3 Signs You Need to Improve Your Relationship with Food
Hey Angels and Alphas,
Nowadays, in the fitness and nutrition world, people are always obsessing over the next best “one thing” that will allow them to achieve the weight loss (or weight gain) results they want.
But the good news is, more and more people are starting to realize the undeniable fact that the way to build a healthy lifestyle isn’t to try out a new diet or workout program, but it’s to create habits and micro-habits that serve the lifestyle you want to live.
And the most vital set of healthy habits that you need to work on have to do with developing a positive and productive relationship with food. If you’re someone who just started training and you’re trying to establish a healthy diet, you might naturally gravitate to the advice of people you see around the internet who tell you what to eat, when to eat, and so on.
But what you probably don’t realize is that these things aren’t the “cause” of a healthy diet. They’re the “effect” of having a positive relationship with food. People who build a positive relationship with food don’t have to motivate themselves to maintain a healthy diet because it comes as naturally to them as going to the gym or even brushing their teeth in the morning.
But with diet culture being prevalent among both young people and adults, it’s safe to say the emphasis on developing a good relationship with good has been largely ignored.
That’s why today, we’re here to explore 3 of the most common and clear signs that you need to rethink and reestablish your relationship with food.
Let’s get started.
#1 – IF YOU’VE CUT OUT ENTIRE FOOD GROUPS
Hunger repressions and food restrictions are two of the main reasons why people tend to give up quickly on a ‘healthy lifestyle’ or end up regaining weight once they lose it.
In their constant struggle to cut out food from our diet, they harm their relationship with it, making it all they can think about. When you restrict your diet in various ways by trying out Paleo, KETO, dairy-free, lactose-free, and other diets, you’re harming your relationship with food.
What you should be doing instead is trying to educate yourself beyond the detox fixes or various marketing strategies.
That said, highly processed, trans fats, and sugary foods should be avoided as much as possible. But you should mindfully make the decision not to eat them instead of just cutting them out and feeling miserable.
A healthier measure includes not really restricting but finding new options you can add to your diet. Instead of cutting out certain foods, add new healthy foods (that you actually enjoy) to your diet.
#2 – IF YOU’RE CONSTANTLY OBSESSING ABOUT NUMBERS
Even though calorie counts and weigh-ins are an essential and productive part of diet and weight loss, a problem occurs when they become constant.
If you’re trying to constantly reassure yourself that you’re progressing, all this will lead to is anxiety. You’ll feel anxious about your food and weight, and to an unhealthy obsession with eating right. If you’re totally crazy about macros and calories, you should try going a week without excessive counting so see if you’re really mentally attached to the idea.
Sure, if you’re a competitor or professional athlete, you’re an obvious exception. Just make sure your obsession is healthy. Because let’s be honest, the people who have the most effective approach to this are the people who come at it from a habitual frame of mind.
#3 – IF YOU EXPERIENCE EMOTIONAL EATING
If you ever catch yourself saying things such as “I deserve this” or “It’s been a long day” just before you munch on your favorite snack, this is a telltale sign that your approach is coming from a place of scarcity.
When you’re stressed, your cortisol levels will naturally go higher and higher, leading to an appetite for foods high in sugar and fat. But if you notice that this becomes a regular craving throughout the day, or that you start experiencing these cravings around times that are stressed, this is a pretty obvious sign that you might be mentally attaching food to stress relief.
Again, the fix here is simple – approach dieting from a habitual frame of mind and develop the right routines that create a positive relationship with food.
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