Exercise should be comfortable, don’t take the activity as a punishment.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – With unhealthy eating habits, food determines the continuity of your daily activities. These four eating, exercise, and social habits can indicate an underlying problem with your relationship with food.
1. Exercise to compensate for the food you just ate
Lindsay Brancato, a licensed psychologist and psychoanalyst, says that mindset rules the war between your mind and body. “This is a very black-and-white way of thinking about food, exercise and the body. It reflects some of the beliefs of toxic nutrition,” he said as quoted on the website. CNet, Thursday (8/10).
Simply put, exercise should feel good. This is not a punishment. “When you think of exercise as a punishment, it can be counterproductive to triggering a stress response in the body,” says Brancato. Not to mention the emotional implications. The key to overcoming this is checking your mind and body every day.
2. Not storing certain foods
Most people have certain foods that they don’t keep at home because they will eat them all in one meal. While this doesn’t necessarily indicate an unhealthy relationship with food, it certainly can, especially if you can never stop thinking about the food.
“This sends a message to your brain that foods are banned because you can’t be trusted with them,” says Brooke Glazer, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition.
The solution is to keep “forbidden” foods in your home. Instead of storing a lot of food at once, start with just one or two new foods.
3. Avoiding social activities because you are worried about food
Maureen St Germain, a functional nutritional therapy practitioner at Educated Wellness says feelings of guilt when eating or shortly after are examples that food controls you, not you controlling food choices.
“However, it is not necessarily our fault. Many nutrient-poor foods are made very tasty. They are loaded with salt, sugar, fat and refined oils which make these foods delicious and addicting,” he said.
It’s okay to enjoy really good food, like desserts, chips, and packaged snacks. However, tell yourself you can’t eat it as it can result in a limited ‘party’ cycle.
4. Feeling out of control when eating certain foods
Switching from diet to diet might indicate that you have a tense relationship with food or body image. Many diets eliminate complete food groups or minimize calories to unrealistic levels, ultimately leading to eating foods outside of your diet.
“Again, you feel guilty, lacking essential nutrients and no energy to get anything done,” says Alex Turnbull, a registered nutritionist.
Try to adopt healthy, sustainable eating habits that work for you. This may require you to experiment with different foods so that you can determine what combination of foods makes you feel good on a regular basis.
“Approach eating with an all-food fit and make small changes,” advises Turnbull.
Allow yourself to enjoy the foods you love, while working to include foods that provide you with optimal fuel. “Keep food and nutrition simple. Don’t make it too complicated, and if you need additional support, ask for help,” he said.
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