In Honor of Independence Day: Find Your Freedom from Diets and Disordered Eating

As we celebrate the Fourth of July– often with barbecues and other food-related events – take a moment to reflect on how your relationship with food and weight may be standing in the way of your life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

This Independence Day, declare your freedom from:

• Rigid food rules
• Labeling foods as “good” or “bad”
• Counting calories, fat grams, sugar grams, etc.
• Fat talk
• Diet talk
• Diet books, blogs, and articles
• Hoping that this diet will be “the one”
• Judgement, guilt, and shame about your food choices or portions
• “Making up” or “saving up” for what you eat
• Denying yourself your favorite foods
• Determining your worth based on your weight or clothing size
• Comparing your body to others
• Comparing what you eat to others
• Using food (or controlling your food) as a coping mechanism
• Punishing exercise
• Letting your focus on food and weight stop you from enjoying your favorite activities and living the life you were meant to live.

Wishing you a Happy 4^th of July!