What Is A Healthy Relationship With Food? - Rhiannon Lambert (Transcript)

Here is the full transcript of nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert’s talk titled “What Is A Healthy Relationship With Food?” at TEDxUniversityofEastAnglia 2018 conference.

Listen to the audio version here:

TRANSCRIPT:

The Question of a Healthy Relationship with Food

Do you have a healthy relationship with food? Have a think about it. What does this even really mean? Now, this is the question I am commonly asked by the majority of my clients who walk through my door in clinic.

And I’d like to ask you all some questions, and you don’t need to put your hands up, but do think carefully. Have you ever calculated the calories in your meal before eating it? Or have you followed the latest dietary trend like the juice cleanses, 5-2, Atkins, meal replacement programs? Or perhaps you’re that person that steps on the scales in the morning and then feels really blooming deflated afterwards.

Or you know you should be eating some more green vegetables and a whole varied diet, but you end up ordering a takeaway three nights a week and ordering the same thing to your desk at the office the next day. Because I don’t need to see a show of hands. I’m pretty confident the majority of you have tinkered with your diet in some shape or form to feel differently about ourselves.

We All Have a Relationship with Food

And the fact of the matter is, we all have a relationship with food. We have to eat to live, right? So this relationship has developed throughout our lives, and this is something that I discuss with my clients in clinic.

And I often call it your food world, which is everything you all believe about food, or your food script. And that’s the journey that it took you to get to where you are now with food. I developed an unhealthy relationship with food aged 17.

My Personal Journey with Food and Music

My life quite literally changed overnight. I went from working in my local Subway store as a sandwich artist, because believe it or not, that’s what we were called, to winning Classic FM’s Young Musician of the Year as a soprano without any formal training. I left home very young to London to embark upon a whole new life.

I was very excited, it was worlds away from my small hometown in Wiltshire. I had some amazing opportunities. And for those of you musical theatre fans in the room, you might know I’ve sung on stage with Alfie Bowe and Michael Ball, even international royalty.

The Pursuit of Perfection in the Music Industry

I was led to believe that I would be the next Katherine Jenkins. Needless to say, it couldn’t have been further from the truth. And after three relentless years on the singing circuit, I had a career which was quite frankly over before it had even begun.

And the record industry’s pursuit of quick changes and fixes overnight held no boundaries. I believed that in order to be successful, I had to be slim, and to fit into these beautiful and binding dresses that they provided me with. And the perfectionist in me tried. I tried so hard.

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I went straight down to the local supermarket and I stocked up on all the latest products. You know the ones I mean, those low-calorie energy bars and the faux chocolatey milkshake things. So, because I thought I was being really healthy in doing so.

Hitting Rock Bottom and Seeking Help

Of course, after a period of time, I became so malnourished and low in energy that in desperation, I went to my doctor. And I remember this moment so clearly. I was searching for answers and instead of identifying my nutritional deficiencies, he prescribed me with antidepressants.

And looking back, I still can’t quite believe that they were so quick to medicate someone so young in this situation. This was a complete low point in my life. So my decision to switch singing part-time and enroll in a three-year degree in nutrition and health, it saved my life. Quite literally saved me.

Pursuing a Career in Nutrition

I still can’t believe I graduated three years later with a first-class degree in nutrition and health, which would really astonish my GCSE science teachers. I had very little time for science back then. It was all about the music.

And I went straight away with my clients on London’s Harley Street to work with them on their nutrition with these big ambitions that I could help every single person that walked through my door. Now, of course, I soon quickly realized that it’s very hard to separate what someone should be eating with how they feel about the food they’re eating. Because the psychology and nutrition, they are what work hand in hand.

Furthering My Education in Obesity and Eating Disorders

And this is what inspired me to study a further master’s degree in obesity and another master’s degree, again, in eating disorders. Because we all have that inner voice inside our heads. And for so many people, this voice, it’ll be dictating how you choose the food you choose.

It tells you what to do. For some people, it’s very loud. It’s almost like a bully inside your head that tells you that you’re not good enough or that you should be doing this or you should be doing that.

And for some people, that’s the voice that dictates your food choices. How can you help people implement health behavior changes if this voice is ruling their decisions every single day, keeping them trapped? The most useful thing you can do is learn to separate that voice in your head with what you really want and what you really would enjoy that day.

Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference

For instance, making very small changes can have really, really big results if consistently carried out. One such example would be a plant-based diet. Now, this is known with fountains of research to improve health and vitality, but that is a small change that cannot be measured by a number on the scales.

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How can the scales be a marker for health?

How can how you look on the outside reflect how you’re feeling and how you’re functioning on the inside? Stepping on the scales can, quite frankly, consume so much time and you spend your whole life aspiring to reach this one number.

Enjoying Food in Moderation

Because you can enjoy that pizza, cake or donut. Observe how you feel and be mindful. Watch and savor the moment because everything in moderation, that’s what life should be about.

If you respect your body enough, you’re given a whole variety of different foods on a daily basis. And if you get organized and you believe in yourself and those that allow themselves enjoyed foods, the research suggests that they are less likely to overeat and binge on foods because black and white thinking, that’s what gets us into trouble. I’m sure a lot of you can relate to this one, the very all or nothing.

The Dangers of Black and White Thinking

Well, I’ve had one biscuit, so I might as well have the whole pack. Or I’ve been really good all week, so I’m going to have this now at the weekend. These are the thoughts in our heads that can make life just that little bit more difficult.

I try and merge these thoughts from black or white into grey, a middle ground. How about instead of I’ve had one biscuit, I’ll have one or two, but I’ll have it with some yogurt or fruit instead. Or if you’re exhausted, why go on that run when you could just go for a walk?

These are very, very small health behavior changes that cannot be seen by a number on the scale. Because being stuck in that cycle, the binge restrict cycle is a very vicious place to be. And I’m sure a lot of you may be able to relate or know someone.

The Trap of Restrictive Diets

Or you’ve tried to follow your latest social media star or celebrity’s diet. And often that means taking something out of your diet rather than what you can put into it. How many of you have restricted what you’ve eaten?

And then the minute you restrict that food item, all you can think about obsessively every single day is that food item that you’ve restricted, which then leads you to eating that item. And then you’re riddled with feelings of guilt, feelings of shame, which lead you back to restricting again. This cycle can keep people trapped their entire lives.

Finding Balance for Your Unique Body

But it doesn’t have to be that way. The single most important thing that I have ever learned is that you are all as unique as your personalities. And what works for you, it won’t work for your friend or your child even, because you’re genetically, biochemically unique individuals.

And you need to find a balance that works for you. Because the minute that you embark upon a diet, for anybody about to do a diet on the verge of one or giving up on one, let me tell you that I’ve been there, very lost and confused. But I can assure you that the secret to good health is not hiding in the bottom of a pack of superfoods or a pack of chia seeds.

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The Truth About Diets

And what fatty diet peddlers do not share with you is it’s not how you feel days or weeks later. It’s how you feel months and years later. Because diets don’t work. If diets worked, we would all be doing them.

The Four R’s: Principles for Nourishing Mind and Body

So I developed four easy-to-remember principles to help you all focus on nourishing your mind and your body, on going back to basics. I call these my four R’s. Respect your body. Because if you respect your body and think how amazing it is, it will treat you right in return.

It’s about the mindset. Listen to your voice and not that voice that may be there in your head. Think about refuel. Food is fuel. Food is energy. Food is an amazing thing. And it’s not just for people that work out. Think about how you can fuel your day in the correct way.

Rehydrate. Now, there’s a very scary statistic that the average Briton drinks one glass of water. Just one. Your body is 60% water. It’s such a simple, simple aspect, but a vital function of life for you to feel amazing every single day. Back to basics. And recover. Allow your body time to rest.

The Importance of Rest and Recovery

And I’m not just talking again about muscular repair. I’m talking about your hormones or your mind or sleep. Sleep is something that is too frequently overlooked. I believe that food is not intrinsically good or bad. And we need to stop labeling in this manner. Because everything is there to be enjoyed.

So I would like you all to consider. Unlearning everything you thought you knew about nutrition, just as I did. And go back to basics. Seek out qualified advice. And stop turning to your search engine. And if we can stand together, we can fight diet culture.

Embracing Individuality and Positivity Around Food

We can embrace our individualities. We can do different. Because education, that is truly empowering.

And I have a vision that food is something to be seen as a positive aspect of life. Offering fuel, enjoyment, and happiness for your mind and your body. And that is what I call a healthy relationship with food. Thank you.

What Is A Healthy Relationship With Food? – Rhiannon Lambert (Transcript)