What does food freedom really mean?
I did a very official research study of all the Intuitive Eating, Health at Every Size, and eating disorder Registered Dietitians in my field and the number one word that pops up on every single website and Instagram post is freedom. (And to be clear, this is sarcasm. It was a very unofficial, casual Google search).
Everyone is talking about FREEDOM.
freedom in body, mind, and spirit
freedom from diet culture
freedom from obsessive food rules
freedom from food guilt
& free from food and body distress
Merriam-Webster defines freedom as “the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action” and “liberation from restraint or from the power of another.” And I’m a writer so I care a lot about words. I’m always curious about their meaning and how they land. I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard the word freedom so many times in my professional circle it starts to sound like the teacher’s voice in Charlie Brown. It blends in with the noise and blah blah blah blah blah.
I absolutely want freedom for you and with you. It’s just that I’m not entirely sure if that’s possible and I don’t want to bullshit you. Here’s why:
I consider myself recovered AND I still exist in diet culture every single day. Therefore I am not free from it.
I consider myself recovered AND sometimes I still feel guilty after eating something “unhealthy.” Therefore I am not free from it.
I consider myself recovered AND sometimes I feel urges to sum up the calories I’ve eaten in a day. Therefore I am not free from it.
I consider myself recovered AND sometimes I still feel intense body image distress. Therefore I am not free.
And if I continue to live in a culture that is steeped in white supremacy and ruled by the patriarchy, as a female, Jewish, adoptee, I will never truly be free. I can hear my dad’s voice in my head right now, “you’re so literal!” Yes, father, I am. I am a person who really cares about words. They are important to me. They mean something to me. And so I am going to spend a lot of time on this.
We say freedom and what you want is:
To keep Cocoa Puffs in the house without bingeing on them while watching Friends after a crappy date
To stop at Del Taco for lunch while driving your UberEats route without debilitating shame
To actually taste the pizza at Mother Wolf instead of trying to tally up the points from the red wine and squash blossoms appetizer
To grab an impromptu dinner at a new-to-you restaurant without studying the restaurant menu on your work computer for 30 minutes
Or maybe you want something totally different. That’s ok too. It’s ok to pause and reflect on the words we use as clinicians and as humans. Some questions to consider if you’d like:
What does freedom mean to me?
What comes to mind when I hear the phrase “food freedom”?
If I had food freedom, what would that look like in my daily life?
How do I really feel about the idea of food freedom? How do I really feel about the idea of freedom from body image distress?
If I had freedom in body, mind, and spirit, what would that look like in my daily life?
A reminder I will always return to, whether you are pursuing eating disorder recovery or healing a difficult relationship with food, there is no “right way.” Of course, I am a Registered Dietitian so we may discuss a meal plan, food exposures, journal suggestions, logging, body image exposures, and worksheets. Keyword being may. After years of working in group private practice and higher levels of care for trauma and substance use, there are so many skills, tools, and assignments that can help foster your progress. I know it because I’ve seen it in hundreds of my clients and also in my own recovery. AND, the work is guided by you.
Your values, your goals, your definition & vision of freedom.
I’d love to support your food freedom (or whatever you want to call it), self-care, and self-trust on your terms…no strings attached. My e-mail inbox is ready for you!