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Protect Your Relationship with Food

October 13, 2025



Often times people set nutrition goals because they want to be healthier, lose weight, improve lab values, etc. Changing nutrition habits can lead to better health outcomes, but sometimes it can be damaging to the mental relationship with food. If someone is trying to meet nutrition recommendations perfectly, they may feel that they are doing something “bad” or “wrong” when deviating from them. Finding a balance between eating healthy and protecting the relationship with food can be challenging, but not impossible.

 

I like to think about nutrition recommendations similarly to choreography for a dance. When first learning dance steps, it may feel unnatural and a lot of thought goes into it. With practice, the dance steps become muscle memory and dancers can put their own spin on them. When learning the nutrition recommendations to lower cholesterol, for example, it can feel like a lot to remember and plan. With time, practice, and commitment, it will become second nature. There will be times when you mess up and forget things, but that is OKAY. That is what rehearsal is for, to practice and build confidence! As long as you are trying and meeting the recommendations the majority of the time, it is not going to make a big impact if you deviate from the recommendations every now and then.

 

It is important to speak to yourself with kindness. If you are being mean to yourself and telling yourself “I did so bad I messed up” then that can lead to a snowball effect of disregarding the recommendations even further. 

 

Example scenario:

Someone is looking to improve cholesterol values and is trying to limit saturated fats, like those in red meat. 

 

It is a Friday night and she is going to a nice steakhouse for her anniversary. She has not had steak in awhile, so she orders one at the restaurant. She enjoys the delicious meal, but starts to feel guilty for eating the steak because that does not align with the nutrition recommendations. She tells herself that she did bad and she should not ever eat red meat. This turns into a whole weekend of “breaking the rules” because she feels that she did something wrong. She orders fast food the next day, skips vegetables at dinner, and tells herself that she will “do better” on Monday. 

 

In an alternate narrative, this person gives herself permission to have fun foods once in awhile. She orders a steak and she knows that she can enjoy it and continue having balanced meals with nutrient-dense foods the following meals and days to come.

 

In short, it is rare for someone to adhere to the exact recommendations 100% of the time. It is best to enjoy foods with confidence and follow the recommendations in a way that works with your lifestyle.

The Author


Jessica Goldberg, MS, RD, LDN

My passion for nutrition began at a young age when I caught myself wondering why it is important to eat fruits and vegetables. My curiosity persisted as I decided to pursue a career in this field. Throughout my education I was fascinated to understand the unique and important roles that different foods play in our bodies. As a dietitian I aim to communicate this information to individuals in order to help them meet their health goals. We are all unique and I believe we should feed our bodies with food we enjoy and makes us feel good without feeling restricted. My excitement for learning about nutrition is still prevalent today as I stay updated on the most recent research conducted in this field. In my free time I enjoy baking, going on walks, and taking pictures of my food (@jessicag.rd).

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