Have you ever refrained from eating particular foods in the hope that you might continue to practice healthy eating if you just avoided them? Do you feel like you’ve been able to preserve it, or is it a daily battle?
Every day, we see messages stating that certain foods are “good” and “bad” and that we should not eat bad food. They are active on YouTube and Instagram. They appear in books and publications. They might even be leftovers from a diet you followed years ago or something a relative said last week while you were at dinner.
It has become so commonplace in our culture and society that we categorize meals as good, bad, or forbidden. Indeed, some foods are healthier and have more nutritional benefits than others, while others only provide us with tradition, fun, or what I like to call the flavor factor. Yet, this does not imply that we should avoid it.
The all-or-nothing mentality of “can’t have,” “aren’t permitted to have,” “off-limits,” etc. is created by trying to eliminate a food or food group because you believe it to be “bad,” and this causes you to become hyperaware, hypersensitive, and focused on that food choice.
So, practicing balance is preferable to having certain foods be off-limits. Food that was earlier considered “off-limits” or “bad” and might have made you feel out of control loses its power over you when you discover how to approach eating mindfully and in moderation.
You won’t be in this loop of starting and stopping, you won’t feel out of control around particular meals, and you’ll be able to decide for yourself what you want.
Freedom from food restrictions is a crucial component of consistently eating healthy. Allowing yourself to enjoy all meals when you genuinely want them and without having shame or regret when you do is essential to fueling yourself with nutrient-dense meals that offer your body what it needs to perform and feel its best.
Conclusion
As you can see, having a list of food you cannot eat does no good. Instead, restraining yourself from eating a particular food can make your relationship with eating unhealthy. So, stop moralizing food into good and bad and allow yourself to enjoy the right balance of nourishing and enjoyable food in your everyday life!
