10 Signs You Eat Normally

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Last updated on February 3rd, 2024 at 04:54 am

Are you feeling like you are out of control with food or that you just can’t eat normally? 

What is normal eating anyway?  

What is normal or abnormal when it comes to eating patterns and behaviors will vary from person to person and across cultures.   

Normal eating patterns should take into account: 

  • Family structure
  • Culture
  • Religious practices 
  • Allergies and Intolerances
  • Medical conditions

In reality, there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” for normal eating.  What is important is that we have a peaceful relationship with food.  

Let’s dig into some of the ways that people who have peace with food think about and behave around food.  We’ll explore some red flags for abnormal eating, and how we can start to change our behavior to heal our relationship with food. 

How Do People Eat Normally 

You Don’t Think About Food Much 

Most people spend between 20-40% of their day thinking about food. You should be thinking

about food when: 

  • You’re prepping a meal
  • Tasty food choices are available
  • You’re planning out meals/snacks for the week 
  • You’re planning meals for a family member 

However, if you find yourself thinking about food more than 60% of the day this is a good sign there is some disordered eating patterns happening. 

Food Is Not Good or Bad In Your Eyes

People that have a peaceful relationship with food: 

  • Choose foods that taste good
  • Make food decisions based on how their body feels after they eat a certain food
  • Choose foods with a balance of convenience, taste, and nutritional value in mind
  • Know that a variety of foods improves mood

People with healthy food relationships approach food from a food-neutral perspective.  They understand that no food is “all good” or “all bad.”  

pink infographic outlining normal meal and snack habits

You Eat As Much Food  as You Want 

People who eat normally do not: 

  • Stop eating just because a serving size or someone on television says “that’s enough”
  • Measure out food
  • Eat until they are physically and emotionally full

A normal relationship with food means you are respecting your body’s ability to decide when it’s time to start and stop eating. 

What Others Are Eating Doesnt Influence Your Food Choices 

People who have a peaceful relationship with food stay out of other people’s business when it comes to food.  This means you are not: 

  • Eating more or less based on what you see someone else eating
  • Choosing certain foods because you fear someone will judge you
  • Letting food shamers influence what and how much you will eat

This does not mean you are not considering the likes/dislikes of family and friends that might be dining with you.  Nor does it mean you are not considering food availability and sharing.  

It simply means that when food is freely accessible, you are trusting your body to know what to choose and how much to choose. 

You Do Not Earn Food By Exercising

Eating normally means that you don’t feel the need to earn food by exercising.  

This means: 

  • You don’t need to burn the calories you ate at a meal
  • You can still have sweets/goodies even if you didn’t move your body
  • You exercise because you enjoy it, not as a punishment for eating

Eating sports is not the same thing as feeling the need to earn what you eat by exercise.  Eating for athletic performance will require additional food intake and that is a part of having a healthy relationship with food. 

infographic for signs you eat normally

You Don’t Eat Or Restrict Food To Change Your Body 

People who have a normal relationship with food don’t make food choices to change the way their body looks.  

A normal relationship with eating means you do not: 

You Eat Throughout The Day 

People with a peaceful relationship with food know: 

  • That intermittent fasting is just a clever term for a diet
  • That your body needs fuel from food throughout the day
  • Energy levels are sustained by regular eating 
  • Honoring your hunger is just as important as honoring the need to pee

Meal and Snack Times Aren’t Rigid 

While most people will experience hunger at relatively similar times during the day, intuitive eaters know that meal timing is more of a guideline than a rule. 

Peaceful eaters: 

  • Eat outside of meal times without thinking twice
  • Adjust meals and snack times if another event takes priorities
  • Allow treats they enjoy when available even if they were not planned
  • Easily adjust portion sizes for hunger at the next meal if meal/snack structure is altered

You Don’t Get Anxious Around Food 

Eating normally means you feel calm before, during and after a meal.  Not having anxiety around food means: 

  • You don’t have fear foods 
  • You keep all foods you enjoy in the house
  • You don’t avoid social gatherings that might involve food 

You Realize There Is Not Just One Hungry and Full 

If you have a peaceful relationship with food you know that hunger is not black and white. 

What Is Abnormal Eating 

Abnormal eating includes ritualistic eating behaviors and food guilt. A disruption in your relationship with food can be a sign of an eating disorder.  

A disruption in normal eating behaviors can stem from diet culture and a Western obsession with thin bodies.  

Abnormal eating often involves: 

Not every behavior around food that seems abnormal means that someone has an eating disorder.  However, seeing many signs of a disrupted relationship may warrant seeking out a haes dietitian.

 
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Shena Jaramillo. Registered Dietitian
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