Most diets create fear of some sort. Fear of calories, fear of too many carbs, fear of sugar, fear of getting your macros wrong, fear of not eating every three hours, and the list goes on.
With all that fear you are going to naturally feel anxious. It is creating a negative relationship with food and your body cannot possibly give you what it needs when there is a constant war of hate and emotional despair.
Your body will do what it needs to if you feed it well emotionally with good thoughts and physically with food. The negative self-talk that goes on with diets manifests in the body as stress and pain. A body cannot heal itself and function at its best when exposed to this.
We need to let go all the negative feelings associated with food and our bodies. Here are some of my top tips:
- Eat a wide range of natural unprocessed food. Getting lots of vitamins and nutrients helps your body feel satisfied.
- Listen to your body. If you are craving something, more than often it is because your body is telling you something. Don’t be afraid to have a little of it.
- Eat to nourish your body, not to lose weight. Starches like potato and carrots are often avoided by dieters for fear of weight gain. They are both vegetables and provide us with nutrients and energy. Once you make the switch and think about how food nourishes the body the guilt will start to go.
- All foods can be eaten, yes everything, in moderation. Foods are not intrinsically good or bad. An apple is an apple, a burger is a burger. Both are foods. Eating provides nourishment for the soul. If you feel like that piece of cake. Eat it. Feed your soul.
- Have gratitude for your food. We are lucky enough to have access to a large range of foods. Some people aren’t so privileged. When we are over eating, snacking mindlessly, in some ways this is a sign of lack of appreciation. Food is a gift to our heart, brain and cells.
- Don’t be difficult with food. We are going to come into social situations where the food choices are not as good as we would like. Simple choose the best available to you and enjoy it anyway. It is one meal of your life. Stay positive and leave the food complications behind.
- Don’t be afraid of hunger. You are not going to die, you are not going to lose your muscle. It is okay. Relax. Food is plentiful. You can eat soon. And if food is on hand, eat.
- Your body is your temple. You only get one. Look after it with love, care and proper nutrients. You may get away with a poor diet now, but what quality of life will that leave too.
Love your body and it will treat you well in return.
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