Do you suffer from food guilt?
Have you ever eaten something and said out loud: Man, I shouldn’t have eaten that! Then the guilt floods your whole body.
Now let’s rearrange our thinking and let me ask you another question: have you ever thought about how this guilt could actually be more harmful than actually eating? Today I want to talk to you about that emotional components surrounding food.
I got the idea for this blog while watching a Joe Dispenza video. He told a story about cooking for himself and some friends who had come over to enjoy a meal with wine, which he originally felt guilty about. But then he changed his mind and said to himself, “I’m not.” I’m going to sit down and feel guilty for eating a meal that I made time to eat. When we want something, we lack it, but what would really fulfill us is the opposite – and that, my friends, is wholeness.
That hit me hard because I realized how much we criticize ourselves about our eating habits! The even bigger lightbulb moment for me was when he went on to say that the guilt I felt was WORSE for my body than any bad food I ingested.
Now my little “Spidey senses” were really up and running. He was absolutely right! The guilt we inflict on ourselves about food, our weight – any GUILT that surrounds us and our bodies can be more harmful than the “unhealthy thing” we worry about!
Why is guilt so harmful?
The stress associated with guilt can lead to more stress, which in turn releases negative chemicals into the body – and this can immediately lead to reactive symptoms! GI problems usually appear, and even other symptoms like headache, back pain, anxiety, depression, and a weakened immune system. The list goes on because remember, your body feels like it has done something “bad” and therefore these harmful emotions can cause a number of side effects.
When it comes to food or life in general, we shouldn’t look at things in black and white, good or bad. One example that immediately springs to mind is the word diet. We use it when referring to elementary nutrition so that people understand that it is about food, but what I’m talking about here is when people use the phrase, I can’t because I’m dieting. Then it’s a face of disappointment for the friend who just offered them chili cheese fries.
This statement immediately triggers a feeling of Lack or feeling excluded, and it is this feeling, this thought and this belief that I am talking about. Well, I’m definitely not saying that you should go out and eat all of the super high fat, high calorie, wheat, and dairy meals that you could want! The key here is to change your attitude towards your personal eating habits.
At LTYG, we definitely support healthy eating habits, since a wholesome diet is the goal, but balance is the keyword here. Striving for balance in all areas of life, including eating, is the best! For example, let’s say you’ve tried very hard to maintain healthy eating habits, but suddenly feel like eating something sweet. Again, we’re not telling people to adopt bad eating habits, but there is something about enjoying a good meal / treat if it helps your emotional wellbeing! We want to take the feeling of lack or limitation out of the picture, even if we don’t eat what most people without bowel problems eat (like wheat, dairy products, fat, etc.)
Now, if you are dealing with food cravings, I highly recommend trying Jini’s tapping video on sugar addiction and food cravings! This post also has lots of fantastic resources for sugar addiction and chocolate cravings. And here’s a great post on how to ease the pain of going sugar free, as well as a guest post with tips and recipes on how to cut sugar. You can also find ALL of Jini’s gut-friendly recipes and some chocolate-centric dessert options here.
After these sessions, see how you feel about sugar or chocolate over the next few days – and notice where else the candy cravings pop up and tap on it! You can also visit Jini for a FREE SESSION using her lazer tapping technique. where it combines tapping with access to tissues and cells in the body.
Memories, people and peer pressure
Food is often surrounded by memories and people so get out there and make new ones with the people, the surroundings, the food and the lifestyle YOU want. When food is equated with parties or reminders, cravings can intensify and certain foods can be difficult to cut out. This is why I say make sure that you create new happy memories as you begin your new healthy eating endeavors. That way, your body can equate this new lifestyle with kindness, not limitation!
People can also have a strong influence on our decisions. We can even feel the pressure to adjust, so let’s eat something our tummy hates just to feel like we belong! I remember feeling pretty left out, and even making fun of it, drinking my shakes at gatherings while everyone else was eating the food. You feel a little uncomfortable. That feeling was before I learned the techniques I am sharing with you.
Now if someone tries to make me feel like that, I could literally see them with their plastic plate with garbage on it and say to myself: Well, I have too much respect for myself and my body to eat this garbage. And besides, I don’t even need or want it.
That is real empowerment!
Instead of being captivated by addictions to foods that are terrible to us, why choose your health and freedom rather than this? It’s your decision! I never I thought I could do without certain foods … but lo and behold, I was able to do without ANY sugar for 2 years. I mean nothing, no licking! The thing is, your taste buds are changing, your body is changing – and pretty soon there will be no more cravings or feelings of deficiency!
What Can You Do To Combat Feelings Of Guilt?
Guilt means that you did wrong … so forgive yourself, the other person if necessary, and all actions. This can also be helpful when eating. Even if you are resenting yourself for eating something that you really didn’t need or that wasn’t the healthiest thing for you, try to be compassionate and indulgent with yourself. Remembering that guilt is not good for our body! Focus on what you want, how you want to eat, and the life you want. Put your energy into it instead of beating yourself up.
After trial and error, you will be able to create and implement a strategic plan using foods that you know will work well with your tummy. It may take a while for habits to fully settle, but the positive changes you will feel will enable you to move on. Nothing beats eating healthy and feeling good. When you finally feel good, you won’t even miss the foods you ate before because you will feel so amazing!
You have a free hand! You are your own nutritionist. At LTYG, we offer a lot of recommendations, but the beauty of body wisdom is that you can decide what is best for you rather than following a specific list of foods telling you what to eat and what not to eat.
Working on the emotional component is so important because, as I mentioned earlier, eating is associated with memories and comfort. As soon as I felt more comfortable, I felt more confident. I didn’t need food more than my COMFORT or rescue from emotional distress. Food was just food, not an emotional blanket.
Jini’s handling of guilt
In Jini’s powerful lazer-tapping video of shame and guilt for medical problems (human or animal), Jini helps unravel the layers of guilt. This video is perhaps more focused on the guilt we feel about medical treatments, but the way Jini walks you through the steps is remarkable for EVERY guilt – food guilt included! It takes you on a journey through the cycle of guilt – the starting point in which you felt the guilt, a few possible reasons why you felt this, what you can do to let go of the guilt, and how you can relate to those feelings a positive learning can transform experience.
One of the things Jini says in this video that I absolutely LOVE is to accept this (experience) as a powerful teaching moment – a powerful growth moment on my way. I highly recommend this tapping session because it will help you shift feelings of guilt and take responsibility for all decisions in life instead of staying in a victim mentality.
As Jini says, I’ll take what I need to make myself bigger – to become more confident you.
Reshape your thinking
When you follow the elementary diet, you may become frustrated with the things you are not currently eating. Try redesigning this! Instead of feeling deficiency, feel fullness – focus on the abundance of rich nutrients and minerals that you give your body with each elemental shake.
I feel left out when everyone at the party is eating pizza and you’re not in the healing phase to indulge yourself. You may be frustrated at first, but this is where you can rephrase and challenge those thoughts. I’ve talked before about considering time an investment in elemental nutrition. Sure, you might be temporarily on the elemental diet due to severe symptoms of IBD, but once things are healed, you can actually add to your diet.
I choose to feed my body what it needs. I choose health and don’t give in to peer pressure that doesn’t benefit me or my body.
If you want some deeply ingrained healing to take place, it may come with some things that you do choose give up, But these things and people can be replaced with better, healthier options – and new, positive memories!
Linsy is Jini’s assistant. From a highly sensitive / reactive case of ulcerative colitis to complete freedom from medication and surgery with exclusively natural methods, Linsy understands the interplay of mind / body / soul on the healing path firsthand.
