Weight Loss

Weight Loss Wednesday- Healing My Relationship With Food

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What and how you feed your mind is equally, and sometimes even more important, than the food you eat.” -Anonymous
 
“I’m starting my diet on Monday.” “I can’t eat that–it has too many calories.” “I just can’t keep chips in the house.” “I already blew my diet… what’s one more cookie?” “If it’s on my plate, I just have to finish it.” “I have NO self control.” “I’m so stressed because I ate so much.” “I’d just be happier if I lost 5 pounds.” 

These are all things that I hear from my friends on-the-regular. I always hear people talking about how they’re going on this new diet, fix, cleanse, or detox… and I can’t help but think to myself, I KNOW this isn’t going to last. Diets fail. We’re constantly bombarded with different ways to drop the pounds and beat the ‘battle of the bulge’. Well, why do we keep falling for the same scams? My mum just told me about this super new diet called the ‘Taco Cleanse’… yeah, you read that right! (I can’t complain too much though… because I do LOVE tacos!!) The point is, everyone seems to be starting a new diet! And that only propels them deeper into an unhealthy relationship with food.

Believe me, I’ve been there. I’ve obsessed over calories, binged on processed foods, and swore by the latest and greatest diet (whatever that happened to be at the time) and ya know what? I was unhealthy, unhappy and I had a HORRIBLE relationship with food. But here I am, years later, trying to save you from all the misery that comes from a messed-up relationship with food.

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There’s honestly SO much I could write, but I want to keep it short and get right to the point. Ditch the diet, take baby steps, focus on consistency, don’t feel guilty and treat your body like you would a friend’s. We’re always SO quick to criticize ourselves. We starve and deprive our bodies in hopes that they’ll respond by ‘getting thin’ and we’ll fit into our skinny jeans. The way I learned to heal my relationship with food was by nourishing my body with whole foods and slowwwwly cutting down on the unhealthy eats. I ate out of love rather than hate and ya know what? I lost weight and I learned how to maintain that weight loss. I no longer crave junk food (because I cut down on it over months rather than days) and I have peace with food. You can read more about my whole story here.

I learned to eat well and consistently and I don’t fear weight gain anymore. I don’t fear food, or going out to eat, or dessert, or having junk food in the house… honestly, I don’t even worry about it! While that didn’t happen over night, you know what did? My decision to focus on healing my relationship with food and learning to eat in a sustainable, enjoyable, healthy way. No more dieting, restricting and obsessing. I learned that eating 3 balanced meals a day and a healthy snack in the afternoon + treat at night will NOT make me fat! Focusing on ‘making peace with food’ allowed my body to find it’s natural, happy weight (which I now maintain). 

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So, today for ‘weight loss Wednesday’ I want to encourage you to ditch the diet, stop viewing food as your enemy… or as your best friend, it’s neither. Take the slow road to weight loss, because trust me when I tell you– it’s worth it. Losing 2 pounds in a month is SO much more rewarding than losing it in 2 days because it will last. Finding peace with food is worth the time, effort and consistency. After all, it’s “eating healthy (that) makes you happy”… not dieting. 

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32 Comments

  • Reply Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy

    I think that focusing on changing your relationship with food, rather than just dieting, is one of the best things that you can do for your health. It’s just as much of a mental battle as it is a physical one.

    January 13, 2016 at 10:35 am
    • Reply Cailee

      It sure is! I was so caught up in my own head! Fixing my relationship with food was the key to health and happiness!! ๐Ÿ™‚

      January 14, 2016 at 11:43 pm
  • Reply Kate

    Personal experience can be such a strong teacher! You are so right that an obsession
    with numbers cannot bring satisfaction! I am so grateful that I’ve learned to love my body and see food as a gift to nourish my body.

    January 13, 2016 at 6:05 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      YES!! So happy that you see food as a gift!! <3 I love that.

      January 14, 2016 at 11:42 pm
  • Reply genevieve @ gratitude & greens

    I’m glad you have a better relationship with food now! I never count calories and I just focus on eating unprocessed whole foods. Bonus: they’re the tastiest, too!

    January 13, 2016 at 8:09 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      They are the tastiest!! And thank you… it sure did take a while to undo all that damage dieting did, but believe me… it was SO worth it!! ๐Ÿ™‚

      January 14, 2016 at 11:42 pm
  • Reply Heather McClees

    Good for you, girl! You’re an inspiration to many out there and we share similar stories! All the best, keep it up! ๐Ÿ™‚

    January 13, 2016 at 9:56 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Thanks Heather!! You’re seriously so encouraging!! I hope that you have a great weekend!! ๐Ÿ™‚

      January 14, 2016 at 11:41 pm
  • Reply Rach @ This Italian Family

    Solid advice, girl!

    January 13, 2016 at 10:58 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Thanks Rach!! ๐Ÿ™‚

      January 14, 2016 at 11:41 pm
  • Reply Courtney Bentley

    Amazing story and amazing advice! So true, I am a recovered bulimic and let me tell you it took me a LONG time to have a healthy relationship with food and I am so grateful I have found that! Thanks for sharing xo C

    January 14, 2016 at 12:34 am
    • Reply Cailee

      Thanks Courtney! I’m so glad that you have found your ‘happy balance’! The slow road towards a healthy relationship with food is definitely longer than a “quick fix” diet, but it’s SO much better! Way more sustainable!

      January 14, 2016 at 11:40 pm
  • Reply GiGi Eats

    Have you tried the SO DELICIOUS Coconut Milk Ice Cream that’s sugar-free?! It’s so tempting to me but I haven’t tried it yet… Because I KNOW I would eat the whole pint and while it’s healthy…… There are a heft amount of calories in there – ha ha!

    January 14, 2016 at 1:17 am
    • Reply Cailee

      YES! I buy that one a lot as well! It’s so good. The vanilla is my fave! You should def give it a try ๐Ÿ™‚

      January 14, 2016 at 11:35 pm
  • Reply Tandy | Lavender and Lime

    I am totally with you about ditching the diet. Eat whole foods, enjoy everything in moderation and walk when you can. That is what works for me ๐Ÿ™‚

    January 14, 2016 at 6:58 am
    • Reply Cailee

      YES!! Sounds like we have a very similar approach! <3

      January 14, 2016 at 11:35 pm
  • Reply Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry

    This is such a wonderful article, Cailee. I couldn’t agree more that we should treat our bodies like we would a friendโ€™s. It’s strange how we always seem to think that respecting others is so important, but then create a double standard for ourselves. I’ve struggled with this same thought pattern, so I love this advice. Thanks so much for sharing ๐Ÿ˜€

    January 14, 2016 at 11:40 am
    • Reply Cailee

      You are so welcome! I’m really glad that you liked the post and that you agree! ๐Ÿ™‚ Hope that you have an awesome weekend!

      January 14, 2016 at 11:34 pm
  • Reply Emma {Emma's Little Kitchen}

    Fab post Cailee! For me, everything clicked when I started running- and I realised that I needed quality calories of and appropriate amount, and more importantly, focusing on what my body could DO rather than what it looked like. XXX

    January 14, 2016 at 12:37 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Thanks Emma! So glad that you liked the post! …also I’m so glad that you’ve found you ‘happy balance!’ ๐Ÿ™‚

      January 14, 2016 at 11:33 pm
  • Reply Susie @ SuzLyfe

    Marathoning and training go me over so much of my fears of food (as you read yesterday). It really helped to heal me.

    January 14, 2016 at 12:41 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      You’re story is so powerful! Thanks for yesterday’s post!

      January 14, 2016 at 11:32 pm
  • Reply David | Spiced

    This is so well-written, Cailee! We also try to follow the whole moderation thing around here. Granted, we fall off a bit during the holidays and then we turn towards healthier soups and salads and such in January…but I don’t really consider that much of a diet. I’m happy to hear you’ve got a great relationship with food now. Food is incredible stuff, and we all have to eat. But balance is the key!

    January 14, 2016 at 4:18 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Thank you David!! I love food now!! Haha, so good… in moderation of course ๐Ÿ™‚ And moderation includes treats and festivities! Sounds like you guys have found a great balance.

      January 14, 2016 at 11:32 pm
  • Reply Kat

    “I want to encourage you to ditch the diet, stop viewing food as your enemyโ€ฆ or as your best friend, itโ€™s neither.” THIS right here, is probably one of the most powerful statements Ive ever read. Why on earth do we make food the enemy? Or even a friend to console us? Ditching dieting really is the only way to true health and FREEDOM from food. Great post!!

    January 14, 2016 at 6:54 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Thank you SO much Kat! You’re so sweet. And I completely agree! Freedom is found when we stop dieting and learn to eat out of a place of love… rather than a place of fear and hate.

      January 14, 2016 at 11:30 pm
  • Reply Ashley@CookNourishBliss

    I so completely agree with you lady. I think I weighed the most I ever did in college and then I just started making smaller, healthier changes little by little. And of course – it lasted! And slowly over time the mindset changes! Wise words!

    January 14, 2016 at 9:45 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Thank you Ashley!! And I completely agree. It really is all about those little changes. They sure do add up!

      January 14, 2016 at 11:29 pm
  • Reply Stรฉphanie leduc

    Could not agree more with this, I firmly believe diets can never be a thing. If people tell themselves they are on a diet, they are automatically telling themselves to restrict. Restriction leads to all type of nasty stuff! I believe eating right is something we can all easily do, with a little guidance from others. GREAT post!!

    January 15, 2016 at 4:27 am
    • Reply Cailee

      Thanks girl!! You are SO right! Restricting is not the way to go! So glad that you liked the post ๐Ÿ™‚

      January 20, 2016 at 5:05 am
  • Reply Cassie

    I used to have such a fragmented relationship with food: one certain food at only one hour, and everything else was bad. I was so inflexible with my diet and I would get so agitated when something would be out of order! I didn’t realize that what I was doing and what I thought was just a “healthy” mentality was so damaging to my well-being and my health. It wasn’t until I tried to look at the good and the bad in all foods when my relationship with food was healed.
    This post resonated with me so much. Thank you for sharing your story! I absolutely agree that you have to ditch the diet mentality because it is way too restrictive and limiting on what you can enjoy. It is such a good message that has to be taught!

    January 15, 2016 at 5:25 pm
    • Reply Cailee

      Thanks Cassie! So glad that you agree… I’m so glad that you have healed your relationship with food! That is so important! Hope that you’re having a great week!!

      January 20, 2016 at 5:08 am

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