6 Reasons You Feel Out of Control Around Food

You've probably heard all the tips and tricks: eat more greens, cut out sugar and carbs, eat mindfully, don't skip meals... But maybe it's not working for you. Or maybe it is working, but food still feels like an enemy that threatens to ruin your day or week (and thus becomes something to resist at all costs). Let's explore why you might feel out of control around food — and how you can start taking back true control.

You're still trying to be a perfect eater.

You're still trying to be a perfect eater.

The idea that you can eat perfectly, or even close to it, is one that often comes from the media and society at large. But in reality it's impossible for anyone to eat perfectly all the time--and trying to do so can stress you out!

Perfectionism has been linked with depression and anxiety because it sets an unattainable goal for yourself that's rarely met (and when it is met feels like failure).

You're not eat enough or regularly.

If you're not eating enough or regularly, your body will start to crave food. You may notice that it's difficult to control yourself around food and that you feel like you need more than normal. This can lead to overeating or bingeing on unhealthy foods because of the increased hunger pangs in your stomach.

Binging is often a sign of undereating--when we go too long without eating, our bodies send out signals that tell us we need fuel right away. Some people think they'll feel better if they stuff themselves with junk food; however, this only makes matters worse: they feel guilty afterward and then go back into starvation mode! It's a vicious cycle that can be hard to break out of if left unchecked (and trust me: I know from personal experience).

You're trying to resist temptations, rather than exploring what they mean.

When we're trying to resist temptations, we often end up feeling out of control around them. This is because our resistance puts us in a defensive position that makes us feel threatened by what's happening or about to happen. We become reactive rather than proactive--and when you're reacting, it's hard not to feel stressed out and panicky!

So instead of resisting the foods you like (or don't), try being curious about your eating habits: What are they? Why do they exist? How could they be different? How can I be kinder toward myself while still enjoying my favorite foods without overeating them?

You enforce harsh rules on food or see it as the enemy.

You may not realize it, but the way you think about food plays a huge role in how much control you feel over it. If you see it as a reward or punishment--or even both--you'll likely be more prone to bingeing and other problematic eating behaviors.

If food is viewed as the enemy, there's no room for balance or compromise; instead of enjoying meals for what they are (a way to nourish ourselves), we view them as something that must be either avoided at all costs or indulged in with abandon. It's an extreme approach that breeds an out-of-control state of mind around food and makes us susceptible to binging episodes when we finally give in to our desires for junk food or sweets after being deprived so long!

You're judging your whole diet from one meal.

It's easy to feel like one meal is going to make or break your diet.

But if you focus on eating patterns over time, it will be easier to see that one meal won't make a difference in the long run.

You're stuck in an 'all-or-nothing' pattern.

You're stuck in an "all-or-nothing" pattern.

If you're the kind of person who only eats healthy foods, or if you spend most of your time on diets and eating plans that restrict certain kinds of food, then this is probably what's happening: You have a very black-and-white view of eating. You either have total control over what you eat or else everything goes to hell in a handbasket because there are no rules anymore!

You're not comfortable with moderation or balance--you need things cut down to either/or extremes: Either I'm dieting or I'm not; either I'm exercising regularly or else my body is going to rot away into dust (and probably smell like it too).

It's time to break free of the anxious relationship with food that keeps you feeling out of control. And there are many ways to do this. The key is to be curious about your eating habits, explore any patterns that come up without judgement and drop any harsh food rules that make you feel out of control when you can't follow them.