If you’re looking for a sign to stop dieting, THIS IS IT.
There are a lot of layers to Food Freedom, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s a constant journey and learning process. But I wanted to do a post to simplify it as much as possible with practical steps for you to get started on your own journey of Food Freedom (inspired by this recent IGtv I did).
Please note that I am NOT a health/medical/mental expert, and this is just my own experience/opinions. Please seek a professional before making any changes to your health routine.
7 Ways to Start Practicing Food Freedom ASAP
Decide and commit
Draw a line in the sand. Get stubborn about it. Decide TODAY…not tomorrow, not 5 pounds from now. It’s going to take willpower – yes – but so does whatever diet you were trying to stick to, so why not at least head in the direction of freedom?
Read the book Intuitive Eating
I do like to be clear that my version of Food Freedom is *not* 100% aligned with that found in the Intuitive Eating book. I have different views when it comes to weight loss and even adopting certain diet choices (so long as mental + emotional health is still the top priority). However, the book Intuitive Eating gives great practical tips for listening to your body and breaking the diet cycle. Another great (similar) book is The F*ck It Diet, which is a little more my speed in the sass department 😉
Read my other blog posts on Food Freedom
If right now you’re like, what the heck is Food Freedom? Read these!
I Stand For Food Freedom
What Food Freedom Looks Like In My LifeThe Best Part Of Dieting
Practicing Food Freedom During The Holidays & Special Occasions
Can Food Freedom and Health/Fitness Goals Coexist?
What I Learned When I Stopped Dieting
Maintaining Your Food Freedom When You Want To Give Up
How I Lost Weight Practicing Food Freedom
How You’re Probably Sabotaging Your Own Food Freedom
How I Broke My Addiction To Sweets
Unfollow, delete, unsubscribe
UNFOLLOW any and all accounts that don’t point you in the direction of Food Freedom. DELETE your tracking apps. I personally just felt a sigh of relief for you that you don’t have to view food in the form of numbers anymore. Like ew. UNSUBSCRIBE from anything else you need to – Facebook groups, podcasts, newsletters. The diet noise is hard enough to avoid, so at least do what you can to get it out of your inbox.
Implement at least one “forbidden” food each day
Congratulations, food isn’t “good” or “bad” anymore! You’ve got a new life to live and a whole lot of delicious foods to start eating again. Okay okay, I know it won’t be as simple as that, but you need to at least start somewhere, and in my opinion one at a time is that place. Keep that food in your house. Order it when dining out. Enjoy once-forbidden foods again and again until they lose the power they had over you.
Write a letter/list to yourself of whys
Answer questions like, why Food Freedom? What do I want my future to look like? This will be individual to you and might be one page or 20, but here are some of my own for inspiration:
Dieting has never worked for me in the past. Remember how it eventually made me feel.
I don’t want to spend the rest of my life focusing on food.
The real victory is knowing I am free enough to eat whatever I wanted without an ounce of guilt.
Having complete Food Freedom is genuinely so much more satisfying than a few “good days” of dieting.
I might overeat, and that’s okay. It is simply a choice and does not define me.
I want to be an example to show others what Food Freedom looks like.
Having these truths written out is especially important to reflect back on when you get tempted to diet again (because you will) so maybe even consider carrying them around with you.
Tell someone about it
Spread the news – you’re free! Or at least on a journey toward freedom. That’s something to be excited about – and who knows – maybe your story will inspire others to pursue Food Freedom as well.
For more on my day-to-day life of balance/Food Freedom follow Hungry Blonde along on Instagram (+ stories)! xoxo GG
