Happy National Donut Day! First off, let me be the one to remind you….ANYDAY can be national donut day, we do not need permission to eat certain food groups! No fear in food is a concept that truly applies to everyone, whether you are eating disorder recovered, working on your body love, in need of some extra self-care, or just are feeling shameful for eating that donut, fear and shame should NEVER be connected to food! So much of body appreciation, body positivity, and loving your body, starts with your relationship with food!
First and foremost, food is nourishment, but food can be fun, it can be exciting, although it should never be off limits! This is a tough concept, and it takes sometime to truly grasp it…because we live in a culture that tells us we SHOULDN’T be eating certain foods, and that some foods are GOOD, some are BAD, some are, CLEAN, and some are even SUPER or WHOLE! What does this all mean?! Let me help you interpret all of this…take the fear away from the food, and I promise you will be happier!
I mean….I know that donuts and pancakes make me a better person, because without them I restrict, I then binge, I then feel shame, and the cycle starts all over again!! So everyday should be donut day!
**Below is THE BEST pancake mix I have ever baked with!! Also high in protein, and organic! I highly recommend adding rainbow sprinkles!
Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes: Flapjack and Waffle Mix Whole Grain Buttermilk 4.5 Lb
**This donut mug is in my cabinet!
#NoFearinFood is another concept/statement/hash tag that you may see floating around the Internet and social media. This is a beautiful concept, yet one that is much more complicated than it seems, and one that affects almost every individual, eating disorder or no eating disorder.
#NoFearinFood, a simple statement riddled with a complicated message. What does this really mean?
Having no fear in consuming food in general
Having no fear in calories
Having no fear in a certain TYPE of food…despite allergies
-Gluten, meat, sugar, butter, dairy, bread, pasta, fat (just to name a few)!
Having no shame in eating food in general
Having no shame in consuming a high amount of calories
Having no shame in consuming a small amount of calories
Not imposing a greater sense of importance on food
Having no fearful feelings after consuming food
Not imposing a sense of shame surrounding food in general
Not imposing a sense of shame surrounding a certain type of food
Not imposing a sense of guilt after consuming food
No thoughts of needing to EARN or DESERVE your food
Having no fear in over eating food
Having no fear in binging food
Not using unhealthy behaviors after consuming food
Not having fearful feelings and a need to purge after consuming food
Not imposing restrictions on certain foods
Not imposing restrictions on eating at certain times during the day
Not working out for food
No dieting
#NoFearinFood is an incredibly complex concept, one that many struggle with on a day-to-day basis. The concept of food consumes us, especially when living with an eating disorder. #NoFearinFood is not just about ED life and ED Recovery, instead it is about obtaining a healthy relationship with food, in that food does not control us, it does not define who we are, instead it is fuel, it is nourishment, it is a necessity, yes it can be fun, but it is dependent of happiness!
In addition to ridding of shame and guilt below are some ways to ease into this concept!
- Take away vocabulary like GOOD and BAD, or CLEAN and DIRTY….food is food, and words have power!
- Allow your body to eat when it is hungry and stop when it is full
- Forgive yourself if you overeat
- Don’t restrict ANY food from your diet
- Identify your own food rules, what are your irrational food rules?
- Break your food rules, defy yourself!
- Hydrate yourself with water, this can keep the mind and body in check with hunger and fullness queues.
- Think about your motivations behind exercise, to read more click here
- Find comfort in things outside of food! Below are several links on my favorite comforting self-care remedies
Self-Care Comfort Remedies!!
I have always been a huge fan of essential oils, my favorite way to use them is to diffuse them!
Essential Oil Set 14 – 5 ml. Pure Therapeutic Grade Includes Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary, Orange, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Clove, Spearmint, Lemongrass, Cinnamon
I lay with my diffuser before I go to sleep at night, and right when I wake up…or whenever I feel triggered!
I love giving myself facials whenever I need to calm down or feel a little bit of comfort! This is THE BEST facial oil EVER!!! (reminder that I am not sponsored…just obsessed)!
RMS Beauty Oil, 1 oz
One thing to keep in mind is to be easy on yourself, this concept is incredibly complicated, complex, strongly engrained, and intertwined within our lives. Therefore #NoFearinFood may be something to work towards, it is not something that will come instantaneously. It all starts with self-awareness, and self-love, no shame or guilt! Remember….
Food is fuel
Food is nourishment
Food is fun
Food is beautiful
Food is a necessity
Food does not define you