Exploring "Eating Competence"

Have you ever heard the phrase “healthy relationship with food?”

We know that the body needs food as "fuel," but food serves us in so many ways beyond being a biological necessity. Food is intricately tied to culture, companionship, love, experiences and memories.

Anyone who has ever dieted knows that diets come and go, often creating added stress. This is why taking an inside look at your own relationship with food can be so valuable. Our relationship with food is one that changes throughout our lives and evolves through various stages. At first glance this relationship may appear quite simple, but upon further evaluation it can be rather complex. Reducing food to a simple equation of calories in vs. calories out and establishing hard numbers for macronutrient targets is often unsustainable and can ignore an individual’s personal relationship with food, a relationship that lasts a lifetime and deserves attention.

Many people have a challenging relationship with food. Some are well aware of their struggles and others do not even realize it because we are surrounded by diet culture, flooded with misinformation and societal pressure to practice various food rules. Often times, parents pass on their strained relationship with food to their children without realizing. It is common to lose connection with our own body’s hunger and satiety (fullness) cues and follow the food rules around us.

"Eating competence" (by Ellyn Satter) is a process that honors hunger and satiety cues with flexibility and releases guilt and shame around food choices. Eating competence includes a mindful structure of meal and snack strategies that work for the individual. While we can acknowledge that some foods are more nutrient dense than others, foods do not need to be labeled as “good” or “bad,” and tied to morality. “Off-limits” can be reserved for true food allergies, diagnosed intolerances, or cultural and religious dietary restrictions. The choice to follow Vegan or Vegetarian eating patterns can be a favorable option for some, but these practices deserve a closer look at the "why" and feelings around these personal choices. Mindful eating and moderation create much less stress than banning favorite indulgences. A healthy relationship with food is present when we consume food, rather than letting our thoughts about our food choices consume us. We can feel a sense of control and can be present, enjoying our food choices and the company around us, not stressing, counting, and calculating. Restricting leads to bingeing for many and heightened stress during mealtimes often leads to gastrointestinal distress.

If you find yourself consumed by your food choices and want to abandon the all-or-nothing mentality and the yo-yo approach to dieting, consider working with a professional to break down nutrition misinformation and explore your relationship with food and diet culture. Healing your relationship with food and exploring eating competence creates much more flexibility and enjoyment around food. We are here to help and can also introduce you to other helpful resources.