Why Mindset Relates to Food…
When I work with clients one-on-one they are often surprised at how little we talk about actual food. While the foods that we eat are important. Trust me when I say most of us know what we SHOULD be eating, what makes our body feel good and what doesn't. Yet we don’t do it. Interesting right…..
This has everything to do with our mindset. Some consider it lack of willpower, procrastination or just plain laziness. In the world of mindset this is called the Knowing Doing Gap. We know what we should be doing but for whatever reason we don’t do it. There are a plethora of tools and resources out there to help you eat “healthy”. There is NO shortage of recipes on the internet and the diet industry has bombarded us “rules'' on the best ways to eat. Yet obesity rates are at their highest and fast food is a booming industry…..
Make it stand out
This is exactly why I work deeply on relationships and mindset around food before I dive into food itself. So many of our decisions related to food are charged by our thoughts and emotions. When we become aware and start tweaking the way we think about food, our relationship with food and what we are using food for. We start to see success. Without awareness we slip into a the diet cycle/ shame cycle. This cycle is what is standing in the way of so many peoples success!
Changing the way we see, enjoy, and use food is no easy task. What if we saw food as a way to nourish our body and not a way to cope with our emotions. What if we enjoyed food rather than something we have to shove into our mouths because someone told us it was dinner time. What if meal times were a time to gather and enjoy each other's company. What if we stopped and listened to what our bodies truly were needing.
I was raised in a home where you ate what was served to you and you cleared your plate. I really didn’t know what being hungry or satisfied felt like; I often over ate. I had never thought about whether I was truly hungry or not. I really never thought much about food until I was in my teens. Then it became a source of shame and power. As someone who was often criticized for her weight. Told I was not able to do certain things or wear certain clothes because of my size. Told that if I wasn’t careful that I would be overweight my whole life. Food became my enemy. Something that I played with restricting by skipping meals, eliminating meat, binging on cookies and on it went. Through working with many clients this is an all too familiar story.
Fear and food sadly go hand in hand. The world around us does a wonderful job of vilainizing entire food categories. While I would love for so many people to feel excited or grateful for food. Becoming neutral with our emotions with relation to food is the best place to start. Foods aren’t good or bad.- it’s just food. For sure there are foods that will support our goals more than others; but that doesn’t make them good or bad. So many people are afraid to eat, not sure where to start, not wanting to eat the wrong thing. Should I worry about salt or sugar? Is all fat bad? How many calories should I consume?
I give you permission to eat. Eat really colourful food that makes your feel good!
This is why it’s rarely about the food; but about our mindset. It’s about giving ourselves permission to eat. To imagine foods that fuel and nourish our bodies. It’s about bringing back the joy of meal times. Spending time finding the foods that you love. Being ok with foods that you don’t like or don’t want. Starting to tune into when you are hungry and when you aren’t. It’s about being ok with listening to your body and being able to say no thank you; without feeling rude. It’s about taking control of your needs and desires!
I challenge you to get curious about some of your believes about food, meals and how to nourish your body. Where do those believes come from? Do they align with your goals? If not, how are you going to change them?
When I work with clients one-on-one they are often surprised at how little we talk about actual food. While the foods that we eat are important. Trust me when I say most of us know what we SHOULD be eating, what makes our body feel good and what doesn't. Yet we don’t do it. Interesting right…..