Your guide to a healthy relationship with food

It’s the time of year when many of us feel down in the dumps about our weight – wishing we hadn’t stuffed so many mince pies over the festive period and struggling to get to grips with a healthier eating plan.

Winter smoothies for digestion

At times like these, rediscovering a healthy relationship with food and our bodies can seem a daunting task, and this is perfectly normal considering most of December is spent eating and drinking to excess.

So to help you approach health and wellness in the best way possible this year, we have some important rules to live by:

Focus on how you feel 

How you feel in yourself is a good indicator of the types of foods you are eating. If you are feeling sluggish, dumpy and low in energy then it is quite likely your diet consists mainly of dumpy, lifeless foods. As the saying goes, ‘you are what you eat’ therefore making a conscious effort to include more colourful, fresh foods in your diet – and reducing highly processed foods – will make a big difference.

Focus on your behaviours

What are you like when it comes to eating food? Are you always eating in a rush, hurriedly chomping on a cereal bar on the way to work, or mindlessly consuming chocolate at a certain time every day?

This behaviour prevents you from really appreciating your food and could see you taking in lots of air, which can lead to bloating and abdominal discomfort. Make an effort to slow down and savour every mouthful when you are eating. Connect with your food by noticing the flavour and texture. This behaviour will not only help to improve your digestion but will help you to make better food choices in the future.

Understand your cravings  

Cravings can be a healthy eating pitfall. Often they are our body’s way of calling out for attention, but rather than satisfying this need with healthy options such as fruit or low-fat snacks, many of us will reach for biscuits, sweets or chocolate. Listening to your body and learning to control cravings is key. For more information, please see our blog on how to manage sugar cravings.

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Written by Tamara Marshall
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Written by Tamara Marshall
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