Why am I so passionate about helping others improve their relationship with food?
To understand my “why,” I think you need to understand a bit about my personal struggle with food. I know what it’s like to feel stuck and struggle with food and your body. For a significant period, I struggled with my relationship with food and my body, just like many of you might be doing now.
At the peak of my struggles, food preoccupied so much of what I thought about. I would closely watch what I was eating and attempt to restrict my food. Restricting my food would often lead to overeating or bingeing, where I felt OUT of CONTROL around food. I frequently thought, why can’t I have more willpower around food?
I remember having the most challenging time keeping my favourite foods in the house. I felt like I was ADDICTED to my favourite foods. I didn’t enjoy eating in front of people and had difficulty enjoying food with friends and family.
Food was often a coping mechanism that I used to manage my stress and anxiety. I would usually have stomach problems due to overeating when I was stressed and would feel immense guilt afterward. Why couldn’t I just be “good?” I would be able to be “good” during the day and struggled most in the evening with overeating/bingeing. Digestion also became a concern that I struggled with.
For the longest time, I thought some of my behaviours were normal. I thought weighing myself frequently, constantly checking my body, stressing around food, having stomach issues, and always being cold were just a part of life. I didn’t think that it was possible for things to be different.
My journey to where I am now has been a process, a transformation that didn’t occur overnight. Through my nutrition education, the support of my husband, and most importantly, learning to love myself, I’ve gradually healed my relationship with food.
I now realize how much my food and body image struggles were holding me back from living life. I’m now at a place where:
- I am at peace with food and my body. Listening to my hunger and fullness cues is no longer a struggle.
- I eat foods that I enjoy without guilt. Going out to a restaurant with family or friends no longer stresses me.
- I can keep my favourite foods in the house. I find that now I sometimes forget that we have some of my favourite snacks in the house.
- I have more energy to enjoy life. Fatigue from unbalanced nutrition is no longer holding me back.
- I have more space to think about other aspects of my life, such as my family, career, or friends. My thoughts are no longer consumed by what I eat.
- I respect my body and appreciate what it does for me. There are days when I struggle with my body image, but overall, I am at peace with my body.
Food doesn’t need to hold you back in your relationships, careers, or other aspects of life. With adequate support and guidance, you can improve your relationship with food and your body.
Meeting with a registered dietitian can help you become more at peace with food and your body. You don’t need to go through your struggles alone. Imagine having someone guide you through these struggles and help you every step of the way. Many of my clients also find support from mental health professionals and their family physicians, forming a comprehensive network of care.