A troubled relationship with food lies somewhere between “guilt-free eating” and “eating disorders”.
It can be difficult to recognize, since it is widely integrated and even valued in our society.
Here are a few tell tale signs:
Feeling like you’re eating your emotions
Food obsesses us and haunts our thoughts constantly (high mental load)
Avoiding social outings, such as restaurants, for fear of not being able to control food intake
Being obsessed by the number on the scale
Repeated dieting
Not feeling hungry before eating
Having little appetite
Eating large quantities of food in a short space of time (food cravings/compulsion)
Moving to burn calories
Move to eat dessert
Eating less to compensate for the previous day’s “excesses
Why would you require a consultation?
To understand where these excessive preoccupations with weight and diet come from.
To receive reliable information on the consequences of dietary restrictions/diets on physical and psychological health, and even on the potential for long-term weight loss
To receive support and concrete tools for regaining a healthy, positive relationship with food.
To reduce the mental burden associated with food.
Examples of reasons for a consultation:
Calculating calories
Calculating portions
Feeling guilty after eating certain foods
Feeling the need to compensate with physical activity or by reducing the next day’s portions when you feel you have “overindulged”.
Not sensing hunger and satiety signals
Not being able to respect hunger and satiety signals and food cravings
Being obsessed by food or the number on the scale
Experiencing food cravings or compulsions
Not being able to keep certain foods in the house for fear of eating them all at once