What does Food Freedom Really mean??
As I get ready to publish this post, it is National Eating Disorders Awareness (NEDA) Week in 2020. As someone who has personally struggled through many years of disordered eating (& full-blown eating disorders) in my past, this week holds a lot of meaning to me.
You see, by the grace of God (& a heck of a lot of education, effort, and support) I have recovered from my eating disorder days. I’d be lying if I said my relationship with food is perfect as a result, but by gosh has it transformed from where it used to be.
My experience and recovery through disordered eating is what ultimately led me to decide to become a Registered Dietitian in the first pIace, and for that I am grateful. I have since dedicated much of my career as an RD to supporting others on a path to what I refer to as “Food Freedom”, in effort to help them achieve and experience the same breakthrough that I was fortunate to have many years ago.
But what is “food freedom”??
It’s certainly not a diet. It is similar to Intuitive Eating (which you can read more about here), and may also be called various other names such as “joyful eating”, “mindful eating”, or the like. What makes Food Freedom different, though, is that it’s not JUST about the mindset associated with food. It’s also about the actions we take before, during, and after eating, as well as the beliefs we have about ourselves and our bodies.
Why does Food Freedom matter?
Where do I begin? I speak from personal experience when I say that living with an eating disorder (as well as having severe disordered eating) was perhaps the most emotionally and mentally draining period of my life. Disordered eating has physical, behavioral, and emotional components to it, and each can be equally as detrimental to one’s life.
Some of the negative impacts of living with disordered eating or eating disorder include:
Interferes with your ability to form or maintain quality relationships
Rids you of your social life
Takes away your focus from much more meaningful things in life, such as your family, friends, work, hobbies, and self-care
Lowers your self-esteem and self-confidence and inflicts constant doubt
Believes lies about yourself, your body, and what health really means
Does the opposite of make you healthier, but can lead to serious health issues
Basically, when your mind is constantly preoccupied with food or your body, there is little room to think about or focus on other things. People with disordered eating habits are much more likely to suffer from psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, substance abuse, and more. They may also suffer from other health ailments such as gastrointestinal disorders, dehydration, infertility, hormone imbalances, etc. The Eating Disorder Resource Center says “Eating disorders are serious physical and mental health conditions that can have life-threatening consequences for the people who suffer from them.” This sadly couldn’t be more true.
Even if you or someone you know doesn’t suffer from a full-blown eating disorder, the toll that any obsession or preoccupation with food and your body can take should not be discounted. There is a better way to live that involves PEACE, joy, and satisfaction, and it begins with a journey towards finding Food Freedom.
What does living with Food Freedom mean?
There are many components to Food Freedom, and they involve more than just food.
Guidelines to what Food Freedom entails:
Ditching the “diet” mentality. Aka: eating without restriction, deprivation, guilt, shame, or fear of judgment
Never labeling food as “good” or “bad”, which is unhelpful and inaccurate
Recognizing & believing that the food you eat (or your body size) does not define your self-worth
Believing that there is no perfect way to nourish your body or mind, which means being willing to give up the strive for perfection
Never counting calories, obsessing over a number on a scale, intentionally skipping meals with the goal of restriction, or strictly portioning food
Honoring your hunger no matter what time of day it is or when/what you last ate
Refusing to punish yourself after an episode of less-healthy eating or overeating
What is your food & body story?
The causes of eating disorders or disordered eating are complex, and can result from a combination of societal, interpersonal, and psychological factors. So perhaps the most important first step to take in a journey towards Food Freedom and peace with yourself and your body is to discover what led to your current beliefs about food, nutrition, how to eat, what to eat, what your body should look like, etc in the first place.
I recommend taking some dedicated, uninterrupted time to reflect and maybe even journal your responses to some of the following questions to help get you started:
Thought prompts for a journey towards Food Freedom
What are your memories of food as a child?
How were your parents, grandparents, siblings, other relatives or influential peoples relationship with food and dieting like when you were growing up?
What sort of messages did you hear about food and diets from friends, family, colleagues, social media, or the like?
When did you first develop weight concerns? (if ever)
If you have tried dieting in the past, what prompted you to start one? How did you feel during and after the diet?
Describe your feelings and thoughts about dieting and your weight
Are you happy or concerned about your beliefs about food and your body?
Do you desire changes in your beliefs about food and/or diet?
What comes to mind when you think through these questions? How do they make you feel? Spending time reflecting on these prompts can help you uncover the root causes behind beliefs you may have about food and your body, and help you become aware of recurring patterns that have presented themselves throughout your life.
To sum it up: You don’t have to spend all of your time and energy worrying about food & your body. You CAN have more mental space to live your life, do your work, practice self-care, and spend time with loved ones.
If you or someone you know is struggling with food issues, my #1 piece of advice is to reach out for support. Suffering alone is unlikely to get very far, and may significantly hold you back on making meaningful progress. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or to inquire about partnering together. It would be my pleasure and passion to help support you on your journey towards Food Freedom.
#comeasyouare #NEDAwareness