Why You’re Experiencing Food Guilt.
Let’s chat about the 4th Principle of Intuitive Eating - Challenge the Food Police.
We’re all born with the innate ability to tell when we’re hungry and when we’re full. The Intuitive Eater in all of us is good at informing us of what we need and don’t need. As we get older, we’re convinced that we can’t trust these signals and we lose touch with the ability to listen. This is especially true if you’re raised within a family that is weight-focused. Over time, we develop little voices in our heads that “help” us make decisions on what to eat.
Let’s look at some of these voices:
The Food Police
Causes unnecessary guilt and worry. It’s full of judgment and criticism.
“Don’t eat past 8 pm.”
“You better not eat that, you didn’t work out today.”
= Not helpful at all.
Nutritional Informant
Can use nutrition knowledge as a way to convince you that things are “good” and “bad.” If not working with the food police, can help you make balanced and healthy food choices without feeling guilt, shame, or judgment.
“Don’t eat that pasta alfredo, it has too much saturated fat and it’ll make you fat.”
“Maybe split a pasta alfredo and a salad so that you don’t feel as bloated and gassy later.”
= Can be helpful.
Diet Rebel
If rebelling against the food police can lead to self-sabotage and “loss of control.” On its own, it can help you create boundaries and guard you against the guilt and shame of diet culture.
“Eat as many cookies as you can before you start your diet tomorrow.”
Karen: “Are you really going to eat that?”
You: “Yes, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t comment on the food I choose to eat.”
= Can be helpful.
Food Anthropologist
A neutral observer. They help keep you in touch with your inner biological and psychological cues and signals. They observe without criticism, just with curiosity.
“You’ve eaten a lot of snacks today. Why? Maybe because you skipped breakfast this morning.”
“You’re experiencing a lot of food guilt today. Why is that?”
= Helpful.
Nurturer
Compassionate and kind. They help you get through the tough times. The times when the food police start knocking on your door wanting to come in.
“You just overate to the point of feeling really uncomfortable. That’s okay. You’re okay. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re still just as worthy of love as you were before.”
= Helpful.
These voices are fueled by what you’ve heard growing up. Whether it was subliminal messaging in the media or very conscious conversations you heard people around you having (which is why it’s so important for parents especially to be very cautious of what negative-self talk they’re using around their children). The important thing to realize is that these voices are not your own, and you can either shove them out or make them stronger. Ideally, we shove the negativity out and strengthen the positivity.
How can you do that?
Start by observing and discovering the distorted negative beliefs you have when you eat.
Then, start to replace them with rational and reasonable beliefs.
An example the book gives is:
Replace, “Every time I eat a pizza, I feel gross and unhappy with my body. I shouldn’t eat pizza anymore,” with, “I am salt sensitive. Since pizza is pretty salty, I’m most likely just bloated retaining water. While it’s uncomfortable, it’s only temporary.”
The book gives more examples of how to change the different kinds of negative self-talk we have in our heads (like binary thinking, absolutist thinking, etc.). It’s definitely worth the read.
Are you able to identify some of the voices that are coming up for you?
Which one feels the most dominant?
This has been a short summary of the 4th Principle of Intuitive Eating: Challenge the Food Police. If you’re interested in diving deep and reading more, I highly recommend you read “Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. You can buy it in any bookstore or rent it at your local public library!
Questions? Thoughts? I’d love to hear from you!
Photo by Max Fleischmann on Unsplash
If you’re looking for a safe space where you'll receive support and guidance in achieving your health goals, you're right where you need to be :) Submit a client application to receive your free 15 min consultation with me. I work with clients all over the world helping those who are frustrated and confused become empowered and confident - changing their relationship with food, fitness and most importantly, themselves.
Hi, I’m Azul Corajoria, an Integrative Health Coach, Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor. I support my clients in making step-by-step changes so that they can live a healthy and balanced life. By recognizing the interdependent roles of mindset, nutrition, and movement I educate and hold my clients accountable for achieving their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments with an emphasis on self-care. Together, we navigate the contradictory world of nutrition through intuitive eating, practice mindful movement, and implement small mindset and lifestyle shifts that empower them to be their best selves in the easiest way possible.
