When I started this blog I wanted to share my experiences with food and my knowledge of nutrition.  One of my key interests is helping other develop a positive food relationship. In my teenage years I had terrible body image and relationship with food which resulted in continual FAD diets and binge eating. It wasn’t until I began my course that I learnt about food, the impact it has on our body and how wrong the FAD diet crusaders are, that I started to change how I ate and thought about food.

Balance is an exceptionally challenging concept that many people struggle to achieve, not only in the terms of diet but also lifestyle. It is very easy to follow extremes like eating a strict, ‘clean’ diet or on the other hand eating only nutrient poor foods. One of my biggest challenges when developing a positive food relationship was ignoring diet cultures labels such as ‘bad’ foods. Instead I wanted to eat the foods I enjoyed without guilt and fuel my body for performance. Once I changed my view on foods, removing labels and listening to my body I began to change my diet and what I ate dramatically. Changing my relationship with food is a long and continual process. In this series I share how I started that journey.

Over a couple of posts I plan to provide strategies on how to change your relationship with food by changing four key areas in your life.

1. Removing food labels
2. Recognising your bodies cravings and eating habits
3. Being aware of triggers
4. Changing your focus

To start this journey to a happier, healthier you we will look at the impact of labelling food good or bad, and strategies on how to remove those labels.

Food is food, it is neither good nor bad.

The first step to developing a positive food relationship is accepting that food is more than fuel. Food is a part of celebrations. It gives us joy and it gives us something to share with our loved ones. It is an anchor for memories and emotional management on occasion. There should never be a point in your life where you avoid these times or certain foods being present. Nor should you feel guilty about enjoying food that provide positive flashbacks. So how do you change that mindset?

1. Carbs are not the devil. Sugar will not cause you to self destruct. And gluten does not cause Autism. Eliminating whole food groups and demonising food only leads to excessive restriction and likely a rebellious binge. Instead include all foods that your body can tolerate with full permission. A balanced diet of all food groups that provides good sources of energy, fibre, protein and vitamins and minerals. Include carbohydrate foods that are high in fibre and low Gi (broken down gradually). Examples include wholegrain bread, pasta, rice, barley, quinoa and sweet potato. If you currently avoid these foods then slowly add them back into your diet. Pay attention to the impact on your energy levels and how it makes you feel.
2. If you feel like eating something, eat it! Savour the taste and the people you are sharing it with. Make it a moment, and enjoy it! The trick with being at peace with these foods is that you stop at just one because that is all you truly feel like. Eat your piece of cake, just not the whole thing. 
3. Be aware of the labels others put on foods. Halo terms such as “clean”, “refined sugar-free” and “guilt-free” are created for you to think that option is better for you. It is adding moral value when in reality food isn’t a moral issue unless you steal it. These foods can sometimes have more nutritious ingredients but quite often this is at expense of taste. So eat that cookie/brownie/smoothie bowl because it tastes darn good, not because you think it’s ‘better for you’.

Changing your mindset is a gradual process. You will have set backs and these tricky thoughts will creep back in. The next step in developing a positive food relationship is recognising your bodies cravings and eating habits. Keep working on positive vibes, enjoy a balanced diet with a wide variety of food groups and enjoy your sugary, gluten filled brownie (singular).