The words “normal” eating mean all kinds of things to all kinds of people. In my line of work with eating disorder clients I’m often encouraging them to move towards a more “normal” eating plan and we discuss what that looks like. Today I asked on twitter what “normal” eating means to people and below are some response combined with other responses from my group sessions with patients  and a few from myself 🙂 It generated quite a debate, so I thought I’d share it with you, what do you think?

Normal Eating is:

• eating something at least three times a day.

• eating more than you feel you need to eat on some occasions (over-eating) and eating less than you need on other occasions (under-eating).

• Listen to your body, eat when hungry, stop when full. No food is bad food, everything in moderation.

• A regular meal pattern that maintains a healthy body weight & provides a correct balance of nutrients.
• Ensuring a healthy balanced diet for optimal health & wellbeing with enough fluid too.

• Not eating in response to your emotions, so eating or not eating on occasions because you feel unhappy, “bad”, or tense.

• eating foods, without feeling guilty.

• eating in a flexible way so that it does not interfere with your work, study or social  life.

• eating sufficient food and a variety of foods, all things in moderation.

• being aware that eating is not the most important thing in life but knowing that it is important for good health.

Normal Eating is:

• not counting calories weighing food, or following a strict diet.

• not always eating low calorie/diet foods

• not eating to lose weight but knowing that you can “watch your weight” if you want to.

• not assuming that you can control the amount and type of food your body needs better than your body can.

• not having to constantly weigh yourself for reassurance.