PART 1

I encourage each of you to find a notebook or print this food story worksheet and answer the following:

(Note:  If you are looking to improve the whole family's relationship with food, why not do this exercise together.)

WHO is producing and preparing your food?

WHAT food and beverages do you typically eat/drink in a day or week?

WHEN do you normally eat these items? 

WHERE do you typically eat your meals, snacks and beverages?

WHY do you make (what motivates) your current food purchases and eating choices?

HOW do you feel about food in general and your current nutrition/health?

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PART 2

Now we are going to go through this same exercise together, replacing 'do' with 'should' and providing insight to the why behind each (the 'should's may feel oversimplified, but really they are just this simple):

WHO should be producing and preparing your food?

• Food should come from farms not factories and should be prepared by you or loved ones.

       Why?  Heavily processed, manufactured 'food' items have little nutritional value; even when nutrients are added

       back in so that a product appears healthy, those nutrients are less bioavailable.  Companies also add sugar,

       salt and fat in amounts far exceeding what we need or what we would cook with at home to add flavor back into

       the processed food.  Processed foods often contain additives and preservatives to enhance flavor or extend

       shelf-life that provide no nutritional value and are harmful to our health.

       Remember, food manufacturers are motivated by their profit, not our prosperity.

WHAT food and beverages should you eat/drink in a week? 

• Whole real foods, fresh or frozen, minimally processed.

      Why?  Whole real foods, fresh or frozen and minimally processed will contain the bioavailable macro and 

       micronutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

WHEN should you eat these items? 

• When you are hungry.

      Why?  Our systems have cues that tell us when we are hungry and satisfied; eating when we aren't hungry

       or in excess of being satisfied, causes weight gain, throws off our metabolic system and can lead to poor

       physical and mental health.

WHERE should you eat your meals, snacks and beverages?

• Wherever it can be a dedicated activity and you can practice mindful eating without distraction.

      Why?  Eating in the car, in front of the TV, while working, or just generally distracted often goes hand-in-hand

       with making poor food choices and overeating.  Putting ourselves in an environment where we can take our

       time, eat more slowly, enjoy our food allows us to recognize our body cues and be more mindful about what and

       how much we are eating.

WHY should you make (what should motivate) your food purchases and eating choices?

• To optimize your nutrition and well being.

       Why?  Simply. . . that is what food is for, to nourish and sustain us.

HOW should you feel about food in general and your current nutrition/health?

• Food should make you want to dance and you should feel healthy enough to do so. :)

       Why?  Food gives us life, health and wellness and should be a source of joy and celebration !!​

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PART 3

Finally, we are going to re-write our story. . . going through the same 5 Ws and How we are going to reframe our 'should' responses into "I do/will" or "I don't" statements.  We want to take into account the behaviors we are currently doing that don't align with what we should be doing and reframe them into achievable goals where we have ownership of our choice:

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It's important to note that your goals are your own and that changing your relationship with food is a marathon, not a sprint. . . we're working on small empowered changes from actionable goals that over time will have lasting affects on your health and well being.

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Now that we have adjusted our perspective and begun to redefine our relationship with food let's dive a little deeper to identify what our pitfalls may be, so we can implement the best tools for lasting success.