How to enjoy all eating occasions
Social occasions involving food shared with family, friends and acquaintances are positive experiences that should be enjoyed by all.
However, for many of us, food social occasions can be uncomfortable, stressful and thus regretful.
This is often due to our warped mindset and approach to eating that many of us have.
Keep reading to find out how to enjoy all eating occasions whilst caring for your health.
Get your focus right
Do any of these statements sound familiar? - “I stuffed my eating today, I’ll just start again tomorrow”, “I’ve already eaten way too much so I may as well keep going” and “this is too hard, what’s the point”.
Each of these statements communicate a diet mentality rather than intuitive eating and health.
Your health is important which includes your:
mental health (cognitive, emotional and social),
sleep quality,
blood sugar levels (headaches, dehydration, diabetes),
cholesterol levels (heart health),
liver health (alcohol)… plus so much more!
Weight (important for lowering risk of various conditions and diseases).
Have a balanced approach to eating
Now that your focus is on your physical and mental health, you are able to start moving towards a more balanced approach to eating.
Remember, all foods are acceptable, and this includes discretionary foods! (e.g. cake, ice-cream, potato chips, alcohol).
If you have a “good” (e.g. vegetables, fruit, plant based) and “bad” (e.g. chocolate, dairy, gluten) mindset towards food then this is going to keep you inside that small, restrictive, stressful box that contains all things dieting mentality, rather than moving towards balanced eating, or also known as intuitive eating.
Intuitive eating encompasses rejecting the dieting mindset or culture and caring for your health by:
honouring your hunger in listening to your hunger and fullness cues,
making peace with food by enjoying all foods without judgement and thus no negative feelings, thoughts and sensations attached,
eating with purpose and regarding eating as an enjoyable experience,
acknowledging, accepting and respecting your very real feelings and emotions, rather than eating as a means of coping or numbing how you’re feeling (emotional eating),
esteeming your body and who you are as unique and wonderful - there is only one you!
When eating throughout the day, aim to choose a variety of foods from the five food groups and if you want a discretionary food, go for it (“I give myself permission).
Eat mindfully
Intuitive eating and mindful eating different concepts that are needed together.
To eat mindfully simply means to be present in the eating moment.
Each time you go to eat, take a moment to consider your eating environment (is it quite or full of noise and distractions?), speed of eating (are you chewing thoroughly, finishing a mouthful before taking another?), the food you are eating (what smells, textures and tastes are you experiencing?) and are you listening to your body’s internal signals (am I satisfied, still hungry or full?).
It can take a little practise but as you stick with it, this will become a new and life-long habit.
Enjoy life
Where are you holding yourself back and why?
There is no truth in believing thoughts such as, “I must get my eating sorted before I can enjoy life”.
No! You have to challenge these negative and untrue thoughts.
You are as you should be right now - this is esteeming yourself and is an essential component to intuitive eating, rejecting the dieting mentality and building your self esteem and worth.
If there’s an activity you want to enjoy, then go for it! - take yourself out of that small, restrictive, stressful box!