Do you feel guilty every time you sit down to a meal? Do you get anxiety about the foods you eat? I’m here to tell you that everything will be OK.

Food is not a negative thing. You need to banish all thought of food being bad. It’s a neutral entity. Just like money. Do I like money? Sure, who doesn’t? But it’s not an inherently good or bad thing. It can be used for either, of course. It’s the same situation with food:  you can use food to nourish your body, hurt your body, fuel your body. I want you to say this out loud:

Yep, right now. Say it to yourself. Out loud.

Our minds are so powerful, what we convince ourselves of will come to pass. True story. When we put whole and nourishing foods into our bodies, they respond differently than when we put processed or high sugar/fat foods in. Isn’t that a fact? So when you’re looking at a menu, a birthday party spread, a family dinner, think of how your body reacts to each food.

Our bodies are incredibly, wonderfully different. Only you know how your body will react. With that knowledge, I want you to turn any negative feelings you have around. “I can’t have that” turns into “I don’t want that.” “I can only have a few bites of dessert” turns into “I only want a few bites.” Am I full now? Will I feel better or worse after another helping? Will I have a better idea of how I feel if I pause 30 minutes (let the current meal settle) and see if I’m still hungry?

Feeling guilty about eating is like feeling guilty about experiencing love. FEELING LOVE IS NATURAL. EATING IS NATURAL. IF YOU DON’T DO EITHER YOU WILL DIE. Get it?

So put it into action: I want you to practice at your next meal. Before you order or scoop yourself a portion, or take a bite, stop, close your eyes for a moment, take a deep breath and as you exhale, release any negative thoughts about what you’re about to put into your body. Do you want to make a different choice? Go for it. Want to stick with what’s on your plate? That’s cool too. Own your decision.