Do you have a healthy relationship with food?

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  • plushkitten
    plushkitten Posts: 547 Member
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    I believe I have a healthy relationship with food, but I don't believe I have enough respect for my body.
    Over the years I've abused it in many many forms from, at one point I was restricting, another purging, and then another over-eating and bingeing almost every day...not to mention the other ways of abuse I would inflict upon myself.


    Now eating healthy comes easy to me because I am in a stable position where I can feel happy in my own skin and frame of mind.
    It's all about well-being for me.
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
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    I think it all has to do with "what are you eating for?" - I love to eat, I love the feeling eating gives me, and i do feel satisfied after... however, I also see food as "my fuel", without it I can't function therefore it is a necessity. So many people will argue that you can eat only once a day and as long as you get all your calories in its ok... my mentality is completely different - my own body now asks for the fuel every 2-3 hrs - and it is functioning at a better rate than when I used to skip meals and just eat larger.

    I think that for you to create a healthy relationship with your food your need to first identify the main reasons for eating it. Appreciate its value.
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    You all lucky :sad:
  • lmarshel
    lmarshel Posts: 674 Member
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    I was a smoker for 10 years and became completely obsessed about smoking...when was I going to take the next break to smoke a cigarette. If I was at an event that did not allow smoking, I was planning my escape to go have a smoke. I was smoking over 2 packs a day sometimes. When it finally hit me how obsessed I really was, I quit cold turkey and never went back.

    I think my relationship with food is very similar, but you can't just stop eating altogether. So I have to face my obsession on a daily basis. Whenever I make plans to go somewhere, my very first thought is always about what food will be available there and I start planning my meals. I've tried and tried to get away from that mindset, without success. It is better now, though. I've finally dropped the idea that I have to order the thing on the menu that will give me the biggest volume of food. And I can actually leave some food on my plate when we eat out...once in a while. LOL

    I think counting calories and tracking my eating is the healthiest thing I can do to deal with my obsession. It's the best I have for now. So I guess my answer would be...sorta. :tongue:
  • KristyJoy123
    KristyJoy123 Posts: 84 Member
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    No, I don't, and I know I don't.

    I know that when I'm REALLY upset, a full-flavored Dr. Pepper and a bag of salt & vinegar chips will cheer me right up. I know that's unhealthy, so I try to cope with my feelings another way.

    But every once in a while I give in to that craving. It still makes me feel better. I just acknowledge it and move on.
  • femme62209
    femme62209 Posts: 327 Member
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    No I do not have a healthy relationship with food. Before I was obsessed with eating way too much and now having to count every single calorie that touches my lips has taken my obsession to a whole new level. I like you am always THINKING about my next meal. I feel guilty, I feel happy, I feel confused about each meal. It can control my mood...I think this makes it unhealthy!


    This is me too! I often hear my family members and friends say that I am obsessive with controlling everything that goes into my mouth...and I probably am. And the feelings associated with it all are another story entirely! I suffer from extreme guilt over eating "bad" foods or going over my calorie goal. I know that this isn't a healthy way to approach food, but being extreme has helped me lose weight successfully. In my mind, I think that I'm doing what needs to be done for now. When I hit my goal weight and raise my calorie count, I think it will become easier to feel good about food and what I'm eating. I think the main issue behind all of this is that I'm terrified of gaining the weight back! Does anyone else feel this way? I mean, in my mind I know it's completely irrational to think that if I eat one meal at McDonald's that I'll gain back 74 lbs overnight. However, that does not mean that I don't freak out about eating it.
  • WhitneyAnnabelle
    WhitneyAnnabelle Posts: 724 Member
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    I've given up logging my calories for Lent because I feel like my relationship with food is getting really messed up by counting every little thing. I'm not giving up portion control and things like that, but I am going to try to relax a bit so I can reclaim my power over food instead of it having power over me, so to speak. Sounds kind of stupid, but I feel like I'm a little too obsessed with food, and it's not helping my weight loss/health in any way.
  • femme62209
    femme62209 Posts: 327 Member
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    I've given up logging my calories for Lent because I feel like my relationship with food is getting really messed up by counting every little thing. I'm not giving up portion control and things like that, but I am going to try to relax a bit so I can reclaim my power over food instead of it having power over me, so to speak. Sounds kind of stupid, but I feel like I'm a little too obsessed with food, and it's not helping my weight loss/health in any way.


    Wow! That's awesome for you to recognize what food is doing to you! I really admire your strength...now I'm thinking about giving up counting too...
  • Ruchgupt
    Ruchgupt Posts: 38
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    Nope. As someone else said above me, that's kind of how I got fat. I'm a total emotional eater. It's problematic, and I was thinking of going to a nutritionist/therapist combo to start helping me iron out my ~issues.
  • iluvmuddyjeeps
    iluvmuddyjeeps Posts: 16
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    i'm a stress eater, so no i do not have a heathly relationship with food. i am brand new to this website and my new found get fit attitude. i can use a lot of advice or suggestions on how to get over this stress eating. i also don't want to feel like i'm putting my son on a diet with me. i'm a single mother so i cook for just us two. he likes to eat "kid" foods and he gets them only in moderation because i don't want him to grow up and be over weight either. i guess i just haven't found that happy median on his meals and mine.
  • WhitneyAnnabelle
    WhitneyAnnabelle Posts: 724 Member
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    Thank you, Femme. It's taking a lot of strength to not calculate everything up! Haha. I don't know if I'll be successful the whole way through, but I know my husband is happy about it. When I told him, he told me it was starting to worry him but he didn't want to upset me. I'm glad he DIDN'T say anything, but I'm also glad he feels the way he feels about it. I needed to come to the conclusion myself.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    I think yes and no.
    1. I have definitely belonged to the clean my plate club -- and still belong there. This can be hard for me. Even now, if I start feeling full as I am eating. I just wait to see if I can finish. Especially when my meal is only 400-500 calories. (solution: smaller plates and different ratio of foods on the plate. Less rice, more veggies)
    2. Other than desserts, I don't really like heavy foods. I don't like cream sauce, mayo, too much cheese, most gravies. All of these things feel way too heavy for me and I can either only have a few bites or feel sick immediately.
    3. I have never really been able to eat until I am absolutely stuffed. Obviously this happens occasionally. I stop when I am full. I am working on stopping when I am 80% full.
    4. I like trying new foods, but for me there isn't a relationship between "exciting" and "good" food and the relative healthiness of that dish. Trying a veggie prepared in a new way is 80% as exciting as a unique pastry. Trying a new fruit is definitely as exciting as the pastry.
    5. My number one problem is portion control of empty calories. These foods don't make me full so I can eat tons of them and not feel like I am eating much. I try to eat these things only after having real food, so at least I'll be pretty full from the real food. I have been trying to save room for these occasional indulgences, just not every day. Some days are harder than others, but I am generally within my calorie goals, even if I make a bad choice along the way. I compensate in a future meal.
  • Italianyc84
    Italianyc84 Posts: 192 Member
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    I always hear people say they are emotional eaters--I never related to that. I've never been one to sit down and eat a whole bag of chips or a box of cookies. I've had weight issues because I love food--good food. I love to cook and am very interested in foods from all over the world, exploring markets, trying new preparations, etc. My problem isn't mindless snacking, it's second and third portions! I don't get "comfort" from it, it simply tastes good :-)
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    I've given up logging my calories for Lent because I feel like my relationship with food is getting really messed up by counting every little thing. I'm not giving up portion control and things like that, but I am going to try to relax a bit so I can reclaim my power over food instead of it having power over me, so to speak. Sounds kind of stupid, but I feel like I'm a little too obsessed with food, and it's not helping my weight loss/health in any way.


    Wow! That's awesome for you to recognize what food is doing to you! I really admire your strength...now I'm thinking about giving up counting too...


    If you can, do it now, before it goes further, trust me you'll thank me for that ahah
    Those "resolutions" are a thing I should/ many should tend to - it's a way of quitting that obsession, but acting that way needs time and "strenght". I'm no fool - I know what I should do - doesn't mean I'm able to do it - addiction/ obsession are what they are.

    I think there are for some things in Life an "escape window" which doesn't last - prevention is one of them. I missed it - guess what ?
    Now Food to me is a total abstraction, I mean it has been mentally personified. I can't eat without seeing the nutrient repartition everywhere, the calories, and any weird stuff that would make everybody run from me :laugh:
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    I always hear people say they are emotional eaters--I never related to that. I've never been one to sit down and eat a whole bag of chips or a box of cookies. I've had weight issues because I love food--good food. I love to cook and am very interested in foods from all over the world, exploring markets, trying new preparations, etc. My problem isn't mindless snacking, it's second and third portions! I don't get "comfort" from it, it simply tastes good :-)

    Same here, unless it's a very large meal, I always want MOAR!! Drinking a lot of water with a meal helps a little.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    strangely enough- though Im fine with food, its WATER that I have a messed up relationship with. I will drown or drought myself to ridiculous extremes based on my hormones and moods and emotional wellbeing. Its ridiculous. Pain in the butt.
  • Ruthaw1961
    Ruthaw1961 Posts: 42 Member
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    Great artical on eating

    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--14203-0,00.html?cm_mmc=NL-Nutrition82444202232012-_-Disordered+Eating
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    It depends what you mean by healthy. I think we all think everyone else just sees food as fuel and we are the only person who sometimes gets cravings or feels they need to control what they eat.

    I think compared to most people I do have a healthy relationship with food. Most women, anyway. I am maybe a little too controlling about what I eat, but I have a small frame, and really can't get away with eating excess calories, so I feel that having self control in my case is the healthiest option. I am vegetarian, and have a couple of allergies, so I have to be aware of what I eat, probably more aware than most.

    I don't comfort eat, or have issues with emotional eating. I don't really get cravings often, even when pregnant, at least not ones I can't ignore, and I have no interest at all in chocolate, cakes, biscuits or coffee, the things other people seem to fall down on so often. I just don't like those things, which probably helps matters.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I believe I have a very healthy relationship with food, but I've been thinking about it and I agree very much with the below.
    I guess it's a a double-edged sword, the obsessive tendencies are actually the key to success, but it's still an obsession.



    Do you regularly take diet breaks where you stop tracking?
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I always hear people say they are emotional eaters--I never related to that. I've never been one to sit down and eat a whole bag of chips or a box of cookies. I've had weight issues because I love food--good food. I love to cook and am very interested in foods from all over the world, exploring markets, trying new preparations, etc. My problem isn't mindless snacking, it's second and third portions! I don't get "comfort" from it, it simply tastes good :-)

    Me too. I don't and never have eaten junk food. I just love good food, and I am someone who feels hungry most of the time, I always have. I only ever eat things I love, I have never seen the appeal of eating for eating's sake. My food has to taste good.

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