Something I talk about frequently with my clients is the concept of “normal eating.” We are all born with the innate ability to tell when we are hungry and when we are full. Our brain and gastrointestinal sensors help us to desire a variety of foods that will nourish our body… but somewhere along the way society can confuse our senses of what eating is supposed to be like. So….​ 

What the heck is “normal eating”?? 

In the dietetics and eating disorder industries, a quote about normal eating has become the gold-standard. Leading child eating-behavior-expert, Ellyn Satter’s quote is as follows:
_________________________________
What is Normal Eating?
By: Ellyn Satter, MS, RDN, MSSW

Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it -not just stop eating because you think you should. Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food. Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good. Normal eating is mostly three meals a day, or four or five, or it can be choosing to munch along the way. It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful. Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.
In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and your feelings.

This quote came directly from: http://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/hte/whatisnormaleating.php
©2016 by Ellyn Satter published at www.EllynSatterInstitute.org
For more about eating competence (and for research backing up this advice), see Ellyn Satter’s Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family: How to Eat, How to Raise Good Eaters, How to Cook, Kelcy Press, 2008. Also see www.EllynSatterInstitute.org/store to purchase books and to review other resources.

Are You Secretly Struggling With Your Relationship To Food?

 

Do you worry you're eating your feelings?

Or, do you feel ashamed about your eating habits?

I've been there too, and I can help.

 

Sign up to my email list now to get these 3 FREEBIES in the privacy of your own inbox, that will help you identify if you have disordered eating habits.

Are you secretly struggling with your relationship to food

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Pin It on Pinterest