FOOD GUILT IS STILL WITH US!
It has a sneaky way of showing up at the table, tucked between bites, disguised as “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts”. We laugh when it hides in plain sight in food advertising and labeling, disarmed by its universally understood angst. We languish when food choices turn into confessions and meals become moments of quiet judgment. It’s a pattern many of us carry – often unnoticed – that shapes how we eat and how we feel about ourselves.
Food guilt (the concept) has been around since I was growing up (…a long time ago), so part of me thought that maybe it was a thing of the past.
I am sorry to report that it is still alive and well.
I’m pretty sure we’re not born with it, but somewhere along the way we pick up this idea that if we eat:
- chips
- or fries
- or bread
- or pasta
- or anything that tastes sweet
…the payment for the pleasure is that we have to feel bad about ourselves.
AND THEN WHAT?
In my experience (and from what I hear from my nutrition clients), we then avoid the food that causes the guilt for as long as we can stand it.
And then, we eat it again – sometimes more of it than we need.
And the cycle continues.
It’s not fun, it rarely helps us to reach our goals, and heck, we don’t even get to ENJOY the food because the GUILT is part of every bite!
Now I’m not saying it’s easy to let go of guilt when we’ve been programmed to believe we deserve it.
But I think it is possible.
And I think it is the only real way to break the cycle.
So what happens if we DON’T feel guilty?
Well…
We’ll probably still eat the foods in question, but we might actually relish them.
We might even feel less inclined to binge or overeat them.
This happens so frequently with guilt because that first bite sets off negative emotions, which we then cope with by continuing past comfort. PLUS, in some cases, we fear we may never again allow ourselves to eat these foods, so we try to make the most of the food while we have it.
So here is my plea for NOT GUILTY!
Enjoying a food we love does not have to come at the expense of all the other healthy habits we can still build – eating regular balanced meals, getting plenty of protein and fiber, choosing a variety of fruits and vegetables (see my last email about my Last 100 days challenge), hydrating, exercising, sleep.
In fact, allowing pleasure foods to walk side-by-side with healthy eating patterns makes the whole picture much more sustainable – and JOYFUL.
If you’re ready to unlearn the guilt that has been shaping your food story, I’m here to help – this is the kind of work I do with clients every day. If you live in Illinois and could benefit from one-on-one nutrition counseling, don’t hesitate to reach out.
And check out this video on the topic over on my YouTube channel:
