Cultivating a healthy Relationship with the kitchen
The dieting industry has turned what is suppose to be a place for celebrating food, flavour and culture into a holding place of control & restriction.
If you are in recovery from an eating disorder or restoring your relationship with food, the kitchen can feel like a battle ground, where uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, rules and sensations constantly stare you in the face. Your list of ‘acceptable’ foods becomes shorter and fear foods becomes longer. Food and cooking for yourself is no longer fun, it is formula, a survival guide, and a reflection of your moral worth.
For this reason, it can be helpful to avoid the kitchen in the early stages of recovery. However, when you are ready, the kitchen provides a beautiful opportunity to explore food with curiosity & self-compassion.
With time you CAN learn what it means to nourish and take care of yourself unconditionally.
1. Cultivate a sense of curiosity around food: Instead of viewing food as something to fear or restrict, try to approach it with a sense of curiosity. Ask yourself; "What flavours and textures am I in the mood for today?" or "What new ingredients would I like to try?" By taking a child like approach to eating, you can start to build a more positive relationship with food and move away from seeing food as merely calories or nutrients.
2. Practice self-compassion: Self compassion helps you to have patience as you face challenging thoughts, feelings and emotions. Instead of being critical or harsh with yourself for making a "bad" food choice, try to respond with compassion and understanding. Remember, the eating experience is not a ‘pass or a fail’ and food does not have moral value. Food simply exists.
3. Become aware of your thoughts: Thoughts have a powerful impact on how we feel. If you find yourself getting hooked by unhelpful thoughts about food or your body, practice turning inwards and acknowledging what thoughts, feelings and emotions are coming up. The goal is not to get rid of the feeling, but instead to become familiar with it, create space, allow it to flow through you and begin to accept it for what it is. This doesn’t mean you like it, but you choose to make peace with it.
LOOKING FOR MORE SUPPORT?
Find out more about my one-on-one coaching and how I can help you to find food freedom and embrace living a rich and meaningful life.
Love Harriett