I came across an article about a mother sharing her experience with her weight throughout her life. It was a really profound article and many parts felt like I had written it myself. It has a very important message and it was that we should not have a relationship with food. I started being conscientious about my weight when I was in sixth grade. When I started dealing with mental health issues I started using food to help me through my issues. I used food for everything. When I was 16 I joined weight watchers and I became even more consumed with food. I thought about food always. When I went to college I stopped being as active and I gained a lot of weight. I decided to get my mental health in check. Once I was put on medication everything clicked.

RELATED: The Real Impact Of Diet Culture On Children & Teens (And How We Can Help)

The world became a very clear place. It became brighter. I don't know how to explain it but it was like a fog was lifted from my eyes. It was amazing. I realized I didn't need to have a relationship with food. I didn't need to eat to deal with emotions of being sad, happy, angry, or stressed. It was a beautiful moment. I now sometimes don't eat during the day until the evening because I don't think about eating. I only drink some orange juice or have a little bit of chocolate if I can feel my blood sugar going down due to my hypoglycemia.

After I broke my relationship with food I lost 60 lbs. I did work hard to lose that weight, but it wasn't an emotional battle. I worked hard but it wasn't terrible. I have had four children. My body certainly doesn't look the same but my weight is back to where I was before I had children. I don't think about food. It hardly ever crosses my mind. I don't wonder when my next meal will be and I don't think about dinner while I am out and about. I am not food motivated and I am never the first person to jump up to get my plate. My husband has to tell me to go and eat.

I want to raise my children to not think about food. Of course, food is clearly a huge part in life. I want them to know what is healthy for their body but I refuse to make it a huge part of our lives. I tell people all the time that I refuse to make food a "thing." I teach them about healthy foods and I share with them that healthy food is good for your body. With that being said, I don't make them finish their plate, I don't make them take a certain number of bites, and I don't tell my kids that they can't have certain foods.

My kids will not grow up being obsessed with food because I refuse to make it a focal point of our family. There are so many other things in this world to think about other than food. I hope I can raise my children to not think about food as a way to help them through their feelings and I want them to think of food as just merely a way to keep them alive and healthy. 

UP NEXT: 10 Popular Baby Food Flavors, Ranked Yummiest To Grossest By A Mom