I am not hitting on you. And, I promise you aren’t about to read about my love life. I’m talking nutrition here, so follow me. Anytime I offer up nutrition coaching to students, friends, or family I am faced with a balancing act. Most often, people have a bad relationship with food. They dislike the foods they know they should eat, and they love the foods they know they should. So, my job is to make them enjoy eating for the better.
The crux of the issue lies in the simple fact that if we don’t have a positive relationship with food, we likely won’t have much success with our nutrition. For most folks it looks like this: If you’re eating well, you’re not enjoying it and if you’re eating poorly, you may enjoy it, but you don’t feel good about it.
I can’t make you love spinach more than chocolate, but maybe having some awareness to relationship faults with regards to food can be the first step to a better nutritional love life. Take a look a these common faults:
The “Normal” Crutch. Since millions of people consume a diet fueled with simple sugars and grains, it is “normal.” Watch out for when your mind uses society’s habits to justify eating. French bread tastes wonderful. It is very “normal.” Hell, they even put it out on the dinner table for you at restaurants. Grains, however, destroy your body. Period.
“Look, I’m skinny!” These days we’ve become extremely aesthetically driven. If someone happens to be of narrow proportions, it doesn’t make them healthy, fit, or otherwise. “Skinny-fat” is an epidemic of itself. Inflammatory disease, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, or other conditions of lifestyle aren’t reserve for those that look unhealthy. Firing down a Grande Frappacino every other morning is hurting your relationship with food, even if you maintain a respectable waistline.
Taste. Processed foods, especially those containing sugar, are addicting. You’re body enjoys them and rides a roller-coaster ride of consequence for eating such foods. So, I understand that you “prefer the taste” of such foods, but I don’t make the rules. It’s in your best interest to find a love in real foods. Be picky, just don’t use it to justify poor nutrition.
..which brings me to my next point: Chocolate Fudge!
Struggle McStruggle. This one goes like this: Billy gets some encouragement to improve his eating habits. He’s scared but he agrees to try taking on a lifestyle of quality eating. Since, Billy doesn’t really want it to work he undermines his own success by making it harder than it really is. “I tried! I really did! I just got so tired of eating deli meat and lettuce cups for every meal.” This ensures sure failure and a wonderful excuse to return to dietary mediocrity. Don’t be that guy– love your food!
Logan Gelbrich
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Saturday’s Workout:
Partner Saturdays
With a partner, complete:
Partner A: Run 1 mile
Partner B: AMRAP of 5 KB Thrusters & 10 Push ups
*score = total rounds per team
