How can I stop feeling guilty about food?

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aladd2
aladd2 Posts: 70
in Health and Weight Loss
I feel guilty almost every time I eat, even if it is healthy, not really because I feel like I ate too much but because I always bloat and it makes me feel bad.
I feel even worse if I treat myself and have ice cream or cookies or whatever, even if it's just a little bit. I always feel like I have to go work out forever just to even it out. Like tonight I had one of those Edy's mini ice cream things & 3 no bake cookies then I went and did insanity for an hour and a half. Lol. I know this is not a good way to live my life, feeling guilty for enjoying my life but I can't help it. It's also really easy for me to binge eat so I'm afraid if I keep treating myself then one day I won't be able to stop and I'll just eat everything. How can i stop feeling guilty about food?

Replies

  • Elicur
    Elicur Posts: 78 Member
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    Honestly don't have a direct answer for you, but I struggled with that my entire life. Right now, I say to myself " You've gotta eat something, you're not a robot" and wing it.
  • sar1386
    sar1386 Posts: 39 Member
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    Hiya, I understand ur predicament, I think maybe if u started to see treat foods as a reward for your hard work rather than a reason to punish yourself then hopefully your inner u will start to feel less panicky about eating. Remember to think positive and say " I'm only feeling full (not bloated!) as I have eaten a really great healthy meal" hopefully that positive thinking will help u at dinner times when u are eating healthy. Remember we all need treats in our diet otherwise u wouldn't enjoy food as much, I hope I was able to help a little bit, I'm rooting for u:)
  • FitandFab33
    FitandFab33 Posts: 718 Member
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    I don't look at food as a treat or a punishment (and I'm quite a foodie)...

    I had issues with binge eating and guilt, and therapy was the only method of dealing with that that worked for me (and I tried a LOT of things). My "guilt" feelings with food were just manifestations of deeper issues from childhood, as is the case with many people with food issues. Talking to someone did WONDERS for releasing me from that guilt. A lot of insurance companies cover behavioral health (counselors etc) too.. it's worth a shot. Food is integrated into life- it's not something you can just avoid if you have issues with it. :-)

    There's also a book about guilt in general that someone recommended to me- I'll see if I can find it/get the title to you!
  • VorJoshigan
    VorJoshigan Posts: 1,106 Member
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    Years of therapy helped me a lot.

    Alternate option: study the molecular composition of your food and the physical/chemical processes your body uses to turn that food into movement/life/thought.

    Food is fuel. At the most basic level, you have to fuel yourself, or you will stop or perform poorly.
  • DanaNicolle
    DanaNicolle Posts: 16 Member
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    Try to look at your food as a "gift". When you eat something yummy, think of how amazing it is that this food tastes great, and is giving you sustenance. Food is supposed to taste good, and make you feel good, otherwise it would all taste the same. I had to learn that there were no "bad" foods, and that everything can be eaten in moderation. Once I learned that I could have that cookie, or an occasional ice cream cone, I began to truly enjoy it, guilt free. Just make sure you calculate the foods you love into your daily calories, and you won't feel deprived. The urges to binge will subside, when you realize you can enjoy those foods responsibly.
    As long as you stay within your calories for the day, you should be enjoying a balanced diet, complete with foods you enjoy. I used to have such a terrible relationship with food, but with time and patience you can begin to see food differently. I am down 60 pounds so far, and have 25 more pounds to go.
    Don't feel guilty, and keep working toward your goal :)
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    Food is not the enemy. Overeating is the enemy. Food is fuel. Food is necessary. Food is good and right. I've struggled with going through waves of massive binging and then feeling guilty and refusing to eat anything, and it can be hard to break that cycle. For me, it took working with a dietician to learn how to eat properly to get out of that rut of self destruction.
  • watfordjc
    watfordjc Posts: 304 Member
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    1) Say to yourself "food is fuel".
    2) The best time to eat something high in sugar is after exercise - say "I'm replenishing my glycogen stores".
    3) Calculate how many minutes you have to sleep to burn off the calories in a Snickers bar - "I burn calories 24/7 and don't need to exercise them off - my daily calorie goal already has my deficit built in".

    Among other things if trying thought reframing/cognitive restructuring.

    A counsellor/psychologist/psychiatrist/doctor/dietician/nutritionist/scientist/other-relevant-person for help if you know or suspect what the root of the problem is and think you might need a specific type of help, to find out if there is an underlying issue and what possible methods there are that might help, or to see things from another viewpoint (e.g. someone who has been there, someone that can explain the biological processes and the why, someone who had a similar goal to you with similar issues and how they overcome them, etc.)

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