When It Comes to Food, Think Positive!
By Sara Butler
When people think of getting healthy, they often think of the things that are off-limits to them in the process. Many foods are seen as things you simply cannot have any more if you want to be healthy, resulting in foods that are labeled "bad" or "good."
Your relationship with food is important, and if you want to get healthy, then you need to focus on thinking of all the benefits to your body and the health that food provides. If you can, then you should take the emotion out of eating so you can feel more confident in your new choices -- here's how to do it.
Break Old Habits
Many people are raised with the belief that some foods are bad while others are good. Your mom probably told you that cauliflower was your friend, while candy bars were your foe. While she's not wrong, cauliflower is better for you than a candy bar, you have to retrain your thought processes when it comes to food.
You cannot think about food in terms of good and bad. When you think of something as being off limits, then you may simply want it more.
Shift Your Thinking
You can reframe how you think about food by following a few simple tips. You should:
- Ditch the labels - Not the nutrition labels, but the labeling of food as good or bad. Food should be thought of neutrally and you must remind yourself that candy, cake, and anything else you traditionally view as bad is just food. What you should be thinking about is if it nourishes your body.
- Stay positive - Don't guilt yourself into eating something because it's good for you. Instead, try to look at the benefits of eating that particular food such as it's good for you and benefits your health. Keep messaging in your mind about the foods you eat positive so that you feel good about eating them and you're not simply doing it because you know it's a better choice.
- Focus on add-ins - You can still eat the foods you love as long as you add more nutrient-dense foods to your diet. Instead of focusing on what you cannot have, you should focus on adding a vegetable or fruit to every meal and snack. Then, you can feel better about having a tasty treat when you want it.
Food is something you nourish your body with, it's not your enemy.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Buford, Ga.