Food can easily overcome your thoughts if you let it.
Society plays a big part in these thoughts. We are taught skinny = worth and that in order to be skinny we need to diet.
We are bombarded from these messages by society (aka magazines, social media, etc.) everywhere we go. And the more we hear and see these messages, the more we believe them.
Challenging these thoughts about our body and about food is important. We all know we need food to survive, but how often do we think about that when we are eating?
I know I have struggled with thinking of food in a positive way, and the truths I want to share with you could transform your relationship with food like they did for me.
When I started my wellness journey, my thoughts about food were consumed with the way food would make my body look.
I’m now at a place where I use food to make my body FEEL good, instead of look good.
Here are some thoughts about food that can help change your perspective on and relationship with food:
- Food is not bad
No food is bad. We begin to think food is bad when it’s labeled that way in culture.
The thought that food is bad can lead to severe consequences including cutting out food groups, emotional eating, and eating disorders.
Yes, certain foods have more nutritional value than others. But the foods with less nutritional value are not bad, they just need to be eaten in moderation.
If you choose to eliminate certain foods from your food, i.e. I eliminate gluten from my food, that food is harmful for my body because it creates inflammation and makes me feel not good!
The difference is between having an intolerance and the food being “bad.”
Food is made for fuel.
100 years ago people were not thinking about how food would make their bodies look. They were thinking about using food for energy and to survive.
So what has changed? Social media and marketing is everywhere!
In order to stop these messages from effecting us, we have to have boundaries, physically and mentally.
You can’t stop yourself from seeing a magazine in the grocery store or a billboard as you drive down the highway. But you can be aware of how you interpret the messages.
You can also set boundaries with social media. Cut yourself off after so long and only follow accounts that encourage you, not tear you down.
- My body deserves food
Your body DESERVES food and NEEDS food.
Your body works hard every day to keep you going.
Think about a car on a long road trip. It needs fuel to keep going and get you where you want to go. You have to make sure the engine is working, you have oil, and your breaks have to be sturdy.
You do maintenance on your car so it takes you where you need to go. We have to do the same with our bodies.
Our bodies deserve and need to be taken care of so they can feel their best and work their best.
Repeat this: My body deserves food. My body will feel good when I take care of it.
- It’s all about balance and moderation
I have a desire to have a strong, healthy body, so eating food consisting of cookies and donuts is not going to get me there.
However, having a cookie a couple times a week is not going to deprive me of my results.
It’s all about balance and moderation!
Because vegetables, fruit, proteins, and whole grains have the most nutritional value for fueling my body and my goals, I am going to primarily eat these foods. But I am not going to restrict myself when I want something not as nutritious, like a cookie.
Something important with finding balance is listening to your body. Your body will tell you what it needs.
When it needs more water, you will see signs of dehydration. When it needs food, you will feel a lack of energy.
Our bodies are a wonderful, amazing thing. They are very smart and know what they need. It’s just a matter of tuning in and listening.
We are surrounding by messages telling us otherwise. That we should diet. That we shouldn’t eat carbs. That we should only eat 1200 calories per day.
None of the messages are true, by the way. Why? Because only you know what you need.
Everyone is different and everyone has different needs. But at the foundation is a healthy relationship with food and using food to fuel our bodies.
That’s what food is meant for: fuel.
Let’s tune out the messages that tell us otherwise and focus on making our bodies the healthiest they can be!
P.S. I’m talking more about this in my 3 day challenge – Stepping Into Your Authentic Well-Being. Sign up here to join us July 19th-21st!
