”

Before we move on it would be helpful to self reflect on your own joy with food and eating. 

Ask yourself these questions: 

1. I feel good about my eating?      Yes     or    No

2. I eat enough food for what my body wants and needs?    Yes   or    No

3. I enjoy eating food that I like?   Yes    or     No

If you answered no to any of these questions, you may be struggling with having a positive relationship with food. Reflect on where these thoughts could stem from?

When you can look forward to your meal or snack, you will be more content and satisfied. This can prevent the feeling of out of control eating and extreme hunger.

Over the next week, we will explore bringing joy back to eating.