Eating Competence Virtual Course Starting in August!
May 23, 2024
As a Registered Dietitian, I used to think it was my job to tell people exactly what to eat but I soon discovered that kind of advice didn’t help anyone long term. Now, my passion as a dietitian is to help people think positively about food and learn how to feed themselves reliably with enjoyable meals.
As a Registered Dietitian, I used to think it was my job to tell people exactly what to eat but I soon discovered that kind of advice didn’t help anyone long term. Now, my passion as a dietitian is to help people think positively about food and learn how to feed themselves reliably with enjoyable meals.
What is "Eating Competence"?
Food is a basic human need and yet so many of us feel bad about it!
Several years ago, I became certified in an eating model called “Eating Competence.” Eating Competences was created by a Registered Dietitian with over four decades and nearly a hundred clinical studies showing that individuals who are positive about food and reliable about making time to eat have better health outcomes than individuals who feel negatively about food and are unreliable about making time to eat.
One of my favorite ways to explain the impact of becoming a competent eater is this:
“Imagine being able to eat food that you enjoy and that your body needs. You finish eating and then are able to get back to your life’s work being physically, emotionally and mentally satisfied. Imagine being able to truly give food a place in your life but not all of your life.”
Eating Competence Courses Available Online From St. Mary's Healthcare System
This is why we are so excited to begin offering six-week, group coaching classes based on the Eating Competence model using the Satter Institute’s “How to Eat” method.
Classes will be held virtually so you can join from the comfort of your home and engage in an intimate setting focused on identifying negative beliefs and attitudes surrounding food. You will also learn how to create individualized, supportive structures in your everyday life to take better care of yourself. Each participant will receive:
- A pre and post-survey with individualized Eating Competence scores
- A workbook
- Access to recorded class sessions.
- A two-month membership to the St. Mary’s Athens Wellness Center and the option to continue membership at a discounted rate.
How can I create a healthier relationship with food?
While repairing a difficult relationship with food takes time and often additional professional help, here are some gentle and practical things you can do to begin this process now.
- Begin to reflect: How do you feel about eating? Are you positive about meals? Do you feel pressure to be “good” with what food you eat? How do you talk to yourself about the food you eat?
- Think of Mealtimes as Anchors: It can be hard to switch your mindset to making time and space for eating if you have been used to trying to avoid it (only to then eat chaotically later on!). If it is helpful, think of mealtimes as the “anchors in the day” that provide you with an opportunity to take a break to calm down and refocus the rest of your day. Rigidity and perfection are often a big struggle for people who have dieted but the goal here is simply to make a space in your day devoted to pausing and giving yourself the opportunity to eat without any specific pressure of what kind of food that is.
- Create an Eating Environment: If possible, set up your surroundings by clearing off a space or a table where you will typically eat meals. Having a clear spot to eat can provide visual reinforcement that meals are an important, positive part of your day.
- Consider your Values: What matters to you? If you value beauty, allow yourself to use pretty dishes or take extra time to arrange your food in an attractive manner. If you have financial goals, challenge yourself to make dinner with a certain budget in mind. If you value intimacy or connection, look for lists of dinner table questions to ask your friends or family. If you value mindfulness, try to have at least one meal a day all alone where you can practice this.
- Structure Supports Fun: I know it’s obvious, but eating requires food and food typically requires some type of planning. Incorporating structure around food can be thought of as anything that makes planning, purchasing, storing, cooking and cleaning up food easier and therefore mealtime more fun and enjoyable. Both extremely rigid structure and zero structure simply make life hard when it comes to getting meals on the table. Your structure should be specific to your schedule, lifestyle, skill set and values.
I hope these ideas are helpful to you on your journey to finding a way of eating that is sustainable and rewarding for you. For additional questions or to find out if this type of coaching is right for you or your medical condition, please reach out to me at Kathryn.Filipiak@stmarysathens.org.