Your Relationship with Food – Video with Emily Rosen

Here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, we often talk about our relationship with food. When we look at food as our first human relationship – and our longest lasting relationship – we can get a lot of great insights into why we do what we do when it comes to food and eating. As with any relationship, we go into it hoping to get certain needs met, but if we’re not conscious about what those needs are, a lot of frustration can be the result. And now and then, every relationship can benefit from a little honest conversation. Are you ready to take a deeper look at your relationship with food? Join Emily Rosen, Director of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, as she delves into the dynamics in this thought-provoking new video from #IPEtv.

In the comments below, please let us know your thoughts. We love hearing from you and we read and respond to every comment!

Here is a transcript of this week’s video:

Hi, I’m Emily Rosen, Chief Operating Officer for the Institute for the Psychology of Eating.

Today’s Topic: Your Relationship with Food

Here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, we use the term “relationship with food” quite a bit.

We have found it’s a hugely important distinction to be aware of if you have any interest in eating and health whatsoever. Allow me to explain:

Let’s first define the term relationship.

Think of some words that come to mind when you hear the term relationship – as in your relationships with other people for example.

We might come up with descriptive words such as love, connection, intimacy, communication, familiarity, dialogue, understanding, compassion, pleasure, excitement, learning, growth, togetherness – these are some of the fun and positive parts of relationship.

We can also use words to describe relationship such as pain, hurt, uncertainty, abandonment, confusion, fighting, challenge and lots more.

Relationship covers a pretty vast amount of the human experience.

What I’d like to suggest is that every word that describes our relationships with people equally describes our relationship with food – love, hate, pleasure, pain, learning, communication, change – all of it.

And this relationship with food is indeed the longest term relationship you’ll ever have. It’s there from the very beginning, till the very end.

And not only is it a long-term relationship, it’s a pretty important one.

Even if it’s the kind of relationship that you don’t want to put much thought or energy into – we can’t escape the fact that there will likely be repercussions for not paying attention. Food creates us, reproduces us, fuels us, and becomes us. The more we can attend to our relationship with food in a healthy way, the more we can receive the benefits.

The question is, then, how do you approach your relationship with food?

How do you do it?
How do you show up?

Well, if you don’t mind, allow me to give you some relationship advice – when it comes to relationship with food, that is:
Make it conscious
Make it intentional
Acknowledge that it will have ups and downs
Let it be what it is
Let the wisdom of the relationship speak
Trust the relationship
Work on the relationship
Get help when you need it
Don’t rely on it too heavily for too many things – be reasonable
Take time away from it when you need to
Mix things up when you think of it – step out of the box
Find ways to make it interesting and exciting
And know that with any close relationship – there are always challenges, and places where we are asked to grow and mature

And by the way, coincidence or not, every suggestion that I just mentioned for your relationship with food equally applies to your relationship with just about anything or anyone.

Now here’s another helpful direction, and a helpful question when it comes to eating:

What do you want from food?

Lots of people, whether they’ve articulated it to themselves or not, have a list of everything that they want from food. We’ve been asking this question in classes, workshops, and trainings here at the Institute for many years. We’ve asked it of thousands of students. Commonly when we ask people what they want from food, we’ll hear answers such as: great health, no sickness, energy, satisfaction, taste, pleasure, love, a lean body, less fat and more muscle, beauty, skin health, happiness, a really long life, and more.

The bottom line is – people can expect a lot from food.

We really put the pressure on for food to deliver so many different kinds of benefits to us.

As in so many different kinds of relationships, one of the best ways to get what you want – is to give it.

If you want satisfaction and energy from food, then bring that to the table. If you want happiness and health, then put that into your food. Whatever bounty you expect from your meal, ask yourself, “How am I offering the very thing that I want into the relationship?” From there, the magic can begin to happen.

So if you’re the kind of person who’s interested in food, health, and personal evolution and excellence, then it’s time to embrace your relationship with food in a whole new way.

Think of it as maturing into your relationship with food.

This means, in part, embracing all of what that relationship is:

Our relationship with food is all about change.

Our relationship with food is all about navigating the unknown.

Our relationship with food often asks a lot of us.

And finally, our relationship with food gives us the opportunity to celebrate, enjoy and feel nourished every single day…

And if you have a challenged relationship with food, keep working, keep exploring, keep asking questions, keep going deeper into your own heart, and trust.

I know that the rewards will be forthcoming.

I hope this was helpful.

To learn more about us please go to wordpress-558340-1890919.cloudwaysapps.com

The Institute for the Psychology of Eating offers the most innovative and inspiring professional trainings, public programs, conferences, online events and lots more in the exciting fields of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition! In our premier professional offering – the Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training – you can grow a new career and help your clients in a powerful way with food, body and health. You’ll learn cutting edge skills and have the confidence to work with the most compelling eating challenges of our times: weight, body image, overeating, binge eating, digestion, fatigue, immunity, mood and much more. If you’re focused on your own eating and health, the Institute offers a great selection of one-of-a-kind opportunities to take a big leap forward in your relationship with food. We’re proud to be international leaders in online and live educational events designed to create the breakthroughs you want most. Our public programs are powerful, results oriented, and embrace all of who we are as eaters – body, mind, heart and soul.

Please email us at info@psychologyofeating.com if you have specific questions and we will be sure to get back to you.

Again that is wordpress-558340-1890919.cloudwaysapps.com

This is Emily Rosen, Chief Operating Officer for the Institute for the Psychology of Eating.

Thanks so much for your time and interest

To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.