What is guilt?
Feeling guilty involves feeling intense regret for having done something believed to be bad or wrong. We are not born knowing right from wrong, it is something we are taught - usually by teachers, parents or society. We are given rules or guidelines for how we should behave, and are either rewarded for adhering to these rules or punished for breaking them. We are also labelled based on our ability to adhere to these rules - either we are "good" or "well-behaved", or "bad" or "naughty" - resulting in feelings of pride and accomplishment, or guilt and shame.
What is food guilt?
Food guilt involves feeling regret, or a sense of wrongdoing, in relation to the food that we eat. In doing so, we must believe that we are breaking a food rule.
What are food rules?
Food rules show up as a judgement about how, what, when, where and why you eat. Some examples of food rules are:
Eating only "healthy" foods
Avoiding eating at certain times of the day
Limiting the amount of food
Avoiding certain foods or food groups
Counting calories or measuring foods
The problem with food rules
Unfortunately, our ability to adhere to food rules significantly influences whether we perceive ourselves to be "good" or "bad", thereby influencing our sense of self-worth.
The food guilt experienced when a food rule is broken can lead to overeating, especially when there is all-or-nothing thinking. Furthermore, often when you deny yourself something you increase your preoccupation with and desire for it. Additionally, food rules often result in the opposite of what it is intended as they can disrupt normal metabolism which can lead to weight gain in the long term.
The below diagram demonstrates how food rules, and diets, can lead to a vicious cycle of deprivation, cravings, overeating and guilt.
How to stop the food guilt?
To stop food guilt, we need to remove the food rule that caused us to believe we did something wrong in the first place. To do this, follow these steps:
Identify the food rule that you believe you have broken
Challenge the food rule. Question its reliability, accuracy and evidence.
Make all foods equal from an emotional and moral standpoint.
Become aware of your internal dialogue. Use neutral language regarding food.
Eliminate the food rule.