How to Overcome Your Limiting Beliefs Around Food

When we are children, we are constantly hearing our parents saying that we're not eating enough, and in some cases, it's that we're eating too much.

What starts to happen is that when you're a child between the age of zero and six or seven, you don't have any perspective. Psychologically, you are not able to put things into question, especially if it comes from an adult that is important in your life.

So, when your parents tell you...

• You aren't eating enough
• Eat for me
• Do it because I spent so much time doing this for you
• Normally you like that, why aren't you eating it?

...then you think you're not a good person for not eating it or for not finishing your plate, or maybe even for not thinking about the little children in Africa that are hungry.

What happens overtime, is that physically you start not trusting your body and your natural sense of satiety, which is extremely important because we all have that naturally within ourselves. We all know when we're full, we all know when it's enough.

We've learned as children not to trust ourselves and that others know better than you do about what's good for you. And that's the lie. People can't tell you really what's good for you. They can give you advice based on their own experience, they can provide with information, but they can't really tell you what's good for you. Emotionally, you start associating over or under eating with receiving more love, attention, and bringing other satisfaction.

Then it starts to entangle food with emotions with a sense of self value, self force that is not good. So food becomes an element of trade, which comes into argument and even emotional blackmail. We've all seen it with children. Maybe we've been guilty of it as well, because we're scared, because we're worried. But it's not too late to change that, at least for ourselves.

 It's especially important because those beliefs become our truth and prevent us from having the best life experience we could have. Food is something we think about every day. We have meals every day. We love usually sharing food with others. It's a big element.

It's a big social glue. And so if we're not enjoying it, we're missing out on a lot of what life has to offer. 

So how can we overcome these limiting beliefs around food that we developed as a child. 

#1 - If you feel food is your refuge.

This stems from anxiety, need for protection, panic attacks and body image issues. This is what you can tell yourself:

"I can start to work on my anxiety, identify what I eat, when and why."

"I could also work around the subject of satiety and assertiveness."

"I can start learning new, healthier recipes so I can keep on enjoying food while still doing good by my body."

#1 - If you feel food is your enemy.

This stems from control issues, lack of self love, body image issues. This is what you can start to say to yourself:

"Here I really need to start trusting my body and listen to its needs."

"I need to look at my body with more kindness and gratitude."

"I see food as a part of my life that cannot be avoided and can become a friend."

Changing a belief around food is a process that takes awareness and courage. There are a lot of emotions attached to food and letting go of our habits and reassuring patterns can be very hard. The sooner we can start creating new joyful/tasty rituals along and with others the better.

If you want to learn more about breaking through your limiting beliefs, you can watch our MASTERCLASS with Meditation Expert Sophie Lise Fargue here.