Do you find yourself separating food groups into 'good' vs 'bad'? Do you punish yourself for having a 'treat' or a 'cheat day'? I'm breaking these misconceptions, take a look here to find out more. 
 
Why is this mentality harmful? 
 
Are you guilty of having a negative view towards certain food groups? 
 
How often have your friends said to you: 
 
“Oh, I had a takeaway last night, I’m so bad” 
 
“I fancy a naughty chocolate bar.” 
 
“I cheated on my diet, I have a biscuit.” 
 
It’s likely become so normal for these conversations to happen now that you might not even notice the negative connotations that are being built around certain food groups. 
 
But the fact that this harmful mentality has become second nature to so many women is a huge part of the problem. 

Why are some foods seen as 'bad'? 

The foods which are often seen as being ‘bad’ or ‘out of bounds’ are those with high fat and sugar contents. They also happen to be the ones you’re most likely to crave and will be wanting to cut out when trying to lose weight. 
 
They’re the types of foods that many fad diets will tell you that you ‘cannot have’, reinforcing this mentality. 
 
Whether this is chocolate, sweets, fizzy drinks, fast food, high carb meals… The problem is the same. 
 
By taking your ‘favourite’ foods and associating them with negative phrases, you’re going to believe you need to punish yourself by not having them. 
 
You’ll feel as if you have ‘slipped up’ or ‘fallen off the wagon’ if you have even the smallest amount of them. 
 
You’ll feel like a failure. 
 
And ultimately, by denying yourself even small servings of these foods you’ll likely find yourself craving them more and more, until you binge. 
 
The key really is to have everything in moderation. 
 

Imagine the following scenario 

You fancy a chocolate bar. The one you want is around 150 calories. You tell yourself that chocolate bars are bad and you don’t want to break your diet, so instead you’ll compromise and will have a cereal bar. 
 
The cereal bar is lower in calories, at 90 calories per serving. It’s tasty, but still contains quite a lot of sugar content. But ultimately, it’s not the chocolate bar you really wanted, so you’re still not satisfied. 
 
“I can’t have chocolate,” you’ll say, “so instead I’ll have a satsuma to fill me up. Fruit is healthy, it’s a good food.” 
 
You’ll consume another 50 calories in the form of a satsuma and a couple of hours will pass. 
 
While it filled a hole, you’re still thinking about that chocolate bar. So maybe you’ll reach for another healthy alternative. You’re not really ‘hungry’, you’re snacking… but you’re reaching for ‘healthier’ alternatives. Perhaps a rice cake, or a cracker. You’ll consume another 50 calories searching for a low calorie alternative to the chocolate bar you so crave, because you’re ‘hungry’. 
 
But a little bit more time passes and you’ve denied yourself the chocolate bar for so long, that you begin to crave it more and more. 
 
So now you’re beginning to struggle. 
 
You’re beating yourself up, trying to resist… but eventually, you give in. 
 
You’ll reach for the chocolate bar and will enjoy every piece. 
 
Maybe you’ll even reach for another, because the feeling you get now you’ve finally allowed yourself to satisfy your cravings is absolutely overwhelming. 
 
So now for the sake of just one chocolate bar, you’ve consumed around 350 calories. 
 
You’ll also be beating yourself up and feeling like a failure. 
 
But it doesn’t have to be this way. 
 
Imagine the scenario again, but this time when the craving hits you and you really fancy the chocolate bar… allow yourself to have one serving. 
Don’t beat yourself up for it. 
 
Don’t feel badly about it. 
 
Just enjoy a small serving of chocolate, maybe pair it with something ‘healthier’ like fruit if you’re looking for a more substantial meal, or enjoy it as a standalone snack if that’s what you fancy. 
 
Eat it. Enjoy it. Record it in your food diary if you have one… and move on! 
 
You have not failed for eating one chocolate bar. 
 
In fact, enjoying sweet treats in moderation is all part of having a healthy and balanced diet. 
 
Denying yourself these foods only makes you crave them more. 
 
Focus not on ‘what’ foods you eat, but the nutritional values of each of them. 
 
Look at your overall daily intake and make sure to fuel your body with everything it needs to thrive. 
 
Looking to learn more? Contact me today to find out how I can help you to shift your mindset. 
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