Have you recently decided to stop dieting and normalize your relationship with food? As wonderful as that decision feels, it takes time to really let go of the diet mentality. You may notice that you’re still judging foods as “good” or “bad” or that you automatically count calories, carbs, fat grams or points because they’re so familiar to you.
As you become an attuned eater, you’ll experienced the satisfaction and pleasure that comes from honoring your hunger, choosing foods that truly nourish you, and paying attention to fullness. This is a big contrast to the diet mentality, where eating is based on monitoring and/or counting something about the foods you consume in order to promote weight loss. It can be helpful to identify the real differences between the assumptions and values that underlie these approaches to feeding yourself; perhaps you’ll add some more of your own!
| DIET MENTALITY | ATTUNED EATING |
| External Rules | Internal Cues |
| Rigid | Flexible |
| Deprived | Satisfied |
| Guilt | Pleasure |
| Fear | Trust |
| Preoccupied | Empowered |
| Weight Loss | Nourishment |
| Shame | Compassion |
| Judgment | Acceptance |
| Oppressed | Freedom |
| In Control | In Charge |
As you look at this list, how do you feel? Where are you at in your process to move toward attuned eating? Does reflecting on the differences between these two paradigms affect anything about how you want to change your relationship with food? Moving from the diet mentality to attuned eating is a journey, so stay compassionate with yourself and take it one eating experience at a time!
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Eat well! Live well! Be well! Judith Matz and Ellen Frankel, are co-authors of The Diet Survivor’s Handbook, Beyond a Shadow of a Diet www.dietsurvivors.com Chicago Center for Overcoming Overeating: 847.267.1200
