4 AMAZING tips to improve your relationship with food.

There should never be shame around food because that only encourages disordered, emotional eating.

I personally always struggled with a negative relationship with food because I associated food and eating with shame. I thought I would be judged for eating something unhealthy or eating a full plate of food because my weight was constantly highlighted at all times. It really affected my mental health.

A good relationship with food means giving yourself permission to eat the foods that make you feel good physically and mentally.

It is important that no food is 'off limits' and that you feel no guilt towards eating foods that are typically labelled 'good' or 'bad.'

Improving your relationship with food isn't something you can achieve over night, it is an ongoing journey that you need to work towards.

These are signs of a bad relationship with food.

1. You always feel guilty about eating.

2.You avoid or restrict foods that are “bad” for you.

3.You count every calorie in the food you eat instead of focusing on nourishing your body.

4.You ignore it when your body is hungry.

5.You have a history of following the latest diet trends.

6.You feel immense stress and anxiety when eating with people in public because you fear what others may think of your food choices.

7.You find yourself binging on food.

Here are 4 AMAZING tips to improve your relationship with food.

1. Give yourself permission to eat. Don't apply too much pressure on yourself when enjoying food.

2. Learn to eat when you are hungry. Don't suppress those feelings because every person was born with the natural ability to regulate their hunger and suppressing your hunger only leads to binge eating in the end.

3.Practice being mindful when you are eating because this really helps when trying to improve a negative relationship with food. It basically means enjoying your meal and being fully present while eating.

4. Stop the excuses. Many of us tend to justify our food choices to ourselves and to everyone else. We are constantly explaining why we eat what we eat for example, ' I am eating ice cream because I had a bad day' or 'I have to have something healthy for dinner because I did not have time to exercise.'

Instead of giving many reasons for your food choices, allow yourself to eat the food that you feel is best for you in the moment.

I used to buy myself chocolates at work and eat them in secret because I felt ashamed or a sense of judgement. It really affects your mental health and that judgement I felt was basically inner issues I had. It creates an endless negative cycle where you associate food with shame, guilt and fear.

Healing your relationship with food allows every aspect of your life to improve.