UNDERSTANDING THAT FOOD IS ENERGY

Food is fuel. We need it to stand, exercise, breathe and basically live out all of our bodily functions on a daily basis.

But why do we still struggle to understand its intention? At the end of the day it's all about Balance. Balance being us enjoying the many delicious foods that we want *but* also knowing how to portion, pick the best quality, and know how prioritise macros.

We’ve found that once our ladies welcomed the foods they love back into their lives without fear and without guilt they struggle less, enjoy eating more, and finally, are able to overcome obstacles that stand between them and their healthy eating goals.

Here are some things to note if you have the “all or nothing” approach:

👉🏼 One single food doesn’t define your entire diet. (One salad isn't going to give us abs, so having an ice cream isn't going to be the end-all-be-all)

👉🏼 No one food is bad for all people in all situations.

👉🏼 Demonising certain foods can make them even more appealing.

👉🏼 Categorising foods as “good” and “bad” can work but usually only for a while.

👉🏼 It’s really okay and completely normal to eat for pleasure.

👉🏼 When we obsess over “bad foods,” we rob ourselves of the ability to evolve.

So, if there are no good or bad foods, how can we ever know what to eat and what to limit? Good question!

That’s because some people assume that “no bad foods” is in the same line as “all foods are good so eat whatever you want.” But that’s not what it at all! Rather than sorting food into just two categories — good and bad — it’s usually more helpful for most people to see food as a continuum of eat more, eat some, and eat less.

A good question to ask yourself are the following:

👉🏼 What does this food do for you?

👉🏼 What would you like it to do? For e.g. Right now, certain foods make you feel out of control because you struggle to stop eating them once you start. But you’d like them to become foods you enjoy in moderation.

Here are some possible ways of going from point A (out of control) to point B (something I enjoy in moderation):

👉🏼 Understand your portions

👉🏼 Understand your nutrition pyramid

👉🏼 Understand your food pyramid

👉🏼 Buy sweets in small, individual servings.

👉🏼 Keep trigger foods out of the house

👉🏼 Focus on adding more veggies than subtracting your treats

👉🏼 Eat slowly while paying attention to your hunger

👉🏼 Study your relationship with other foods

👉🏼 Change your self-talk from “this is bad” to “this is going to make it harder for me to achieve my goals”

You may find that liberating yourself from the “all or nothing” mindset frees you to see more possibilities than ever before! And along the way, you may also discover that this broader, more flexible mindset allows you not only to enjoy every meal a whole lot more, but also to reach your goals more quickly.

-Almond G