Do you feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of conflicting rules and restrictions surrounding food? Are you tired of worrying about making the “right” food choices and just want to be able to enjoy food again? Ellyn Satter, an internationally recognized authority on eating and feeding, established a definition for “normal eating” that takes all of the pressure and guesswork out of eating. Normal eating is flexible — it looks different for each person and varies in response to your emotions, your schedule, your hunger, and your proximity to food.
by: Imogen Bylinsky
How do you determine if your eating is “normal”? What even is normal eating? With diet culture becoming more prominent every day, it is often difficult to discern whether one’s eating would be considered “disordered” or “normal.” There are many misconceptions and uncertainties surrounding eating that stem from diet culture’s toxic rules and restrictions. Is overeating when we are stressed or overwhelmed normal? Is it okay if I do it every so often? Is it bad to eat past comfortable fullness?
Ellyn Satter, author of What is Normal Eating?, explains what to eat when it comes to eating normally. In summary, she says we should pick foods that make us feel good. While it is important to pick foods that are nutritious, that doesn’t mean removing all pleasure from our meals. We should strive to find a balance between pleasure-filled foods and foods that are more nutrient-dense.
The main concept of normal eating is simply listening to your body’s cues. Satter says to eat “when you’re hungry” and “eat until you’re satisfied.” Essentially, Satter is saying that eating should be instinctive, not a task or a chore. She stresses the importance of allowing yourself to eat whatever you’re craving in the moment — to put trust in your body, as it understands what you need.
Often times, disordered eating is hard to notice. If you find yourself overwhelmed with a great deal of stress and anxiety during meal times, you may want to reassess your eating habits. When it comes to eating, it is important to remember that food is more than fuel. Food should be both enjoyable and nourishing for the body. It is also important to be mindful of your satiation throughout the day. If your stomach is grumbling, you need more fuel. You need fuel because that is what will get you through the day and give you the energy necessary to accomplish everything you enjoy doing. It is okay if you feel uncomfortably full after mealtimes. If you have finished your meal but are feeling unsatisfied, it is okay to grab a snack or something else to eat. Normal eating is all about flexibility and listening to your body.
It is important to catch disordered eating and “nip it in the bud” because it can only escalate. If you have noticed disordered eating behaviors in yourself or a loved one, I would recommend reading Ellyn Satter’s published books and educating yourself more about what normal eating looks like. At BALANCE eating disorder treatment center, we offer a variety of services and webinars that will help you heal your relationship with food. In our Normal Eating webinar, you will dive deeper into Ellyn Satter’s description of “normal eating” to gain an understanding of the principles that are essential for developing a healthy relationship to food. Additionally, we offer Individual Nutrition Counseling to help clients move from structured eating to intuitive eating, reduce food and body image anxiety, increase hunger and satiety awareness, and develop a program that works with your lifestyle.
Looking for eating disorder treatment programs or services in the New York City area? Learn more about our options at BALANCE eating disorder treatment center here or contact us here.
This post was written by BALANCE blog intern, Imogen Bylinsky.
Imogen is a high school student from New York City with a passion for writing and speaking about mental health issues, specifically eating disorders. Growing up, she became increasingly aware of the stigma and hurtful stereotypes associated with eating disorders. She is interested in majoring in Psychology after taking an “abnormal child psychology” course at Brown University. Along with BALANCE, she volunteers with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and Project HEAL, an eating disorder organization. She specifically wants to address how eating disorders are portrayed in the media, pop culture, various races/ethnic groups, and gender. She is excited to be writing for the BALANCE blog!
