Are you cycling between restricting and bingeing? Have you left behind dieting, but are still struggling with the feeling of being out of control around food? Is your body image and fear of weight gain jeopardizing your food peace journey? Listen now for some solutions to these common struggles. Subscribe and leave a review here in just seconds. This episode is brought to you by my online course, PCOS and Food Peace. You CAN make peace with food even with PCOS and I want to show you how. Join our Facebook group to get extra support! Episode's Key Points: What's the nitty gritty behind our food and body anxieties?? We learn at a young age that our bodies are to be CONTROLLED rather than enjoyed! This directly impacts our body image and how we feel about food. Our relationships with our parents can really influence how we feel about food and our body! The connections we make as children stick with us, and inform our relationships as we get older. Familiar patterns (like dieting!) can feel super familiar and reassuring, even if they aren't ultimately positive patterns for our mental health. Cooking can be an important act of self-care and nourishment!! It can really help us to move past our food rules. Sometimes, when we try to control food and our body, it's because something else feels out of control in our lives. How can we reconnect with our bodies and pleasure? Dieting and eating disorder behaviors can be coping mechanisms that we use to protect ourselves and distract ourselves! When you're ready, or when the coping mechanism isn't serving you anymore, investigate the WHY. Work with a therapist to figure this stuff out, including how to incorporate self-compassion into your life! Recovery isn't linear, and black and white thinking holds you back! Step away from all or nothing thinking to support yourself in your recovery. Connect with your values! This will help you stay on the recovery path. Show Notes: Julie Dillon RD blog Link to subscribe to the weekly FREE Food Peace Newsletter. It is sent out every Tuesday morning and no spam EVER. By signing up, I will also send you Love Food's Food Peace Syllabus. Eating Disorder Dietitian Julie Dillon RD blog Do you have a complicated relationship with food? I want to help! Send your Dear Food letter to LoveFoodPodcast@gmail.com.  Click here to leave me a review in iTunes and subscribe. This type of kindness helps the show continue! Thank you for listening to the Love, Food series.