It becomes clear that if we don't understand the psychology of eating, we are missing an important piece of the puzzle which is optimum health and vitality.

An eating psychologist is someone who explores why we engage in behaviours like binge eating, overeating, and emotional eating. They examine the intricate relationship between our psychology, metabolism, and nutrition.

We all need to remember that science, nutrition, medicine, and psychology are all evolving processes. The field of nutrition in the Western world is relatively new, barely over a century old. In colonial times, the prevailing belief was that a universal element in all foods, which meant that it didn't matter if you ate meat, cabbage, apples, or even insects; they were all considered equal.

In the 1960s, we started advocating for low-fat diets. However, as we observed certain individuals experiencing problems with high-fat diets, we shifted our focus.

At that time, we didn't differentiate between healthy fats and less desirable fats. The food industry capitalised on this shift, producing cheap, low-quality foods stripped of essential nutrients, and we've been dealing with the consequences ever since.

If a low-fat diet were genuinely effective, especially for weight loss, it would have proven itself over the past six decades. Yet, people continue to struggle and suffer. The food industry often prioritises profit over health, making it challenging to disseminate accurate information. Plus, manufacturers are not accountable in any way. They do not have to provide information about the ingredients they use, or their effects on human health.

We must expand our understanding that every individual is unique. Medicine, science, and nutrition are only beginning to catch up to this reality. The media and large studies aim to make sweeping recommendations, but it defies common sense.

We need to move away from labelling things as inherently good or bad; they just are, and they serve necessary purposes. Fat is essential; without it, we couldn't function.

Similarly, sunlight is neither inherently good nor bad; it depends on how we interact with it. We all need money, and it can be used positively or negatively, much like fat.

If you have a fear of fat, it's time to confront and overcome it. We need to learn how to manage our fears, whether it's about parenting, starting a new job, or making choices about food. Many people regress to a state of anxiety around food, fearing weight gain and its social implications.

In reality, societal norms often stigmatise weight gain, impacting our self-esteem and opportunities. We must acknowledge this fear and work to dispel it because it negatively affects our health, weight, and overall well-being. If we remain trapped in the fear of fat, we are headed in the wrong direction in terms of our goals for weight loss and health."

What is the difference between the fat on our body and the fat we eat, and should we fear one more than the other?

Here's the challenge if you haven't studied linguistics and language. Every esteemed linguist will echo the same sentiment: our language, our words, our very thoughts and inner dialogues, shape the world we perceive, the way we think and react!

So many of us carry ourselves in both positive and negative ways, often reciting specific mantras and holding certain beliefs, typically negative, self-critical beliefs.

Why, you may ask?

Because someone told us so...

Consequently, we spend our entire lives convinced of our inadequacy, only to one day realise we are not what we say we are!

We carry around beliefs, language, and words that are tightly woven together, declaring, 'I am unworthy,' 'I will never achieve anything,' and 'I am unlovable.'

These words possess formidable power. Ultimately, they dictate our place in society, if we are to thrive in our communities or be forgotten, exiled. We are social animals and we thrive with connections and being social. And, we feel we need the appraisal of others to exist, to witness that we are alive and worth it.

There exists a substance in our food, a macronutrient known as fat. If we delve deeper, it's actually referred to as essential fat, in terms of what our bodies require...

So, when we consider our nutritional needs, we refer to them as EFAs —Essential Fatty Acids — because we genuinely need them. Therefore, when we hear the term 'essential fat' or simply 'fat' in relation to food, we mistakenly equate it with the fat on our bodies. This linguistic conundrum is unfortunate because we end up embracing the false belief that fat in food equates to fat in our bodies.

I am here to tell you, 'That's simply not true!' and all the research supports this.

Yes, poor-quality fats, hydrogenated oils, and industrial oils can lead to health and weight issues. We know that... Healthy fats, on the other hand, are an entirely different matter, and we must be open-minded and emotionally resilient!

Without fat, our brain cannot function, our cell membrane would make our cells toxic, and we would not be able to assimilate fat-soluble vitamins, essential to our health and life.

Taking individuals deficient in essential fats and introducing them to good essential fats can provide amazing results. For some, it alleviates long-standing constipation, while for others, it enhances their mood. Surprisingly, some experience weight loss despite consuming more fat and calories. This explains the sudden rise of ketogenic diets.

But this is about your personal nutritional experiment. You need to try what works best for you and stick to it! See if eating more healthy fats and less toxic fats works for you…"  

The point here is that your dietary choices are unique to you, and what works for you may not work for others. As a health practitioner, I can give many examples of that.

So, should everyone at your table be eating different meals? Probably not. However, if certain foods are causing health issues, wouldn't you want to address the problem and remove them from your diet? Other members of your family handling those foods better can have it. Have something else nourishing instead.

If your fears are negatively affecting your relationship with food, whether it's related to fat, sugar, meat, or any specific dietary restriction, these thoughts can undermine the benefits you believe you're gaining from following a particular diet or lifestyle. This mental stress can impact not only how you derive energy from food but also your digestion, absorption, and utilisation of nutrients.

Fear induces stress in the body, triggering a stress response whenever the problematic food (or food group) is mentioned or presented.

When our survival is threatened, our body and genetic programming prioritise survival above all else. Stress, whether real or imagined, triggers a stress response, leading to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and a redirection of blood flow away from the digestive system. This survival mode can disrupt digestion, assimilation, and nutrient utilisation, and ultimately lead to inflammatory gut issues, increased intestinal permeability and dysbiosis, where pathogenic and opportunistic microbes tend to take over and produce a multitude of pro-inflammatory substances.

So, when asked if a low-fat diet could be stress-inducing due to nutrient deprivation, many health practitioners echo a resounding: “yes!”

The brain assesses the nutrients in your meal and the state of your body. If it detects insufficient essential fats, it interprets this as a potential food shortage, prompting the body to store fat and slow down metabolism to ensure survival.

Moreover, when we are deficient in a particular macronutrient, like essential fats, the brain's response is to signal hunger. It doesn't specifically request more essential fats; instead, it simply prompts a desire for food. This often leads to choosing carbohydrate-rich snacks, especially if we believe that fat in food equates to fat in our bodies.

Eating too quickly interferes with the brain's ability to assess the nutritional content of a meal, potentially causing overeating. The enteric nervous system in the gut sends signals of fullness, but the brain in the head, which craves taste, pleasure, aromas, and satisfaction, often contradicts that message and so can lead to overconsumption.

Taking the time to eat, chew each mouthful and eating in a totally relaxed state is essential for better digestion, assimilation, and appetite regulation. Deep, rhythmic breathing for a minute or two before starting to eat can induce relaxation and improve digestion. This is the philosophy underpinning mindful eating.

It exposes the importance of being present while eating, avoiding distractions, and having positive conversations. Research indicates that multitasking during meals can decrease nutrient absorption. This is why you must disconnect from all devices, and inboxes and even switch off those devices if you cannot eat anywhere else but at your desk.

To enhance pleasure chemistry, which aids digestion, assimilation, natural appetite regulation, and calorie burning, we should view the pleasure of eating as a vital nutrient. We need to reconnect with food and find joy in cooking and in eating. We cannot do that if we eat plastic-wrapped foods and press the button of a microwave or eat out of a plastic box.

Pleasure is a fundamental physiological requirement hardwired into our genetics, driven by endorphins, which not only induce pleasure but also stimulate fat mobilisation. Increased endorphin release enhances digestion and calorie burning.

Inattentive eating can lead to overeating, and stress during meals can desensitise us to pleasure, requiring more food for satisfaction. Cortisol, a stress hormone, reduces sensitivity to pleasure because, during stressful situations, the body prioritises survival over pleasure. This also explains why people turn to food to boost their dopamine levels and feel better, even if just momentarily.

Being mindful, relaxed, and avoiding distractions during meals can significantly impact our relationship with food. Pleasure, self-love, and gratitude promote relaxation and contribute to higher states of well-being.

Are you ready to deal with your fear of fat?