Do You Enjoy A Healthy Relationship With Food?

What did you eat today? Did you feel happy after eating it? Or did it make you feel guilty? Your answers will define your relationship with food. So be honest.

Come to think of it, there's a different kind of relationship different people want to enjoy with what's on their plate. Today we'll focus on the health-conscious lot that ensures to be best friends with all things green, grain-y and good to maintain a fit (and Instagram-worthy – and why not!) lifestyle. These are the ones who have a set weight and size in their mind to keep up with every single day in order to get a high every time they look in the mirror. Yes, we are talking about YOU! You love your body and your ideal body weight and everything that helps you achieve that – and food plays an integral part here. So precisely, your relationship with food expresses how committed you are to a

Healthy Lifestyle.
Moving on, let's understand this relationship a little more in depth before we fill you in on ways to build a healthy relationship with food. Going by the dictionary definition of relationship, it is basically a connection, association or relation between two or more people or things. We know that the best and long-lasting relationships are those that are two-way. Yup, give and take. You give your body the nutrition it needs and it will thank you in return in the most amazing way – by making your glances at the mirror full of self-admiration.
 
There's something about our body that we'd like to change, and what we consume plays a key role there. If your body doesn't agree with something that you eat, it is a clear signal that you need to tweak your diet. For example, the second serving of that large piece of chocolate brownie may leave you feeling bloated or over-stuffed. Indulgence is alright once in a while, but always listen to your body. Yes, your body passes on information to your brain; you must take it seriously and act accordingly. So if your body tells you to devour a pizza or a gulp down a tall glass of your favorite cold drink, forget about the world and go ahead – have it, by all means! That's how you maintain a much happier and healthier relationship with food. On that note, here's a lowdown on some of the most effective ways to establish and maintain a healthy relationship with food –

Take No Stress, Please!
Stressing over what you ate yesterday and how you can balance that out today will only lead to more stress. Just go with the flow, listen to your body and do the needful without putting yourself under any pressure or trauma. Always remember – your body listens to what you do most of the times, not sometimes.

Eat Mindfully
Simply put – first look at your food, admire it, smell it and then taste it. Yup, use all your senses so that your mind gets prepared to tell you when you are done and when you should stop.

Eat Everything
But in moderation! To nourish your body, you can have just about everything you wish to have, but keep a check on the portion. Treat your body like your baby. Love it, take good care of it, and it will love you back the same way.

Never Compare
Your relationship with food is not necessarily the same as your friends or family have with their food. Since your body goals are different from theirs, your nutritional needs too are different. Just enjoy your personal camaraderie with food.

Eat Only When You Are Hungry
Don't eat to please yourself emotionally. Don't blame a heartbreak or any stress for binging when your body doesn't really need you to eat. Instead, indulge yourself in activities like talking to a friend, going out for a walk, going to the gym, reading, writing, listening to music or anything that keeps you busy and away from consuming unwanted high-calorie, fatty foods.

Plan Your Meals.
Because planning is always beneficial in the long run. Once you have a food plan set for a week, you know exactly what you are going to eat during the next seven days and are satisfied well in advance so far as the nutritional needs of your body are concerned.