Normal Eating 101

Tips for healthier relationships with food

In a world obsessed with weight and diet culture, having a healthy relationship with food can feel like a struggle.

So let’s bring back normal – a way of eating to help you have a nourishing and enjoyable eating pattern without restriction,
fear or guilt.

What is normal eating?

Normal eating is flexible because life is unpredictable. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and your feelings.

Embracing normal eating will help you set up good habits for a lifetime to have a happy and healthy relationship with food wherever your journey takes you.

Top tips to get into a more normal pattern of eating  

Honour the hunger and fullness cues
Listen to your body and try going into meals hungry and eating until you are satisfied.

  • Sit while you eat. Sitting down helps increase our focus when we eat so we become more in control of our cues.

  • Chew slowly. Chewing slowly gives our bodies enough time to process and send fullness cues.

Ditch the diet culture and avoid deprivation
Focus on fueling your body with nutritious foods you enjoy and eating until you have truly had enough – not just stopping because you think you should.

  • Avoid food rules. Add more to your plate or have another snack if you are still feeling hungry. Follow your body’s cues rather than rules.

Fuel the body and the mind
Part of maintaining good health is about what we eat, but it’s also having a healthy mind. Give thought to your food selection but try not to be so wary and restrictive that you miss out on foods you enjoy. Some food fuels the body, others fuel the soul and it is okay to have both in your diet.

  • Balance. Different foods offer different functions, allow yourself to eat differently depending on the how you’re feeling, the environment and what’s best for your body and mind.

Eat mindfully, eat socially, eat regularly
Focus on your food and allocate some time to enjoy it by putting away devices, slowing down and engaging your five senses. Take time from your busy study schedule to fuel throughout the day.

  • Plan ahead. If you know you are planning for a busy day, have some snacks ready to grab and go and ensure you slot in a time for a meal.

Be kind to yourself
Give yourself permission to eat sometimes just because you are happy, sad or bored.