It is in our DNA to share food, to break bread, and to eat together. I have found that to change food habits we each must overcome the social food dilemma.

My clients run into this hurdle, and so did I.

Food is a big deal in our culture, among family, and something that we often do when gathering and connecting.

Our primal brains like easy and familiar. Food changes are the opposite of easy and familiar for everyone involved. Not only the people making the food change but also the people whom with we share food.

Social food gatherings were a place where I felt pressured to eat foods that I knew would hurt my belly. And I did, to my own destruction.

Family gatherings were the hardest. I did not want to be the weirdo who was making and eating separate food.

Plus I did not know how to deal with my emotions around my family and I was eating to comfort myself.

This resulted in years of yo-yo eating around my family; sometimes I was very restricted and sometimes I binged. Neither was healthy.

It was not until I finally put my foot down with myself and owned my truth about what I wanted to put into my body AND learned how to manage my emotions that I was finally able to have the best of both worlds.

I was able to honor my own food choices. And I was able to show up with my family to be present and loving to them.

This took work and growth on my end; much of what I do as a food and mood coach.

“I want to feel healthy after this meal”. This was my mantra that helped me through the awkward moments.

The Big Leap To Get Over The Food Social Dilemma:

Learning how to be with friends and family while honoring my food choices. Part of this was bringing extra of my food to share with others.

The Other Side Of The Social Food Dilemma

Once I got over this bump and relaxed into it then some family and many friends started coming to me and talking to me about their foodstuff.

It shifted from something that was tense and hard to something that was inspiring and connecting.

Friends started telling me that they were having epic poops after eating food with me.

Friends started wanting recipes and tips.

Often clients are really nervous to tell friends and family that they are making food changes. And often when they share their change they discover a whole new topic to connect on.

Food is often about connection.

We can be together and connect without eating the same food.

The social food dilemma is only a perspective and a share away from a deeper connection with those whom we love.

When we avoid the awkward we make our lives smaller.

When we learn and grow through the awkward we inevitably create a bigger life.