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I want to tell you a quick story about how after 8 years, I finally found food freedom.
And how it has changed my entire life.
(if you’re not familiar with ‘food freedom,’ it is defined as the ability to eat what you want without restrictions, guilt, or shame, and to not feel controlled by food rules)
For as long as I can remember up until about the beginning of 2023, I’ve had obsessive thoughts about food, dieting, body image, what I should/shouldn’t eat, or even how I appeared towards others about my food choices.
A lot of these thoughts would bring on feelings of guilt or shame which would then lead to creating very stringent rules around what I “allowed” myself to eat.
But I wanted to take a minute to share my experience from the past few days, where I've felt true food freedom and, for the first time, a genuine sense of inner peace.
Earlier this week, we went out for an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ dinner with friends, and of course, we celebrated the 4th of July! In the past, I would have restricted my food intake all week, and even starved myself up until dinner.
Unfortunately, this would lead to me binge eating, where I ignored my fullness cues and stuffed myself until I felt overly full, gross, bloated, and guilty for going to such extremes.
However, new (and improved) Victoria did things differently this time around.
This 4th of July, I ate my three balanced meals, recognizing that my body deserves nourishment. Instead of binge eating and pushing past satiety, I ate slowly, taking breaks to check in with how I was feeling.
This allowed me to enjoy myself, the atmosphere, and the food without guilt. It also allowed me to stop when I felt full.
But what did I do differently this time around? Compared to every other 4th of July, or big get together I went to in the past?
INTENTION SETTING.
Okay, I know it can sound “woo woo/hippy dippy” but don’t overlook setting intentions (it’s something I encourage all of my clients to do).
And it went like this....
At the beginning of the day, I imagined exactly what I wanted my day/night to look like. And then I imagined how I wanted to FEEL!
I went into the day with the intention of having fun outside of my normal routine, especially since I'm currently in a cut. I wanted to enjoy myself, the food, and the company surrounding me while being mindful of my fullness cues to avoid feeling guilty for eating in excess.
Overall, I wanted to feel happy and confident in the choices I was making FOR MYSELF! And I quite literally pictured myself, being surrounded by friends, family, with a huge smile on my face, feeling guilt free, confident and enjoying the foods I love.
And guess what?
I achieved all of that... and more.
Thanks to the simple (and FREE) practice of intention setting.
I love living a life that embraces the balance and flexibility around food, recognizing that I don't have to go from one extreme to another to feel happy or achieve my goals.
In the past. I found that navigating food around social events or holidays was really hard for not only myself, but for a lot of the clients I work with as well.
Some of the women I work with have told me that they have:
Had obsessive thoughts around food
Felt guilt or shame about their food choices
Experienced a strong connection between their eating habits and their self-esteem
Avoided social situations that involve food out of fear of being judged or losing control
So it’s no wonder why embracing food freedom can feel challenging for many women.
Here are some strategies to help navigate your food freedom journey:
Learn how to eat intuitively
This encourages listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues! Some things you can do to help is practice mindful eating practices. Actually chew your food slower (count to 20-30 bites), note how the food smells, the different colors you see on your plate, how it feels and tastes in your mouth.
Challenge your food rules!
We place a big emphasis on not labeling food as inherently “good” or “bad” in my household. This helps to shift the narrative to say that all foods CAN fit into a balanced diet, if we can challenge our food rules to allow for more flexibility and variety! To add on to challenging yourself, I also encourage you to challenge your negative thoughts that are guilt-inducing about food. Replace them with affirmations or neutral points of view such as “eating is a natural and enjoyable part of life and necessary for my health.”
Practice self-compassion
Whether you’re a veteran or newer to your journey, there will sometimes be instances that occur that may cause you to overeat. Rather than being callous to yourself and feeling guilty, be kind to yourself and remind yourself that one meal or event does not define your overall eating habits.
Practice intention setting
Identify your values and goals to help you understand what exactly you want to achieve. Imagine your day or event, in detail. Picturing the atmosphere, the activities that will happen, and most importantly how you want to feel! Picture yourself navigating the event with confidence and positivity. And once the intention is set, listen to your body, practice mindful eating, allow your fun foods, and focus on food as nourishment and pleasure!
Navigating the complex relationship with food and social events has been a transformative experience for me. By setting intentions and embracing food freedom, I’ve learned to enjoy meals and celebrations without the weight of guilt or shame. This journey isn’t about perfection but about progress and self-compassion.
Curious to learn what it’s like to work with me 1:1 as a client? Do you feel as if achieving more food freedom would improve your overall quality of life and health?
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