Food is Fuel, And So Much More!
Are you frustrated with your current food habits?…
Perhaps you feel like you’re eating too much, too often, or choosing foods that you “should” be avoiding...
Maybe you feel as though your efforts around nutrition are low, you don’t lend enough thought or preparation to meals and snacks like you know you should. Or, you could be on the opposite end of the spectrum – overanalyzing every bite with tools like MyFitnessPal, WW, or IIFYM.
Wherever you find yourself today, I want to offer you fresh perspective!
Diet culture tells us that food is ‘fuel,’ – just calories track or energy for exercise - that’s all. Nothing more.
You hear a message from society, on the regular, that you need to “earn” or “pay for” your food choices. A holiday meal or a pancake breakfast cannot be simply enjoyed without the extra lengthy visit to the gym or a maybe, dare I say it, a juice "cleanse” to follow. 🚫🥞😧🏋️♀️🥦
Sounds a lot like penance . But last time I checked, there is no morality in nutrition, which means you shouldn’t have to pay a penalty for enjoyment.
pen·ance (noun)
voluntary self-punishment inflicted as an outward expression of repentance for having done wrong.
”Food is fuel (and nothing more)” is gross oversimplification, to say the least! It’s a statement that minimizes the reality of the different roles food plays in our lives as human beings.
Ultimately, this limited perspective leads to guilt, shame, and disappointment around food. And THAT is a recipe for disordered eating.
The role of food in our lives is ✨MULTI-faceted! ✨
Don’t get me wrong, as a dietitian, I am well aware that food provides us with calories and energy to move our bodies…Absolutely 100% correct. 👍
BUT, that is not ALL that food provides!!! As people, we are far more complex than a piece of machinery that requires ‘fuel’ to operate. 🤖
If/when a particular food choice is inspired by emotion, environment, or a need for temporary comfort (but you don’t believe food should serve these purposes), you’re more likely to experience a sense of shame or disappointment. An attempt to ignore that food is fulfilling in other ways may lead to avoidant behavior(s).
Here’s what I mean by that:
Maybe you can’t go on a vacation without feeling like you have to go on a crash diet before… and after. In your mind, fun vacation foods must be worked for. 🚫🥖
Perhaps you always deny yourself the joy of an ice-cream cone after a hot summer day at the beach with the fam... You believe it will throw off your streak of “being good.” It’s OK for everyone else to have a cone, but not you, you can’t handle that kind of freedom. 🚫🍦
Do you miss out on your mom’s recipes or the fullness of the holiday festivities each year because the food is not “healthified” enough for you? You equate a piece of pie on your plate with weakness. 🚫🥧
Do you relate to a desire to “even out" food indulgences with food restriction?… THIS is what I refer to as an “all or nothing” or extreme approach to food. While it may seem like you’re in control, you’re actually wrapped up in guilt and punishment. You don’t know true peace with food…not yet anyway!
How to strike a balance in your relationship with food –
Extreme patterns with food will ultimately drive you further away from balance, consistency, and the healthy habits you desire.
Start here – ditch the disappointment in yourself. Fully accept the reality that food plays numerous roles in the life of a human being.
Repeat after me: “There is no shame in the fact that…
food is fuel. 🔥
food is pleasure. 🥰
food is fun. 🎉
food is comfort. 🤗
food is celebratory. 🥳
food is cultural. 🇮🇹
food is nostalgic. 💭
food is distraction. 🫣
food is strengthening. 💪
food is focus. 🧠
food is medicinal. ❤️”
When you can accept that food is MORE than fuel alone, it helps you to approach every day food decisions with a greater sense of self-awareness.
Food is first nourishment, but it also enriches our lives in a variety of ways. Awareness of your patterns and tendencies with food can help you order it into its “rightful” place in your life and prioritize nutrition without dieting. Remember – balanced habits are far more effective than the extreme inconsistencies promoted by diet culture.
If you’d like to learn more about what an intentional relationship with food can look like for you outside of dieting, I want to invite you to start living it out in my intuitive eating group program this summer. 🙌 Click the link below to apply and begin moving towards your healthiest relationship with food, in ALL its facets!
♡ Cheering you on every step of the way,
Grace
Grace Lopez, RD, LD/N, CLC, CPT
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist