Tips For Building A Healthy Relationship With Food

1. Permit yourself to eat whenever you are hungry, whether it's your meal time or not, don’t prefer eating if you’re genuinely not hungry.

2. Focus on healthy choices, not diets. Avoid unhealthy behaviours and comparisons. Eat regularly to maintain energy and prevent binge eating.

3. Practice mindful eating: Avoid distractions like TV, differentiate between hunger and emotions.

4. Have regular family meals. Home-cooked meals are generally more nutritious, include varieties of nutritious foods in your diet.

5. Make mealtime enjoyable, share culture through food, and have conversation with others.

6. Make it a habit to sit down at the table, without distractions, to fully enjoy each meal.

7. Avoid comparing yourself to others; recognise individual differences to make healthier choices.

8. Stay accountable and honest with yourself and others to facilitate change; seek support from family, counsellors, and treatment groups.

9. Set reasonable goals for your eating habits by working with a therapist and nutritionist, being unrealistic ultimately sets us up for failure.

10. Have a glass of water during mealtimes and throughout the day.

Inputs by: Nutritionist Harleen Gill