Learning to Lose the Food Labels
One of the unhealthy relationships that many people have with food is how they label and perceive certain foods. There are foods that have been labeled “good” and “bad,” which changes how you think about using them for nourishment. This way of thinking is at the core of disordered eating, and becomes a mental block to overcome when achieving a healthy mind-body relationship with food. When you learn to lose the good/bad food labels, you can truly enjoy foods for what they have to offer your body.
Food, no matter what it is, is just that. It is a combination of nutrients that can fuel your body – it does not have morality or behavior. When food is labeled bad, which is very common in the “diet culture,” it has a negative connotation that can trigger guilt, self-loathing and other sabotaging behavior. Even when food is labeled “good,” it is not always a positive experience. The fad diets over the years have changed what foods are “good” and suddenly a good food can become bad. This labeling is just another food trap that has created many poor relationships with food.
Change Starts in the Mind
When you are striving to achieve a healthier body, it begins in the mind. It is not only about the foods you eat but how you think of them and how you feel when enjoying their nourishment. All food provides energy, whether or not they are labeled “good” or “bad” for the different ingredients and macros they contain. You should not feel guilt for enjoying a food, but you can acknowledge that there are foods that will provide more nourishment than others. It does not make them good or bad, it is just a fact.
When you take away the morality of food, it can be a freeing experience. It is one of the many steps to learning to enjoy food again in a healthy and satisfying way.
At Earth’s Edge Wellness, we want to help you reforge your path to a healthier you, and that begins with the way you think about food, health and the world around you – thinking in a way that you have not thought before. To learn more about our innovative, personalized treatment plans, contact us today.
