Be Your Own Valentine: Self-love Through Food and Care

Valentine’s Day is here! Usually, we spend the day focusing on showing love to others. Our partners, friends, family, and even our fur babies. But how often do we pause to show love to ourselves?

Self-love doesn’t have to be bubble baths, wine, sipping tea, or treating yourself to something nice. It can also show up in how we view our bodies and how we care for them day to day.

Sadly, we still live in a culture that sometimes shames us for loving ourselves and our bodies (not cool!). Toxic diet culture is still very much alive, and comparison and judgment are everywhere. The early 2000s were notoriously harsh toward women’s bodies, and while things have improved in some ways, that judgment hasn’t gone away. If anything, it’s just taken new forms.

Scrolling through social media, it can feel like there’s no winning. If you want to focus on health or fitness, you may be labeled as “fat-phobic,” accused of having “skinny privilege,” or called a “health freak.” If you live in a larger body and practice self-acceptance, you may be labeled as “toxic body positivity,” “glorifying obesity,” or “anti-health.”

Everyone gets put into a box.

But real life, and by extension, real health, isn’t black and white. When we reduce people (including ourselves) to their appearance, we overlook the many factors that shape our bodies and our choices. Bodies change. Hormones fluctuate. Stress, illness, genetics, pregnancy, age, access to food, mental health, and past experiences all play a role.

We rarely know someone’s full story. We don’t know if they’ve struggled with disordered eating, have trauma around food, medical conditions, or food insecurity. We don’t know what season of life they’re in or what goals they’re quietly working toward, or what they have already accomplished. Most of the time, we’re only seeing a snapshot and not the whole picture.

And this is where self-love comes in.

Self-love can mean choosing to look at your body without punishment or shame. It can mean nourishing yourself in ways that support your health, energy, goals, and overall well-being. Self-love isn’t about perfection or earning your worth. It’s about caring for yourself at every stage of life and recognizing that there is no such thing as a perfect body.

Self-love isn’t always easy, and it doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s worth practicing, because you are worth caring for. You deserve to treat your body with acceptance, kindness, and respect for your health. This Valentine’s Day, alongside showing love to others, I hope you also choose to show yourself some compassion.

Some simple ways to practice self-love through nutrition and care:

• Allow yourself to enjoy treats without guilt.

• Avoid forcing yourself into overly strict diets.

• Stay hydrated.

• Avoid skipping meals.

• Letting go of self-punishment.

• Paying attention to how food makes your body feel.

• Move your body in ways that feel supportive (not punishing).

• Prioritize rest and recovery.

• Practice self-forgiveness.

• Stop labeling foods or yourself as “good” or “bad.”

• Choosing nourishing foods because you care about yourself, not because you feel pressured.

Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.