Have you ever read our name or social media handles and wondered what food freedom really is? You are not alone! The idea of food freedom can seem foreign after spending years stuck in diet culture’s grasp. So, trying to understand what food freedom is can seem both challenging and daunting.
Luckily, this blog post is made exactly for you! I want to break down what food freedom is and how it can be a positive force within your life.
In short, food freedom is being able to enjoy all foods without guilt or shame. Food freedom is being able to go on a date night or out with friends and not stress over what foods you can or can’t eat. Food freedom means to reject the diet culture mentality. Food freedom is using the principles of Intuitive Eating as a guideline to find food freedom.
Intuitive Eating is a self-care framework of eating that is made up of ten principles. Each of the ten principles helps you reconnect with your body, its cravings, and its cues. This can involve rejecting the diet mentality, making peace with different foods, learning to honor your hunger & fullness, finding satisfaction in the food you eat, and respecting your body.
Intuitive eating was created by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, two registered dietitians (amongst additional titles). Intuitive eating has been the focus of over 170+ research studies. From these studies, it has been found that intuitive eaters have lower disordered eating habits, emotional eating, self-silencing—suppressing your physical or emotional thought, needs, or feelings; loss of control around food, binge eating, internalized weight bias, blood pressure, body dissatisfaction, and triglycerides. Not only do intuitive eaters experience those measures less frequently, they also experience higher self-esteem, well-being, optimism, eating a variety of foods, body appreciation & acceptance, HDL—good cholesterol, interoceptive awareness, pleasure from eating, proactive coping & additional coping mechanisms (to food), unconditional self-regard, and life satisfaction. You can read more on intuitive eating and its resources here.
Think about these different research findings as actual effects in an individual’s life. Now, imagine these in your own life. Are you able to imagine a better picture of what food freedom can be like in your life? While each individual experience is so different (and, there’s no “right” or “wrong” way to be an intuitive eater), you can experience so many wonderful things by starting your journey to find freedom with all foods & your body.
Let’s break down food freedom. First, take a moment to reflect on what thoughts and emotions arise when you hear “food freedom.”
Chances are, if you are here reading about what finding food freedom means, you may find that different messages rooted in diet culture arise when thinking about the idea. You may feel scared at the thought of eating foods you haven’t allowed yourself to eat. Or, you may feel nervous about eating in social scenarios, like a dinner with friends or celebratory gathering with family. Or, feeling satisfaction from the foods you eat may seem like a foreign idea. Intuitive eating also includes the following Principles: #2 Honor Your Hunger and #6 Feel Your Fullness. When is the last time you’ve truly been able to feel and honor both your hunger & fullness?
The beauty of finding food freedom is that the scariness and frightfulness of all the scenarios listed above (and more) can be fought using tools developed through your journey. And, finding food freedom is exactly that, a journey. On your journey, you will forget the external diet culture voices that plant ideas & messages in your head. In their place, you will re-learn the cues of your body. You will grow to understand and honor your hunger & fullness. Think about it, intuitive eating is returning to the connection with our bodies we had as babies. We cried when we were hungry and we stopped eating when we were full. That can be your reality as an adult… by embracing finding food freedom and ditching diet culture for good. Although, hopefully, as adults there aren’t too many tears when we feel hungry.
Intuitive eating also addresses what diet culture has done to your relationship with your body. A part of finding food freedom and practicing intuitive eating is accepting your body, no matter the size it is. The messages surrounding body size that have been shared by diet culture are not based in fact, but fear-mongering and phobia. You can read more about the lies about body size our society has come to “know” here, as well as the research busting these myths. If you choose to start finding food freedom and learning about intuitive eating, you’ll also learn about moving your body with the purpose of feeling joy and happiness, not with the purpose of shrinking your body. Check out this Find Food Freedom® podcast episode on Intuitive Movement.
So, finding food freedom is a combination of many different efforts to allow all foods in your life freely and without judgment. Finding food freedom is understanding your body in a way so that you know when you are hungry and stop eating when you are comfortably full. Finding food freedom is a journey that can be soooo beneficial to your life and overall well-being, as evidenced by the research already done in the area of intuitive eating.
Let’s finish with a bit of reflection. Feel free to reflect internally to yourself or to grab your phone, a notebook, or a piece of paper to jot your thoughts down…
What is your relationship with food like?
Would you be happy continuing to have the same relationship with food as you currently have?
What emotions arise in different eating situations—at home, at restaurants, at parties?
Do you label foods as “good” or “bad”?
Are you scared of your body changing if you allow yourself to eat what will bring you satisfaction?
Reflecting on these can be the first time you have thought about these questions. Even if it’s not the first time you’ve thought about these or similar topics, you may find different emotions arising within you. It’s okay to feel upset, challenged, sad… But, know that you are not alone. Our society has been built off the lies and unrealistic expectations of diet culture. Finding food freedom is an opportunity for you to listen to and live by the truths of your body and mind.
If you are ready to find food freedom, you can explore different ways to work with us here. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest!
In addition, continue to read different blog posts on our website that call out to you!
Last but not least, you can listen to the Find Food Freedom® podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
This blog was written with the assistance of Lauren Fletcher, Intern at Find Food Freedom®!
