How to stop food guilt?

by Ana | March 8, 2023 | Healthy Eating | Comments are off for this post.

Do these questions sound familiar before or after you ate something?

1. I should have had only one slice…
2. I shouldn’t have eaten that, too much fat, too many carbs…
3. I should eat less tomorrow to compensate…
4. Should I just go all in and start a new diet tomorrow?
5. I feel so bad for eating this…

There are a few reasons why you have developed food guilt in the first place:

Diet culture: diet culture has told us that certain foods are good and others are bad, therefore when we eat certain foods from the “bad list” it makes us bad, worthless, guilty and ashamed

Past trauma; trauma, abuse with or without food can make us feel guilty for eating certain foods

Negative perception: the more we have developed a negative self-image, the more we are inclined to think poorly of our eating habits

Society: every generation had an ideal body they adhere to. When we can’t comfort to it, we feel guilty how we look and eat

Here are some of the ways you can reduce and remove food guilt:

1. ??????????????????????Try to be present when you are eating: the less distracted you are, the more you can focus on the smell, taste, texture of all the foods without judgment. It’s important that your brain is recognising that there is pleasure in eating. When you eat in a rush just to get it over with, with all the negative thoughts associated with that food, guilt will stay with you.

2. ??Understand that there is no bad or good food. There are just more or less nutritious foods. Focus on nourishing your body instead of labelling food and yourself

3. When you notice that you are spiralling into negativity, ask yourself if this is actually true? Ask yourself where is the proof in what I am saying? Challenge your negative thoughts. I it really a crime if you ate a cookie?NO. Do you need a whole bag because you ate one? NO.

4. Talk to yourself like you would talk to a friend. There is no reason for you to think the journey will be flawless. There will be slip and those slips are gold mine. Why? They teach you things about your habits, about your mindset that you can learn from. Don’t worry about perfection