Along my journey tinkering with my dietary habits and eating patterns I consciously reshaped my relationship with food to support the way I live. So many people live to eat or just eat to live. Either one of those relationships with food can seriously mess with the mind and body!

I eat to support what I set out to do each day.  I don’t eat for some result in my physic. The results are a side benefit of eating to support my active lifestyle.  The purpose of food is to support my experiences by keeping me nourished, energized, and ready to try the next thing that interests me. Recently that thing was skate skiing!

Most people interested in being healthy and nourished  know what to eat. They too often let their judgement be clouded  however by negative thinking about what should or shouldn’t be eaten. Eating based on mood can also lead people astray from what they know.

Here are five things to get in order before setting course for dieting in 2017:

1.  Don’t go hungry. Give  yourself permission to eat smaller and more often to feel more satisfied.

2. Don’t compare how you eat with others. Everyone is different and it can lead to guilt, shame, and  resentment around food choices which is damaging in the long run.

3. Accept there are no magic bullets or quick fixes. If there is a change you need to make, it will take time and work, but the days go by whether you are doing it or not.

4. Ignore bandwagon food trends. It just clouds your intuition about what is good for you.

5. Eat with purpose. The purpose will vary with every bite. Is it to nourish? Satiate? Energize? Celebrate?  Asking  yourself what you are hoping to get out of this food leads to both healthier eating habits and greater enjoyment.

It has been my experience that these five beliefs are the nutrition foundation that support better food choices and a healthier relationship with food.