How To Overcome Your Unhealthy Relationship With Food
This post is all about how to overcome your unhealthy relationship with food. Christ’s sacrifice was in exchange for your freedom — and that freedom includes food freedom!
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Having an unhealthy relationship with food might not be the most exciting thing to talk about, right?!
But you know what?
It’s something that a lot of women struggle with. Maybe it’s because talking about your eating habits can be really hard…
When you’re trying to figure out if you have a bad relationship with food, some of the questions you can ask yourself are…
- Do you experience feelings of shame or feelings of guilt when you eat a pint of ice cream?
- Do you see food as “good foods” and “bad foods?”
- Do you hide food or wait to eat when you’re alone?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might have an unhealthy relationship with food.
But guess what?
God is good, kind, and SO gracious. He loves you deeply and wants to be involved in every aspect of your life, including your relationship with food!
Today, you’re gonna learn what an unhealthy relationship with food looks like, the signs and symptoms of an unhealthy food relationship, and how to improve your relationship with food. You’ll walk away with some amazing tips so you can break free from your unhealthy relationship with food.
Unhealthy Relationship with Food
(You know I love a good definition, so here we go… 😉)
What Exactly is Health?
To truly understand what identifies “healthy” or “unhealthy” eating — we need to take a look at the definition of health before moving forward…
Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not simply the absence of illness.
For that reason…
When it comes to eating for good health — it’s super important to consider your mental health and your social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
If you experience severe anxiety, guilt, or shame around eating it can negatively impact your overall health.
Why do I say this?
Because although eating a balanced meal is important — it won’t solve an unhealthy relationship with food.
(Here’s what a generally unhealthy relationship looks like…)
What is the Definition of an Unhealthy Relationship?
“Unhealthy relationships are often marked by repeated behaviors, habits, and communication that make the relationship feel negative and almost unbearable for one or both parties involved.”
(So you might be thinking — what does an unhealthy relationship with FOOD look like, Wanda? I got you!)
Symptoms and Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship With Food
- Food Guilt
Do you feel guilt, shame, or anxiety about your eating habits?
(you’re embarrassed to let people see you eat…)
- Good & Bad
Do you tend to categorize foods as either good or bad?
(veggies are good, and sugar is bad…)
- Emotional Eating
Do you use food to soothe or comfort a difficult emotion?
(when you’re sad, angry, or tired, you turn to food…)
- Control
Do you feel out of control around food?
(you eat the sleeve of cookies or the pint of ice cream, one chocolate bar isn’t enough…)
- Obsess
Do you find yourself obsessing over thoughts and behaviors related to eating?
- Extremes
Do you lean toward excessively restricting your food intake or find yourself binge eating?
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Let’s pause here at “restricting” for a moment…
Unfortunately…
Social media influencers and diet culture promote unhealthy eating behaviors that are labeled as “wellness” — even if they’re not.
Restricting behaviors can include…
- eliminating entire food groups — like carbs
- not eating certain types of food — like processed food or “junk food”
- limiting sugar, gluten, or dairy
- following food rules — stop eating after 6m, fasting
Have you ever felt that restricting yourself from a food is a form of control that backfires? (I sure have!)
It’s really sad because restricting food means — food likely has a powerful hold over you.
Which leads to unnecessary fear and anxiety around eating.
The same applies to binge eating — it controls you and makes you feel guilty and anxious.
But food is a gift from God — He created a variety of foods for your enjoyment and nourishment.
(I mean, seriously, why else would food be SO yummy?!)
He intended us to be free to enjoy everything. #grace 🙌
Don’t get me wrong — I’m all about wellness. After all, I’m a fitness and wellness instructor…
Food IS meant to provide the energy, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to function properly.
Having said that…
It’s important you reflect on how your pursuit of “health and wellness” can endanger your relationship with food.
And it can negatively affect your mental health and social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
So…
Why do YOU have an unhealthy relationship with food?
Have you ever stopped to think about the powerful connection between food and your emotions?
- From family dinners to birthday parties to celebrations — food is always there!
- Food reflects your desires, values, culture, and beliefs.
- You use food as a way to express love and share precious moments with your loved ones.
However…
Relying on food for comfort can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food.
Especially when…
You turn to food to fill an emotional void or as a coping mechanism — to manage times of stress and negative emotions.
It’s no secret that social media often portrays an ideal body size as a smaller body.
And don’t get me started with diet culture! They are filled with opinions that can lead you to have a bad relationship with food.
Honestly…
Social media diet culture can kiss my *** — just kidding 😂!
The truth is, your uniqueness and individuality are what make you beautiful — God only designed one of you!
So let’s move on to how you can overcome your unhealthy relationship with food…
10 Tips How to Improve Your Relationship with Food
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Check out all of the FREE Body Image Related Resources here!
As a Christian, we can agree that you love God, right?
And you believe that He wants to help you in every situation, correct?
Assuming you answered yes, the very first step to overcome your unhealthy relationship with food is to…
- Talk to God Like a Friend
Today, try seeking comfort from God instead of food. Share your feelings, worries, and joys with Him. Because at the end of the day — when you seek God’s comfort — you’ll discover a new level of peace and understanding that can help you overcome any struggles you may face.
- Be Your Own Best Friend
Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend — with compassion and patience. Remember, your relationship with food might change as you go through different stages of your life — and that’s 100% normal.
- Reflect on Influences
Take a step back and think about where this behavior comes from. Sometimes, you don’t realize that your thoughts and beliefs about food and eating are influenced by past experiences, the people, and things around you.
- Let God’s Word Lead You
Approach your relationship with food with a renewed mind. This means to believe what God’s Word tells you. Avoid influences from external factors: a family member, diet culture, weight loss programs, or society in general.
Download Your Printer-Friendly Guide, Reveal the Power of God’s Promises, and Begin Your Journey to Emotional Wellness
- Listen to Your Body
Focus on nourishing your body and respecting your body’s natural hunger cues. You’ll be much better off when you tune in and listen to your body’s cues. Work on recognizing your hunger and fullness cues.
- Bye-Bye Food Rules
Lose the diet mentality and strict rules. Enjoy the eating experience. And be kind to yourself about your food choices. There is no such thing as one-size-fits-most. Not in clothes and definitely not with food rules…
- Enjoy Food Variety
Allow yourself to enjoy different kinds of food without labeling them as “healthy foods” or “unhealthy foods.” Savor the variety that God created for your enjoyment.
- Ditch the Calorie Counting
Pay attention to your body’s needs to be healthy and strong — rather than the number of calories in your food.
- Remember Your Worth
You’re not what you eat. Your value and worth aren’t determined by the food you eat or how much of it you eat. You’re the daughter of an amazing and wonderful Father.
- It all begins and ends with God…
Seek God’s comfort and guidance in this journey toward a healthy relationship with food. Because that’s the ultimate goal — a good relationship with food.
What does having a healthy relationship with food mean?
Well, it involves nourishing your body with proper nutrition while also enjoying yummy foods that make you feel good mentally and physically.
It’s about being able to eat different kinds of foods without feeling guilty or like some foods are bad and others are good.
Basically, it’s all about balance and feeling good about what you eat!
Congratulations on taking the first steps toward a healthier relationship with food!
Let’s wrap this up with a big virtual hug and a reminder that you’re not alone on this journey, my beautiful friend.
- Take a moment to let go of any shame or insecurities.
- Inhale courage. Exhale self-love.
Your relationship with food matters, and you have the power to shape it in Christ Jesus.
As you continue on your journey to overcome negative body image and meet your wellness goals…
Take these small — achievable steps today!
👉 Consider chatting with God like a friend today — seek comfort in His guidance.
👉 Promise yourself to practice self-compassion as your food relationship evolves.
👉 Don’t be afraid to seek professional help from an anti-diet registered dietitian.
Remember, you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God’s loving hands. He created you just as you are, and He wants to see you thrive in every area of your beautiful life!
You’ve got this!
This post was all about how to overcome your unhealthy relationship with food…
My prayer for you is that my decades of experience of — an all-consuming battle with the scale — self-worth struggles — and how God has radically worked on my heart will bless and inspire you!
You’re Invited…
You have an open invitation to binge on all of my posts — written with Holy Spirit-inspired words and filled with love just for you — my beautiful friend.
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Thank you for joining me on this journey. You are loved, precious, and wonderfully made.
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