How to Recognize an Unhealthy Relationship with Food
Notice if you think about food all the time., Decide if you use food to control part of your life., Evaluate your feelings about food., Think about how you talk about food.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Notice if you think about food all the time.
If you have an unhealthy relationship with food, you may think about it all the time.
You may obsess about it, whether it’s what you are going to eat, when you are going to eat, what you can’t eat, how you’re going to prepare it, or anything else.
Thinking about food all the time and feeling upset about it can point to a problem.For example, you may think about how you want chocolate cake, but you can’t allow yourself to have it.
You may think about the fact that there is another two hours before you eat, or that if you eat the chips you really want then you will be a failure. -
Step 2: Decide if you use food to control part of your life.
Many people who don’t feel in control of their life may find any way to gain control.
For some, this could be through food.
You may become obsessed with controlling what goes in your mouth, which can lead to unhealthy perceptions of food.For example, you may eat less or more food to gain control, which can lead to eating disorders. , Food is fuel for our bodies and nourishes us.
You can live a healthy lifestyle and eat three meals with snacks throughout the day.
You should be honest about your feelings concerning food.
This can help you determine if your relationship with food is healthy or not.For example, if you think of any food, no matter how healthy or good for you, as bad, you may have a problem with food. , The way we refer to food can be telling about our relationship with food.
Do you think of food in “bad” and “good” categories? This can be the start of an unhealthy relationship.
Thinking that you can earn a certain food, making a list of “approved” or “guilt-free” foods, and thinking of “cheat” meals may also point to problems.For example, you may say, “I can’t eat that.
It’s a bad food,” or, “I guess I could eat that, but only because it’s a cheat meal.” -
Step 3: Evaluate your feelings about food.
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Step 4: Think about how you talk about food.
Detailed Guide
If you have an unhealthy relationship with food, you may think about it all the time.
You may obsess about it, whether it’s what you are going to eat, when you are going to eat, what you can’t eat, how you’re going to prepare it, or anything else.
Thinking about food all the time and feeling upset about it can point to a problem.For example, you may think about how you want chocolate cake, but you can’t allow yourself to have it.
You may think about the fact that there is another two hours before you eat, or that if you eat the chips you really want then you will be a failure.
Many people who don’t feel in control of their life may find any way to gain control.
For some, this could be through food.
You may become obsessed with controlling what goes in your mouth, which can lead to unhealthy perceptions of food.For example, you may eat less or more food to gain control, which can lead to eating disorders. , Food is fuel for our bodies and nourishes us.
You can live a healthy lifestyle and eat three meals with snacks throughout the day.
You should be honest about your feelings concerning food.
This can help you determine if your relationship with food is healthy or not.For example, if you think of any food, no matter how healthy or good for you, as bad, you may have a problem with food. , The way we refer to food can be telling about our relationship with food.
Do you think of food in “bad” and “good” categories? This can be the start of an unhealthy relationship.
Thinking that you can earn a certain food, making a list of “approved” or “guilt-free” foods, and thinking of “cheat” meals may also point to problems.For example, you may say, “I can’t eat that.
It’s a bad food,” or, “I guess I could eat that, but only because it’s a cheat meal.”
About the Author
Jeffrey Reed
Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.
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