Choosing to nourish yourself with self-love, self-care, and introspection can provide you with a broader perspective on the range of emotions you might be addressing. 

By: Carmen Santacruz 

It is unnecessary to emphasize that nutrition is a fundamental daily requirement that involves several steps, such as selecting meals, their preparation, and who we choose to share them with. These actions are all influenced by your current emotional state. Your life influences your eating habits; often, we turn to food for comfort, punishment, motivation, or as a way to escape from stress, sadness, loneliness, or conflicts. 

Do you notice the types of foods you turn to when you experience different emotional states in various situations? In general, we turn to "comfort food" because they tend to be rich in calories, fats, and sugars, and for a moment, we feel like we have eased our distress. But then, guilt sets in, making us feel worse, leading to a cycle of turning to food repeatedly to fill that discomfort. 

Many of our habits originate in childhood, during which we develop our relationship with food. A significant portion of emotional disturbances is reflected in how we consume different types of food, as we often overcompensate with an excess of food to fill our emotional emptiness rather than addressing it as a biological need. 

Nowadays, some lifestyle trends related to food are concerning, particularly on social media and in the media at large, as they tend to promote the relentless pursuit of perfection. Images of perfect bodies and lives can make us feel inadequate. Instead of enjoying the process, we torment ourselves with the idea of not being good enough and, worst of all, not feeling self-love. Consequently, we might resort to self-sabotage with food. 

Some of the punishments we inflict on ourselves for perceived imperfections can manifest in actions such as anorexia, bulimia, or obesity, even at a young age. Many single individuals consume sweets in bed before sleeping, even after brushing their teeth, to fulfill their need for affection during the night. The relationship between emotions and food is the link that triggers hunger or a loss of appetite, leading to impulses that can result in binge eating or complete food rejection. 

On the other hand, issues with weight often stem from fear. For example, the challenges of growing up and leaving an overly controlling family environment can lead to confusing food choices that may result in overeating or indulging, due to work dynamics, stress, or other uncomfortable situations. 

In conclusion, start with yourself, work on reconciling with food, and stop seeing it as a threat or a form of self-punishment. This way, you can enjoy every bite without guilt, love yourself, and accept your body. With this mindset, it's possible to make lifestyle changes driven by conscious love, engage in physical activities that you are passionate about, and, above all, sincerely enjoy them. Being aware of your emotions while eating can also help you recognize your eating patterns and identify what you can do to better align them with your needs. 

Taking care of yourself through restriction or obsession is more of a torture than a genuine act of self-love. It's better to view food as a means to consciously care for yourself. Start with a clean slate, don't evade your flaws, recognize the emotions behind your fears, and approach them with care and nurture them until you have cultivated security and confidence.