A Guide To Stop Being All Or Nothing With Food

An all or nothing attitude with food often comes from unhealthy beliefs that have been picked up over time, usually from magazines, the media, and even parents and friends. For example, some people really want to become healthier and get into a healthier routine, but they think this means cutting out entire food groups. This also means that if they ‘give in’ and eat a cookie or another sugary snack, that they have ‘messed up’, and ‘might as well eat the whole packet’. This is something that many people relate to, and ultimately, it all boils down to that all or nothing attitude! When you change this mindset, you can freely eat a cookie and won’t feel guilty, but also won’t need to worry about eating the whole packet in one sitting. It can be hard and it takes work, but it’s so worth it. 

Let’s take a look at how you can stop your all or nothing attitude with food: 

 

Allow Food Without Conditions 

First of all, you need to allow yourself food without conditions. This might seem counterintuitive to ‘health’ or whatever your goals are, but when you put conditions on it you can develop unhealthy relationships with your meals. You don’t have to avoid carbs just because you haven’t worked out, for example. You can eat anything at any time, just because you want to. Get that into your head. Unconditional freedom around food should help free you up to make decisions based on what’s best for you in the moment, rather than feeling deprived and restricted in the name of ‘health’ all the time. 

 

Stop Labelling Food

No food is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Some foods simply have a more optimal ‘energy balance’ than others. Labelling food is one of the main reasons people end up having such a fraught relationship with it. Avoid labelling it. Don’t call anything a ‘treat’. Just accept that food is food and all of it is important in the grand scheme of things. 

 

Stop Labelling Yourself 

Labelling yourself, whether that’s ‘vegetarian’ or ‘gluten free’, can make you feel more deprived. You may not eat meat, but labelling yourself vegetarian can put internal pressure on you to stick to a certain set of rules. This isn’t a good idea for those who want to repair their relationships with food. 

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Experiment With Different Recipes 

Experimenting with different recipes and finding joy in the making of them can help you to start eating more foods and getting more nutrients into your diet. This salmon sushi recipe at UmamiGirl.com is a great place to start and has many amazing ingredients. 

 

Let Go of “Perfection”

What is perfection anyway? To some, it’s a vegan diet. To others, it’s a ‘clean’ diet. To some, it’s a ‘low calorie’ diet. There’s no such thing as perfection! Your perfect diet is the one that makes you feel good, supports your lifestyle and goals, and one that you enjoy. 

 

Eat Balanced Meals and Snacks Throughout The Week 

Restricting yourself throughout the week often leads to weekend bingeing. Unconditional food allowance should happen every day!