This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

What's Your Relationship With Food? Friend or Foe?

How is YOUR relationship with food? Do you control it or does it control you? I would love to hear from you!

Lisa Walsh, SmartFitnessByLisa, Neighbor
|

What is your relationship like with food? Love? Hate? 

Comforting? Guilty? Do you feel like you are a “good” person when eating right, but a “bad” person if you eat too much? What DOES a healthy relationship with food even look like? Can you relate to these feelings? Can you identify with this list--you spend time on a diet, eating bland foods you don’t enjoy for a period of time, then you lose control and binge on junk food

  • You live for meals and eating

  • You quite often wish you could just eat whatever you want, and feel jealous of people around you and their “good metabolism”

  • You can’t get through a day without eating something sugary or fatty, in large quantities, no matter how much you don’t want to

  • You have been yo-yoing dieting for years

  • You think that there is great discipline in eating less so you deprive yourself constantly

  • You are preoccupied most of the day with what you are eating or how much you eat

  • You think very little about how the food you eat affects your health, or you
    obsess over it

  • You hide food or lie about what you ate to others

  • You use food to manage stress or emotions

  • You have strict definitions of “good” and “bad” foods

    • Stress less about what you eat. Additional chronic stress can release
    cortisol which will only create fat storing. When planning your meals, eat foods that have had a mother such as beef, chicken, and fish or foods that are from the ground like fruits and veggies.

    Find out what's happening in Hatboro-Horshamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

    Did you notice I didn’t include grains? Although grains are from the ground, they are processed to the point that they are no longer an acceptable food source. If you are looking for complex carbohydrates, consider having potatoes, brown rice, and all varieties of squash.

    Create balance in your life by eating healthy 80 percent of the time and 20 percent of the time you can have something you might be missing from your diet. With that said, have a cheat meal, not a cheat day. Make sure you are prepared with lots of protein and veggies for your subsequent meals because, for some people, this might lead to bingeing. 

    Find out what's happening in Hatboro-Horshamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

    A great example is to have a huge salad followed by a slice or two of pizza. This will keep you satisfied with a Friday night cheat without sending you completely off into an abyss of cookies, cakes, and cheesesteaks! 

    Successful nutrition and fitness will always have ebbs and flows—Stay FOCUSED and keep your eye on the PRIZE!!

    For your online or in-person fitness and nutrition needs, LIKE my Facebook
    page or contact SmartFitnessByLisa@comcast.net

    We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

    The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

    More from Hatboro-Horsham