Does it sound good? EAT IT!
It’s an important principle. We can’t make peace if we’re at war with all our fear foods. Making peace and having permission to eat forbidden foods is crucial. It’s one of my favorite principles as a mental health clinician because it’s all about self-compassion, beliefs, thoughts, and feelings around food.
Are you already jumping to argue and defend your fears? “But “shouldn’t” we avoid certain foods for health?”
Look, health isn’t JUST about food. I have many clients suffering with Orthorexia, obsessed with rigid “clean” (hate that word) eating rules and righteous eating. They suffer, are prisoners to the rules, and are fighting for their lives. I really argue that “health” includes variety, balance, and flexibility in your relationship with food.
“BUT I’LL NEVER STOP EATING ___enter fear food____!”
Listen. No one... NO ONE... will “only eat ______enter fear food_____” FOREVER. THE PARADOX IS IN PERMISSION.
By removing restriction, highly palatable foods lose their novelty and pull. Bingeing is a natural result of restriction! It’s normal to enjoy a variety of foods when you’re not on some intense crash diet. TRUST THE PROCESS. Tacos are just Tacos, not a moral dilemma.
It’s normal to have some overcompensation while we break all the diet brainwashing. It’s normal to eat a lot more, in quantity and in specific food groups, while we give ourselves permission once again. TRUST THE PROCESS. This is an ongoing journey. There is no pass or fail. There are no rigid rules. Just a practice of listening and honoring our internal guide.
May your day be blessed with a bathtub full of tacos, my friend.
Therapy and tacos for all,
