When most women think of balanced eating they think of clean eating. They think that it is only eating foods they have labeled as “good”.
But in reality, having balance means an even distribution of weight.
Picture a balance scale. On one side of the scale you have restrictive diets plans, all or nothing thinking, and food rules that require you to have self control. This is where you eat “clean” and avoid food that you have labeled as “bad”.
On the other side of the scale is where you choose to say “ to heck with food rules, I am going to eat whatever I want”. This often leaves you having little regard for the nutritional needs of your body, and never saying no to foods you have previously labeled as “bad”.
When you think about balance, most often we end up spending time on each side of the scale. Cycling between “good” and “bad”. This is where the all or nothing mentality can arise.
You tell yourself you have been good all week, so you deserve to eat whatever you want all weekend.
Or you tell yourself you have already blown it by eating the chocolate cake at a staff birthday party so you may as well just keep going and spend the day overindulging.
Or the other way around, you tell yourself you have had a bad week and you will get back on track and eat clean next week.
But that's not a balanced diet. That is moving from one side of the scale to the other. Not only does it not support your overall well being or your health goals - but it also creates guilt and shame around your food choices and a bad relationship with food overall.
The TOP 3 mistakes I see busy women make in their relationship with food.
Following food rules that cause guilt when they eat for enjoyment.
Imagine you've been told that you shouldn't eat carbs after 6 p.m. You're out to dinner with friends, and it's 7 p.m. Everyone orders pasta, but you feel guilty and anxious because you're "breaking the rule." You end up feeling bad about enjoying the meal with your friends, even though it's a special occasion.
Focusing on what they can’t have which causes you to overindulge, feel guilty, and feel out of control around food.
You decide to go on a strict diet and you tell yourself “I can’t have” any of your favorite snacks and treats. After a few days of resisting, you find yourself in front of the pantry, feeling overwhelmed by cravings. You end up eating a whole bag of chips in one sitting because you've been depriving yourself, leading to guilt and a sense of losing control.
Trying to stick to rigid plans or routines that are not flexible enough to maintain in your busy life, which leaves you continuously telling yourself I will start again on Monday.
How To Change Your Relationship With Food
You don’t have to struggle with diets that make you feel guilty, restrict you from enjoying your favorite things, and overwhelm you with food rules. Changing your relationship with food is really simple, and starts with focusing on creating a balanced diet.
What Is A Balanced Diet?
You want your scale to be evenly distributed - making intentional choices that nourish your body, and have the flexibility to enjoy the foods you love.
Like enjoying a slice of pizza with a side of salad.
Enjoying dinner out with the girls by choosing a well balanced meal and enjoying dessert.
When you learn to keep your scale balanced you rid yourself from the extremes and feel at peace with the choices you make. You learn to make intentional choices that nourish your body without restriction and build confidence in your ability to make the best choices for your mind & body, without missing out on important moments. Food is longer a source of stress or a drain on your mental energy.
-Having a balanced diet means never falling off track because there is no track to fall off of.-
With a balanced diet, we let go of feeling bad about what we eat. No food is labeled as “bad” so there is no need for guilt. It’s not about being perfect; it is finding balance between enjoying food and staying healthy. There are no strict plans to follow, just a flexible way of eating that feels good. You don’t feel like you are missing out or restricting yourself. Instead, you build a better relationship with food - where you can enjoy each bite without those unwanted feelings of regret.
Ready to break free from the cycle of guilt and restriction? Download my free resource “How to build a balanced meal and spend less time in the kitchen” to start your journey towards a healthier relationship with food. Say goodbye to food rules and hello to nourishment and freedom!
Craving more insights? Check out our other articles "Are You Eating Enough?" and "How to Reduce Stress Hormones"
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