LIFESTYLE AUTHOR
Allison Drinnon
PUT FOOD SHAME TO BED n Understanding the cultural
guilt that comes along with food and how to combat it this holiday season.
T
he fall and winter holidays mark a time of changing weather, sparkling decorations, family time and feasts. However, people struggling with self-image and a positive relationship with food may find the family gatherings a place of discomfort, anxiety and guilt, also known as food shame.
What is food shame?
Food shame is the culturally imposed feeling of guilt one experiences after eating, especially after eating large portions or “unhealthy” foods. “It’s problematic because you’re human and you need to eat, period,” professional counselor Amy Oliver shares. “When we connect that
NOVEMBER 2021
shame and worth with food, it becomes a real big driver in weight cycling, weight gain and other unhealthy relationships with food, including eating disorders.” Oliver runs her own private practice, Bluebell Counseling, where she specializes in social anxiety, self-esteem and eating disorders. With increased social interaction and food presence, Oliver warns against the effects of food shame and offers insightful tips to encourage body positivity. “Body image is important because we all have bodies,” Oliver says. “It affects how we interact with people, and it’s also a part of self-esteem — it is a part of who we think we are and our understanding of ourselves.”
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Where does food shame come from?
Oliver explains that body image becomes a problem when it begins to consume one’s waking thoughts and people begin to define themselves by their body. Women often experience insecurity and shame over their bodies and food more than men because women psychologically tend to be more relational than men. Oliver connects two major aspects that influence body image: media and human nature. Oliver says that the commercial world pressures many to believe that we should not be content or happy with our current selves. Many of those that find themselves scrolling through social media sites such as Instagram or Twitter
