HOW DO YOU RELATE TO FOOD?

Our relationship with food is one of the most important relationships in our lives. Imagine a life without eating; clearly, we wouldn't survive. Most of us have had a bad relationship with food at some point. We often don’t understand the importance of having a healthy relationship with food and instead develop feelings of guilt. We think that if we eat too much, we’ll gain weight, and while weight issues are common, we all want an attractive physical appearance. Our looks are important in today’s society.

This mindset distances us from what healthy eating truly is for our bodies and minds. We need to get rid of the idea that not eating is the key to weight loss or that eating less is the secret to an attractive body. This thinking actually destroys our bodies and minds, leading to a toxic relationship with food and potentially causing eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

The key takeaway is that we need to see food as the source of nutrients our bodies need to live healthily. We should pay attention to what we eat and consciously choose 100% natural products, avoiding ultra-processed foods. By doing so, we’ll realize that food isn’t bad; it’s our poor food choices that are.

Eating consciously means understanding that each food group is important for our bodies and minds. This helps us make better food choices. When we prioritize natural foods, we see the results in our bodies and realize that we can eat four times a day without gaining weight. Ideally, we should have three main meals and a snack, or just three main meals, depending on the person.

I share this from personal experience. I haven’t always had a healthy relationship with food. I once followed absurd diets like only eating onion soup or green apples—a total madness. I was approaching health problems that, thank God, I could prevent in time. I share this because I don’t want anyone to feel guilty about eating, but I do want people to have a conscious, healthy relationship with food.

Today, I feel very happy and grateful for my relationship with food. I don’t feel guilty when I eat, and I consume all food groups. I pursued studies in nutrition and health, and as a wellness coach focused on forming healthy eating habits and a personal trainer for women, I want to help others develop a healthy relationship with food, their bodies, and their minds.