A DEEP CHAT ABOUT FOOD | DIETS, TIPS, EXPERIENCES AND MINDSET
February 14, 2018
Well, hello there. Yes, I’m a little bit proud of myself too…I have actually kept up with posting on a regular basis... *gasp*. This is my 3rd post in 3 weeks, I mean, c'mon! That’s an achievement for me by my recent standards. So, yep…I am giving myself a little pat on the back right now, I actually may HAVE to listen to Cliff Richards singing ‘Congratulations’ on Spotify too.
Food...
Today’s post is going to be all about food because, let’s be honest, food is awesome. It really is. I’m not one to use the word ‘awesome’ very much, but I am using it now because food deserves such a prestigious title. On a personal level, good food is something that fills my life with utter joy. It really is brilliant; it provides us with the energy we need, gives us something to talk about (when in doubt, talk about your favourite pizza toppings…Yes, I do like pineapple on my pizza…now please stop judging me) and actually keeps our body working to do the very important job of keeping us alive. So, why is it that we make food our enemy, and associate so many foods with feelings of guilt?
Ok, so you may have guessed it. Today’s food post isn’t going to be an educational post on what foods you should or shouldn’t eat to lose weight/gain muscle/etc. In true Haia Eve style, this is going to be a post where I share my thoughts - I want to reflect on my thoughts on food and our relationship, as humans with food.
Just to a friendly note: I am aware that for some of us, building a healthy relationship with food is no mean feat and I am not sitting here typing this as if it’s all easy, sunshine and buttercups - I realise that many of us have very serious battles with our feelings and attitude towards food, but in today’s post I am aiming to project some ideas I have about food. If you don’t think my points are applicable to you, please take what I say with a pinch of salt).
I remember back in my earlier blogging days I used to write a weekly series called Fit4Friday (yepp, I know I could have been a little more creative with the title, but it was cool at the time…) I absolutely loved writing that series and always tried to emphasise the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle; whether that be food-wise, fitness-wise, relationship-wise or in terms of mental health. Having the opportunity to promote healthy living was so important to me. I must admit, however, after recently stumbling across a post I had written about food (what you should be eating), I came to realise that I hadn’t appreciated how personal food choices are. Although it was the intent of my younger self to aid a reader in making healthy food choices, I know that I would never write a post in that way again. The post is not offensive, nor is it really incorrect, but it is (in my opinion) quite narrow-minded, black & white and lacks the personal touch I think is so valuable to display when discussing such a personal issue. Yes, our relationship with food is personal. It sounds quite odd, doesn't it? "I have a personal relationship with food". You do! Whether that means you love food or hate it. Anyway, I wanted to share some of my more up-to-date thoughts on the topic...
Can I just express that I am a craving a pizza so much as I write this...
Building a 'positive relationship' with food...
Ok, so let's start thinking about it. Why is it important to have a 'positive relationship' with food? For the most part, I have maintained a good and healthy view of food. I have been a vegetarian all of my life, and despite going through a period of being a very fussy child (if the cool kids in school don't eat tomatoes, then I certainly WON'T be eating tomatoes...), I have enjoyed a very balanced and exciting diet. I did hit a rough patch in my early teens though, the obsession with the scales begun, and as a result, so did my obsession with how much food I'd be consuming. I felt so guilty about having a little bit of pudding or even eating pizza (I am so regretful that I spent one holiday in Italy eating pretty much only salads) - it was a dangerous path I was going down, all because of my mindset and the fact I thought I could be defined by the number on the scales, luckily discovering my love for exercise (in particular, Zumba) meant that I was able to stop the cycle. I won’t lie, it was hard. I think when you get into such a pattern of thinking and start associating certain foods with being something would automatically make you 'fat', it can be hard to break the cycle and change your perspective. Getting out of that mindset took time and determination; I had to completely change my mindset. I am in no way trying to suggest that my situation was at the stage of being considered an eating disorder, but it wasn’t a healthy relationship with food. That's why I think it's important for me to put together posts like these, because I would have loved to have read something similar when I was younger; the internet is gaining power every day, so it may as well be put to good use (not that I have much influence on the internet). The concept of 'healthy or clean eating' will be different for everyone. It can be really easy to get caught up in the quick answer, the quick-fix these days; we all would love to have results straight away, but it doesn't work like that, and it certainly wouldn't be healthy for it to work like that. We should be seeking a permanent change, a permanent lifestyle change. The changes we should seek should be for the right reasons; not to lose weight fast or gain muscle quickly, but to feel healthier and to be healthier - it should be sustainable, and a change we're happy to make.
0% fat, 0 calories, lose weight in 5 mins if you drink this shake, take this pill and lose weight instantly...what the...!?
Quick fixes and really "low-calorie diets" are quite stupid really, they won't do you any good in the long term. We are fed the idea that we must always reach for all of the 0 calorie options. All of the weight loss advice out there can leave you feeling unsure of what you're actually supposed to eat; am I supposed to be eating chocolate to make me live longer? Or should I be cutting it out? Should I be sticking to the 0% fat, 0 calorie foods? Or are they worse for you than the full-fat stuff? It can all be a little overwhelming, I can sympathise. I can't really give you an answer. (Just please don't buy into this whole detox stuff (your body naturally detoxifies your body!) or all of these weight loss shakes as meal alternatives and pills, there are other ways to reach your goals).
Of course, what we believe to be "healthy" is going to be different for everyone; we've all had our own life experiences, leaving us with different concepts of different things.
Finding the balance between eating too much and not eating enough can be a huge challenge. Find out how much food works for you in your lifestyle, and is having a positive impact on your life and health. It may be a little bit of trial and error to get there - trying out some new recipes, ways of cooking, types of foods to eat etc, but there are so many resources out there to aid you in working it all out. It's so important to remember you should be eating enough food to keep you going; if you're not getting enough food, you're not doing yourself any good - your body won't be able to work to its full potential. It's the same with over-eating and not eating enough of the 'right' stuff; this can leave you equally as exhausted and feeling sluggish. It's all about trying to find the balance. I know sometimes the balance can be extremely challenging; oh gosh, it can seem impossible to me when I'm on my period (or, as I used to call periods when I was younger, 'my lockies'...that's a long story), I just want to eat everything in site...warning: I can be a hangry girl when I'm suffering from PMS. Umm, genuine question: is 'hangry' a word that is used much these days?
It's important to try to avoid eating food for comfort because over-eating for comfort is only a short-term solution to your problems. Yes, there are plenty of times when I eat a tub of ice cream when I don't *really* need it (well, I NEED IT, but I'm not hungry), and that is fine! It's just ensuring you have things in moderation. While we're on the subject, it makes me really upset to think that when I was younger having a spoonful of Ben & Jerry's would fill me with extreme guilt. Food should not be something that makes us feel guilty! We should be enjoying our food.
Avoiding the guilt train...
We aren't always going to be able to stay within the confinements of our healthy eating bubble, sometimes you're going to need to have that chocolate bar or that bag of ready salted (yum) crisps, and that is fine! Do not punish yourself for it. Don't let that one 'treat' make you give up either. To be honest, I wouldn't want to cut out my favourite little treats out, I'd feel utterly heartbroken if I knew that I wasn't going to allow myself a Quality Street ever, ever again. It's just about finding the balance. Many people like to live by the 80/20 rule, so eat 'well/clean' 80% of the time, and then for the remaining 20% eat those treat foods. It's up to you how you're going to work it out. Honestly, I don't really stick to any rules, I just eat what I feel makes me feel good and when I need a pizza, I'll have one!
Theodore Rossevelt once said: "Comparison is the thief of Joy"...
We like to compare ourselves to others, don't we? There really is no need. Do not look at others as a means of measuring yourself and your progress, rather look to them as an inspiration to you. I did a whole blog post about self-confidence, see here: SELF-CONFIDENCE | "HOW DO I STOP HATING MY BODY?" and I touched on the dangers of comparison there, and honestly comparison is an issue that falls under the umbrella of a person's relationship with food, too. "Oh gosh, she eats 500 calories a day less than me" "oh my gosh, she's eating so much more than me" "Oh my gosh, he's eating so much more of this" "he's eating so much less of this" etc, etc, etc. There actually is no point getting caught up on that. You can use them as an inspiration for you if they're eating a diet that perhaps is aiding them in reaching a similar goal you wish to meet, but do not let the fact you're not eating exactly the same as them get you down. You may be eating a different number of macros each day or a different number of calories, but you're also leading a different lifestyle to them. You should only be aiming to fit your diet around your own lifestyle. (Oooh, can I just highlight something here, please? Notice my use of the word 'diet', I think the word 'diet' has really become associated with weight-loss over the years, when in fact everyone is on a diet; plant-based, vegetarian, high-protein, low-calorie etc. It's not a word that simply means losing weight).
Slow and steady wins the race...
Let’s STOP with the crash diets. You’re not doing yourself any good in the long-term. It is exactly what it says on the tin: a quick fix, but in the end, you’ll crash – you’ll hit your endpoint and in the majority of cases, you’ll end up back where you started – it’s unsustainable. Food is not the enemy. We all need to build a healthy relationship with food. Stop feeling guilty about foods.
For those of you who desire to lose weight, the best advice I can give to you is....make little, slow changes. Have a look at what you eat and drink daily – what are your weaknesses? Look at what will be easiest to change first (this will ease you into it). Maybe you’re drinking a few glasses of wine? Could you cut one glass out? Or decrease the size of your glasses? Maybe you’re eating three chocolate bars a day? Could you cut one out? Aim at making one change a week. This could mean cutting down on the amount you eat slowly to ensure you’re staying within your daily calorie intake goal. Or this could mean making smart swaps. Swapping shop- bought high sugar pasta sauce for a homemade pasta sauce. You’d be surprised how much easier it is in the long term to make small changes rather than cutting everything out and eating salad for breakfast, lunch and supper, and realising it’s too much and then ordering a pizza and a tub of ice cream – believe me, I know how hard it can be.
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| hello there, Patrick Demspey... *insert heart eye emoji* |
Why are you wanting to eat healthier?
Eating healthily shouldn't make you miserable or feel like a chore. You should WANT to do it. It should be about feeding your body with the right stuff so it can work at it's best- it's not just about losing weight, it's about looking after yourself - love your body!
Don’t think you have to spend your life eating salad leaves to be healthy. Gosh, I’d hate eating salad every day. That’s miserable (in my opinion). Do your research – there are so many healthy (tasty!) recipes out there. Do your homework.
Eating healthier can make you feel so much more energetic, positive and just happier in general. Think of healthy eating as a lifestyle, not a diet for your upcoming holiday.
Track and plan...
For those of you who need to be in control of your food, it may be an idea to think about tracking your eating habits and planning your meals in advance, now I am not encouraging you to become obsessed with calorie counting or anything, this is just about ensuring you are able to note down your choices to aid you in making healthy decisions each day.
Give yourself a break
Eating shouldn't be something you dread to do or something that stresses you out. It also shouldn't be all you do. It's about the balance. Now, some days you're going to eat healthier than other days, and vice-versa. This is life, it's not something that is short-term, so don't make this miserable. Don't look at food as something miserable.
A healthy relationship with food...
- Food is not the devil...
-Food is not the reward...
-Food IS a fuel...
-Food can boost the immune system...
-Food is good...
-Food does not 'make you fat'
-Food does not 'make you skinny'
Eat mindfully -
listen to your body. Does this food do your body any good?
Don't skip the breakfast -
this is a bad idea, breakfast is so important to ensure you start your day right!
Everything in moderation -
deprivation could lead you to binge in the future!
Don't feel guilty -
don't feel guilty about yesterday's supper, or this morning's lunch...there is no point punishing yourself.
Enjoy your food -
enjoy trying new things and enjoy eating foods that make you feel good!
I hope you liked hearing my thoughts. I'll definitely do more food posts in the future that touch on more specific topics.
Speak to you next week (if I can keep this regular posting thing up)...
Oooh, and shoutout to my instagram because I have been posting there regularly: @//evejohnsonzin
Thanks so much for stopping by...
Love always,
Eve
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xxx
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