We often speak about the toxins in the food we eat, the air we breathe and the lifestyles we live and how they can impact our health physically. But, one thing we don't touch on as often is how toxins can impact us mentally. By this, we mean how the toxic society we live in can impact the way we view ourselves, treat our bodies and interact with others.
Don't think that society is impacting you mentally in a toxic way? Think about your relationship with food. How often are you told that things are bad for you? How often do people speak about weight loss or gain like it's the end of the world? How much does this make you reconsider what you eat?
So many people nowadays, especially young adults, live in a world where they are scared to enjoy food and eat happily due to the impact it will have on their weight, image and body. But, aren't we all allowed to enjoy our favourite things and live a great life?
With Easter just around the corner, this is your reminder that you can eat joyfully and you can enjoy food, even when society may tell you not to. Here's how:
Stop associating moral values with food.
Food doesn't need to be defined as good or bad. You need a nutrient-rich diet to live your best life, after all. Labelling food as one thing or another can impact how you feel after meals. For example, eating a cake may make you feel as though you've betrayed your body, while eating a muesli bar may make you feel proud of yourself, even if the nutritional values of these products say the opposite.
Instead of saying, 'This is bad for me' or 'I am bad for eating this,' change the dialogue you associate with food. Try, instead, to say things like, 'This makes me feel satisfied,' 'This is nourishing,' 'This makes me feel good right now.'
While it's important to still understand what foods will help you live longer and stronger, this will allow you to enjoy your favourites without feeling guilty. Because when it feels like a cheat or a treat, you're all the more likely to over-indulge.
Teach your body to understand what it really feeling
Listening to your body and understanding hunger can help you feel less guilty after enjoying a meal or a snack. Before you eat, ask yourself 'Am I truly hungry?' or "Am I just bored?' Working to understand when your body needs food as opposed to when it's stressed or underwhelmed can prevent that after-meal guilt.
You can also mindfully ask yourself how you feel after each meal. Keeping a journal of which foods help you feel energised and great, compared to which ones make you feel bloated, tired or unwell, can help you navigate your indulging all the better. Think about how you feel mentally, too. If that piece of chocolate will transform your mood, enjoy it. If that piece of fruit is only filling a void, choose to leave it behind. Mindful choices fuel great mental health and an overall improved relationship with mealtime.
Name the source of your guilt.
Sometimes, we don't know the cause of our guilt until we think about it. What is making you feel bad? Is it the thought of eating too much? Is it the idea that the food is perceived as bad? Is it a worry about your weight? Calling out the guilt and materialising it can help you understand the impact the cause is having on your life. You can then work to challenge it.
For example, commonly, guilty eating comes from a worry about body image. However, you can challenge this by educating yourself about how bodies naturally fluctuate, how diet culture has shaped your beliefs, and how health is not determined by weight alone. Learning about intuitive eating, body neutrality, and the psychological effects of restriction can shift your mindset.
When you understand that your worth isn’t tied to a number on the scale or what’s on your plate, it becomes easier to approach food with compassion instead of criticism. Guilt loses its power when you replace judgment with curiosity and care.
Learn about the self-care side of food.
Educating yourself on how food is the best way to treat your body is ideal and essential for feeling less guilty at mealtime. Take the time to truly understand how food is nurturing you, even if it's a burger, chocolate or a bag of sweets.
Beyond this, food is one of the most powerful forms of self-care. It’s how you show up for your body day after day. Nourishing yourself, responding to your hunger, and choosing foods that bring comfort or joy are all ways of saying, “I matter.” Whether you’re cooking a homemade meal or reaching for a quick snack, you’re caring for your physical and emotional needs each day. Find the foods that fill those needs as best as possible and that help you feel good. If it's a sweet to pick up your energy in the afternoon or a plate of eggs in the morning, experiment with what works for you and explore how adding these into your regular everyday helps you feel elevated.
Food is care and love.
We have all spent so much of our lives believing that food is the problem and that eating should make us feel guilty. But food is so powerful and has the ability to truly change the way we feel mentally, emotionally and physically. Rather than succumbing to guilt, take the time to learn how food can transform you and enrich your life.
When you flip your mentality, your relationship with mealtime will change forever.
