When you use this simple vegetable seasoning mix recipe, your vegetables are much more tasty. When you have flavorful vegetables, you will want to eat more vegetables. These simple ingredients are in most kitchens and can be prepared fast.

Vegetable Seasonings Mix Ingredients List:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp of salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• ½ tsp dried rosemary
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a container for easy storage such as a small mason jar or any sealed container.

Prep in advance vegetable seasonings make meal times easier

Using an easy vegetable flavoring mix is a great way to add more variety in your vegetable routine. Try using this vegetable seasoning mix recipe on your favorite vegetables or vegetables that are in season.

One of my favorite ways to use vegetable seasonings is when making roasted vegetables.

If meal planning seems overwhelming, discover how to create simple, nutritious meals that make adding vegetables effortless. Check out How to plan meals for a week using a meal pattern.

The post Vegetable Seasoning Mix Recipe appeared first on Confidence in eating.

If you are in the Dallas area, the snow that is falling creates the perfect opportunity to make this snow ice cream recipe. Fun in the snow is not just for snowball fights, sledding, and skiing, but you can also use it now to make snow ice cream. That’s right, use the falling white stuff and a few simple ingredients for a fun way to enjoy a sweet dessert.

When you have kids or grandkids and a rare occurrence of snow in Texas, you have a perfect opportunity to play in the snow, make snow ice cream, and teach them an essential life lesson. This memory of fun in the snow with you and making snow ice cream will be a fond memory for all of you for many years to come.

Every time we get enough snow around our house to make ice cream, my daughter and I like to take advantage of using our snow ice cream recipe because this fits perfectly into my motto,

“There’s always room for ice cream and chocolate!”

Making a snow ice cream recipe is easy with these 4 ingredients.

Snow Ice Cream Basic Ingredients:

• 1 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 8 cups of fresh snow

Directions for Snow Ice Cream Recipe

• Collect at least 8 cups of fresh snow and place in the freezer until you are ready.
• In a large bowl, combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla.
• Add 4 cups of fresh snow and mix ingredients with a spoon until combined.
• Check the consistency and adjust the amount of ingredients to achieve the desired taste and consistency.
• You may need to add more snow, depending on how “wet” your snow is and the types of milk used.

Tips for modifying your recipe for your texture

One of the most important key points to remember is that snow melts, FAST! So when you make your ice cream, do so quickly and be ready to dive right in and eat your creation!
If you want your ice cream fluffier, add more snow. But you will need to keep in mind that no matter how much snow you add, the outcome will never be as good as your favorite commercially made ice cream. For those of us in Texas, of course, that is Blue Bell Ice Cream!

You can also customize your snow ice cream recipe for your unique taste buds and preferences.

Add more flavor to your snow ice cream recipe with the 3 considerations

To add more flavor to your snow ice cream, consider a few ingredients easily found in your kitchen.

• Traditional simple ingredients you can add include caramel, strawberry, and chocolate. Remember my motto, “There’s always room for ice cream and chocolate!” and  “Chocolate fits in a “healthy meal” plan”.
• Consider crushing up a fun add-in ingredient such as peppermint, Oreo cookies, or even your favorite nut.
• Experiment with more flavors by adding your unique varieties when making your snow ice cream.

Extra tips for success when making your snow ice cream recipe

Keep these extra tips in mind when making your snow ice cream. If the snow is more packed and icier, your ice cream may be denser, and like a slushie.

To help make your ice cream creamier, go for the milk that has more fat. The level of sweetness can be adjusted by choosing sweetened condensed milk or adjusting your amount of sugar.

Of course, you know this, but it is always a good reminder, you want fresh snow. The best way I have found to collect the snow is by placing large bowls at the outset where the snow is protected and can fall right into the container.

Ice cream fits nicely into a healthy diet

Many people wonder how snow ice cream fits into a healthy diet. A healthy, balanced diet has room for all kinds of foods, and this includes snow ice cream. This is a great lesson to teach your family if you want them to have a healthy relationship with food.

You are teaching the message that there ARE No Good Foods or Bad Foods!

As a dietitian, people are always asking me how they can incorporate ice cream into a healthy diet. The truth is, intuitive eating is the approach you can use to feel more comfortable enjoying ALL foods.

You can understand more about what I mean about how to balance foods by reading this article,

The post 4 easy steps to make snow ice cream recipe appeared first on Confidence in eating.

Curbing craving can be challenging but there are some easy recipes that can help.   

One of the struggles a lot of my clients talk about all the time is the fact that they just don’t have the time to stop and grab something to eat that is healthy.  

You know, you’ve been doing great with making decisions that support your health goals. Then all of a sudden you find yourself in trouble when these quick food decision situations that keep coming up and surprising you.   

No one ever plans to have an accident, get sick, lose a loved one, or work late.  But guess what, that is reality, as life happens.  

Today I’ve got a recipe that’s fast and easy that you can batch produce, so you are prepared for all of those days you need something to eat “right away” moments when you are starving, and you have nothing around.  

One of the best ways to curb those afternoon snack attacks is to have some tasty foods ready, like a great trail mix recipe.  You know what it’s like when you are standing in line at the store and you are tired, your feet hurt, and you are hungry.  

Matters are worse when you realize how uncomfortable you feel because your stomach is gnawing. AND you cannot concentrate well when you are hungry.  

Decisions about choosing nutritious food are much harder to make when you are in the moment and just need something quick.   

These are the times when having a ready-made trail mix in your purse is perfect for a quick pick-me-up.  Check out my no-fail trail mix recipe for ideas on how to create a fun snack to have on hand.   

Trail Mix is a great snack when on the run! 

When you are on the run with errands or at work with little time to stop for lunch, a quick grab-and-go meal or snack is essential. 

By planning and having ready-made items ready to eat, you can decrease your chances of making impulse purchases.  

For many people, impulse purchases tend to cost more money. When purchases are driven more by hunger than a conscious decision to consider what would support your body in feeling better, the outcome may not always help you in the short-term and long-term goals.  

Having a convenient, easily transportable, ready-made snack is a great strategy to get some nutrients you feel great about in your body quickly. 

This trail mix recipe can save you money, support your nutrition goals, and remove extra decisions for you when your mind is not functioning optimally.  

Mix in a variety of nuts, seeds, and extra boosters for a fast crunch of nutrition in your trail mix. 

You can pack your trail mix with a variety of raw nuts and seeds, dried fruit, and added nutrient and flavor boosters like granola or chocolate.  

Trail mix snacks can be a perfect combination of sweet and savory for your cravings. 

Your taste buds like a variety of flavors, and this snack recipe can provide the perfect blend of sweet and savory.  

The nuts in the mix provide the savory component. Sweetness can come from dried fruit and even chocolate.  

With a touch of chocolate and dried fruit, you have the perfect combination of savory and sweet that is quite nourishing and tasty. But taste is not the only benefit, there are health benefits to the ingredients you choose. 

The health benefits of the ingredients in this trail mix recipe. 

By choosing a variety of ingredients in your recipe, you are adding nutrients that support your health and provide nutritional benefits.  

Nuts and seeds are full of nutrition. 

Bring together a combination of nuts, such as pistachios, pecans, walnuts, almonds, and cashews to add a variety of nutrients. Nuts and seeds have positive health benefits.  

Raw nuts are rich in heart-healthy fats, protein, fiber, and essential minerals like magnesium and zinc.  

And did I mention, they also provide sustained energy and support brain function?  

Chocolate can support your health. 

Dark chocolate, in particular, is rich in antioxidants and may have potential benefits for heart health and mood enhancement. 

Dried fruit adds nutritional benefits to your snack mix. 

The addition of dried fruit can bring a burst of fruity goodness to the mix. Dried fruit offers natural sweetness, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  

Cherries, in particular, are known for their antioxidant properties and potential anti-inflammatory benefits. Not only does dried fruit add to the nutritional benefits of this snack recipe, but it also adds great flavor support. 

Taste benefits of including chocolate and dried fruit in your trail mix recipe.  The inclusion of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips takes this trail mix to another level.  

I love adding this in because this really fits with my motto, which is

 “There’s always room for ice cream and chocolate!” 

When you have enjoyable ingredients with a perfect blend, you are more likely to choose this food over a candy bar or bag of chips when on the run.  

A bit of chocolate adds a touch of sweetness and a satisfying cocoa flavor that pairs beautifully with the crunch of the nuts and the chewiness of the dried fruit. 

Dried Fruit is a concentrated source of sweetness that adds great texture.  

When building a trail mix recipe, adding dried fruit not only helps the nutritional value but also adds sweetness. Providing a delightful contrast of flavor and texture with dried fruits is one way you are making your snack a pleasurable experience. 

You can choose the ingredients that you love. Cater to your unique taste buds with this Anatomy of a Trail mix recipe template. 

Extra enhancements can add more flavor and nutritional value to your snack. 

You can add many different ingredients that enhance your mix. Granola is a way to add more whole grains and fiber, along with some extra texture. 

One of my favorites to add is coconut.  This coconut addition adds both flavor and texture. 

A few other ideas to add could be pretzels, wasabi peas, or even toasted garbanzo beans. By using the trail mix recipe, you have the basic template. Make your trail mix recipe work for your nutrition goals and flavor preferences. 

Anatomy of Trail Mix Recipe 

Follow this simple Anatomy of Trail Mix recipe as a template to create your own Trail Mix Recipe version!  

By having a quick and easy recipe you can follow that is customizable and includes nutrient-rich options, you have a plan you can follow that removes some of the decisions.  

Preparing snacks in advance that are convenient, flavorful, and easy to make and transport is one way to be ready when the cravings hit you.  

You may want more ideas on how to tackle your cravings.  Schedule a free discovery call with Kathryn to see how you can start nourishing your body in a way that feels right for you. 

If you want more recipe ideas that are fast and easy, try the Winning formula for a quick smoothie bowl recipe.  

When your snacking feels out of control, you might find the article “Why I can’t stop eating” helpful. 

The post Easy trail mix recipe for on go days to help curb cravings appeared first on Confidence in eating.

A lot of people are exploring intuitive eating as a way to stop dieting and binge eating. The hunger and fullness scale is one of the tools that we use all the time with clients that helps guide people when they are on the path to intuitive eating.

This article is an in-depth educational piece to help you understand what the hunger and fullness scale is and how it works and comes into play when someone is learning to practice intuitive eating.

What is the hunger fullness scale?

You don’t have to be tied to a measuring cup to determine how much food to eat.

Instead, there is a great tool called the hunger fullness scale that you can use which helps tell you when and how much to eat.

The hunger and fullness scale is a helpful tool to help guide you with intuitive eating and food decisions. This tool helps you identify your body’s need to nourish itself.

By paying attention to your body and where you are on the scale, you can identify hunger and fullness signals.

What does the hunger and fullness scale look like?

The hunger and fullness scale looks like a long-line spectrum scale that has a range of numbers from 1 to 10. There are associated cues that fall along a spectrum of the scale range.

Numbers along the scale equal levels of food in the body and how full or empty the levels of nutrients are in the body.

Think of the scale like a car gas tank indicator gauge. In the car, the gauge shows you where the gas level is in your car gas tank. There is a range between almost empty, full of gas, as well as many levels in between.

Likewise, your body can use the hunger fullness scale as a guide about when to stop and fuel your body with how much food.

A car gas tank shows you the levels of where the gas is and helps you make decisions about when you should stop for gas.

When you understand how the hunger fullness scale works, you can use the information you receive about the scale to help guide you with how much food to eat and when.

How does the hunger fullness scale work with intuitive eating?

Now that you understand what the hunger and fullness scale can do for you when intuitively eating, the real value comes from knowing how to use the scale. 

To use the scale, you first need to understand that the scale is a continuum. For some people, there are large fluctuations in how they feel food hunger and fullness signals in their body. 

Most people recognize being famished and “starving,” as well as being stuffed full. Eating on the far ends of the scale does not feel good. The challenge is that many people do not recognize the levels in the middle of the scale. 

To become more comfortable with using the scale and recognizing all levels, you first want to take time to feel your body at various levels of hunger. This means you may need to eat more regularly or a smaller portion of food to feel cues. Many people identify this spot in between being stuffed full and hungry but satisfied, as no longer physically hungry. 

Exploring the middle of hunger and fullness scale cues

Using the middle point on the scale of no longer physically hungry to make decisions about eating helps people feel more satisfied and comfortable in their bodies. By eating until satisfied, your body and mind can carry on with the daily tasks. These tasks are items like folding laundry, bending over to help the grandkids (without feeling like the food will come up), concentrating on building a complex project timeline, or enjoying a game of pickleball. 

When using hunger and fullness signals, you are looking internally for your signals. If you want to use the hunger and fullness scale, you need to create an environment conducive to recognizing cues. 

How to identify hunger and fullness cues when eating.

To identify your hunger and fullness cues, start by slowing down. Look at your pace of eating and for cues when you are eating food.

When you take time to slow down you can improve your connection with your body’s eating signals and what your body is feeling. Some signals tell you your body is getting what you need from food if you pay attention. Other signs tell you that you have consumed too much food to be comfortable.

Understanding the range of hunger and fullness signals with intuitive eating

There is a continuum of stronger and weaker signals the body gives about eating and when to stop.

These strong signals give clear cues when we pay attention AND respond in a manner that feels right. You also have gentler, less prominent signals from the body about when to start thinking about food.

But when you are using the hunger and fullness signals, you can use the cues to guide you on when to start making food decisions.

Where to start when Identifying hunger and fullness signals.

When looking at identifying body cues, consider the far ends of the scale are easier to identify. For instance, you may notice a heavy sensation in the body, like you can feel food inside the body.

This full sign is typically easy to recognize after you have consumed so much food that you are uncomfortably full. Because when you eat “too much,” you often do not feel well.

In order to get more comfortable with the middle ranges of food, start checking in with your body cues while you are eating. Catch yourself before you feel the overfull sensation in your body. Notice how much better that feels in your body.

Then, after experiencing feeling better by not overfilling your stomach, you may start to recognize some subtle cues alerting you that you are starting to get enough food.

This sweet spot of stopping the consumption of food at the right level provides more confidence. With improved confidence comes success with eating the right amount of food for you, along with feeling better physically.

Your ability to function well with your daily tasks happens more easily when you are properly nourished. An added benefit is you also have fewer gastrointestinal problems like indigestion. When you have just the right amount of food, you can turn your focus on other enjoyable activities of life without feeling bloated, heavy, or like food is stuck in your chest.

How to identify when you are hungry throughout the day.

Start by watching for the body’s signals. Every person has clues that the body gives that tell you what the body needs.

While you may not feel you can recognize your hunger and fullness unless they are at the far ends, this is because you have not placed focused attention on the cues needed to check in with your body and ask yourself how you feel. An easy way to get into his practice is to set a timer several times during the day.

When the timer goes off, stop what you are doing for a quick break. Take a couple of breaths and ask yourself if you feel comfortable or uncomfortable.

If you are uncomfortable, move on to assessing what the body is telling you. For instance, Is your stomach growling? See if you notice that you have been having a decreased concentration with what you had just been working on.

These subtle clues can be your body telling you something about what your body needs.

One way to identify the signals is to connect the numbers from 1-10 with how the body feels. When you are on the low end of the scale, there are typically signs the body shows hunger and the need for food.

What do your cues indicate about where you are with hunger and fullness.

Knowing how to identify when you are hungry is helpful but even more important is paying attention to the signals.

How do you physically feel when you are full and have eaten too much?

When eating too much and being at the top end of the scale, you feel full and like you have eaten too much food. Common descriptions used at this stage of eating include words such as bloated, stuffed, tired, and uncomfortable.

The physical signals identifying how a person feels often are described as tightness in the stomach, abdominal distention, or a bloated belly. Sometimes food feels like it’s stuck in the chest or throat.

Another common description is a concern of bending over for fear that food will come up into the throat.

Understanding the range of hunger fullness signals, even if you do not get cues.

By understanding the range of hunger and fullness signals, you can still identify your signals, even if you do not get the cues now.

So many people have been taught to disconnect from the range of hunger signals in their bodies.

Take for instance dieting. When following a fad diet, you often villainize certain foods and restrict the amount.  Often what happens is you limit food amounts or even types. You try to override the hunger signals by distraction techniques.

But you know what happens when you are told you cannot have something you enjoy.

Deprivation creates a desire for food even more

When you are told or feel you can not have a food you enjoy, there is a shift in your desires. You hyperfocus on that food and often want the food even more. When you eventually allow yourself the food, you may end up binge eating. Many describe these episodes as unable to satisfy their hunger.

Your body can return to hunger and fullness cues when working with intuitive eating.

Keep in mind, that your cues for hunger and fullness could be mixed up with other body self-care cues. If there is no biological hunger, then start exploring. Consider if there is an emotional desire to eat food or use food for any other need.

As an example, there could be something the body is missing, like social connections that the body is “hungry” for. Here is an example of how important directing your perceived hunger to another activity that would meet that need is the better approach.

Why does eating according to hunger and fullness help? With clear signs about when to eat, you feel more confident about your food decisions.

When you eat an appropriate amount of food for your specific body, you can feel more comfortable in your body. By listening to your body signals, you are more easily able to stop eating before you have had too much food. 

Identifying your body’s clues to look for food to eat.

Your body gives clues throughout the day about when and what it needs to fuel the body and feel better. When you take the time to look for your signals throughout your days and nights, you will more easily be able to find the clues.

Many clients easily identify when they are at the far end of the spectrum on both sides. The challenging area clients struggle with is the in-between. When identifying if food is what the body needs, you want to check internally with the body. Start by taking a breather from whatever you are doing and do a quick body scan.

Pay attention to physical and mental hunger cues

You are scanning the body, paying attention to how your body and mind feel physically and mentally. To put this idea another way, you want to decipher the cues. Unravel these cues between when you need food versus some other kind of self-care need, such as sleep.

For instance, you might feel lightheaded, faint, have a hard time thinking clearly, and often feel sick to your stomach. These uncomfortable feelings may be clues you need to eat food.

Since cues of physical hunger are not the only reason people eat, maybe you are emotionally eating. If you feel like your struggle is emotional eating, you might find this article, 3 steps that lead to emotional eating, helpful.

Pitfalls of ignoring signals when you don’t pay attention.

When you eat past your satisfied feeling for most meals, you are eating past what your body needs to sustain. Continuing this pattern can negatively impact some health indicators such as cholesterol and may lead to weight gain.

While eating more food on one day and less on another is common, the pattern of always eating until stuffed is not balanced. When you don’t get enough food, this empty feeling leads to decreased functioning in general and can make you feel sick. Not to mention how being so hungry impacts your food decisions. 

I mean, when you are starving, you are not looking to have a balanced meal, right? You are usually looking to get some kind of food fast, and a choice you know you will enjoy.

Identifying your hunger range early enough

By identifying the various levels of hunger and fullness before you are “too hungry to make a rational decision (i.e. starved)” you are better equipped to notice and connect with more subtle cues.

One additional problem with this form of eating is that you typically eat fast at this level of hunger and find it challenging to pay attention to your cues of satiety.

There is so much tied into the emotions of food deprivation, which leads to a rebound of overeating. This feeling may lead you to wonder Why I can’t stop eating.

A pattern of not eating enough followed by “overeating” to the point of discomfort often starts with rules. External rules that tell you what and when to eat are not reliable. Not eating enough is a form of food restriction. Food deprivation is seen from any cycle of dieting, food insecurity, medical illness impacting food intake, or even dental issues.

Connecting with what your body cues mean about eating.

So many of my clients discover when they connect to their body cues about food, they find interesting and helpful self-care information. Learning to identify and respond to “a little bit” hungry level before you are starving has some advantages.

A few advantages include being able to make more rational decisions about what would nourish the body and how much energy is needed in just the right amount.

This “just the right amount of food” is the satisfaction point that leaves you with no physical hunger feelings. This is a good spot that allows you to carry on with your day. Shoot, maybe you could even take a nice walk.

Cues you might be getting close to no longer physically hungry:

• slowing down the pace of eating
• lack of physical hunger cues
• pressure in your throat
• distention in your stomach
• lack of enjoyment of a meal
• feeling of satisfaction
• increased ability to focus on a task

By being more comfortable connecting with your body’s cues about eating, you are less likely to confuse other body signals with the need to eat more food.

For instance, many discover that they are not as hungry at night. Instead, what they find is that they do not enjoy the bag of chips as much as the satisfaction of going to bed earlier.

How does responding to your cues help you?

Connecting with the cues, and accurately responding to the body with the right cue and action means you feel better. When you feel better physically and emotionally, you are working to get your needs met.

Each time you stop and assess what your body cues are telling you, you build more confidence. As a result, you improve your ability to perceive what your body is telling you and respond in a manner that feels right for you.

This is helpful because when you feel more confident in identifying your hunger and fullness cues, you will find eating all foods without dieting rules easier. What this means is you will feel less driven to make decisions based on what diet culture would say and more able to make choices based on what feels right in your body. Not to mention you can eat more foods you enjoy.

This is how you can live by my motto, which is

“There’s always room for ice cream and chocolate!”

Putting the hunger and fullness scale into your intuitive eating practice

Recognizing your hunger fullness cues is a process that moves along a continuum for many people. I know you can eat according to hunger and fullness. You used your body cues when you were a baby, and you can return to this same practice.

Some people find working with an expert like me more comforting. When you have someone to help you decipher your cues and shine the light on areas that are not as easily identifiable.

When there are no diet rules to follow or a convenient “good” food or “bad” food list to refer to, you find yourself second-guessing. That’s where we partner together to find a plan that works for you.

If you want more support with learning to eat according to the hunger and fullness scale, that’s what we do in the Platinum Program. One-on-one support so you can succeed.

Let me help you get where you want. Book a call so you can talk to me about your best next steps.

Eat smarter, not harder. Embrace intuitive eating via the hunger fullness scale.

Additional articles you may find helpful.

• Why I Can’t Stop Eating
• What is Intuitive Eating

The post What is the Hunger Fullness Scale appeared first on Confidence in eating.

You may wonder how to decrease your emotional eating on a daily basis.  Feeling out of control around food and like you cannot ever get enough is overwhelming.

Perhaps you identify with the food never really satisfying you.  Even though you are physically full, you just keep wanting more. Day after day the cycle repeats (for more on the cycle see [Why I can’t stop eating])

Saying you will not emotionally eat is not realistic.  Creating a realistic plan to avoid emotional eating can help decrease the anxiety connected with your eating episodes. 

When I work with clients to help them address their emotional eating, we typically follow these 7 steps below to help them minimize their emotional eating.

Here are the 7 Steps to help decrease your level of emotional eating.

1.  Determine what void your emotional eating is trying to fill

Emotionally eating to fill a void is usually about something missing in your life. So the answer to resolving the challenge of emotional eating is to develop a plan to address what is missing. 

A few of the common themes that are a struggle include lack of planning around snacks and meals, not enough sleep, lack of support, and missing creative or social enrichment time. By creating time in your life to address these important practices, you are taking the first steps to achieve your desired outcome.

2. Develop a plan that gets at the source of your emotional eating struggle

The benefit of setting a realistic plan is that you are being practical with your expectations. Instead of trying to avoid emotional eating altogether, try a goal of decreasing how often.

3. Snack and meal planning  decrease emotional eating

When you snack and meal plan, you have more successful outcomes with your food selections. Fueling your body with some advanced planning of snacks and meals helps to minimize the last-minute scramble. 

When you are really hungry and stressed,  you are more challenged with making decisions that feel good for you.

Planning for success is setting your intentions for what you want in your daily life.

• Plan meals and snacks in advance to have easily prepared food items close and on hand. By planning out your food options for meals and snacks, the advanced thought decreases your chances of just grabbing any old food available.
• Typically advanced planning provides more variety and balanced food selections. By having more balanced options, you will be more satisfied with your foods, which helps to decrease the biological hunger drive to get more food.    
• Determining what times of the day, week, and year lead to more stressful feelings creates awareness. By being aware of the more challenging times, you can have food items and simplified practices planned in advance to help navigate with more success.

Determining what times of the day, week, and year lead to more stressful feelings creates awareness.

By being aware of the more challenging times, you can have food items and simplified practices planned in advance to help navigate with more success.

4.     Prioritize sleep to decrease emotional eating

Missing sleep is a recipe for struggling with emotional eating.  Feeling rested helps to ensure your body and mind have time to replenish energy stores.  The energized and refreshed body decreases your chances of grabbing food to meet your need for energy.

Besides, most of your emotional eating is at night. What do you think would happen if you went to bed instead of sitting on the couch with a bag of chips and dip? Work on obtaining the proper amount of sleep for you.

Getting more rest provides your body and mind with time to repair and unwind. Then you are able to connect more with family and friends.

5. Utilize support from family and friends  

A realistic plan is one that supports you for the long haul. Nobody can navigate life by themselves without any support.  Part of the struggle with emotional eating is due to being lonely and feeling isolated.

Do not be afraid to reach out to a loved one to help you when need an errand run, help with a chore or even just to listen to you while you vent.

If you feel you do not have supportive family or friends, make a goal to develop some new connections.  Remember, not feeling you have the support of others is one reason you may struggle with emotional eating. You can put a plan in action to optimize support and address emotional eating at the same time.

6.  Create more opportunities to enrich your creative side and social connections

Many of my clients are missing enriching activities that engage the social and creative areas of their lives.

All work and no play do NOT keep the doctor away.

Try new hobbies to find healthy ways to fill the void.  Make sure to plan activities that give you joy and enrichment such as a gentle yoga class, painting, attending a movie, or even visiting a museum.

7. Obtain professional help for optimal support with emotional eating

Many people struggle in silence with emotional eating due to feelings of guilt and shame. Professionals are skilled at helping you identify patterns you may not be able to see and solutions to address the challenge.

There are many support professionals, including dietitians who specialize in emotional eating, like me, who can help guide you on your path to feeling comfortable with your eating and emotions.

By building your skills and working with a professional with expertise in the area, you can make changes faster than trying to navigate the journey on your own.  Utilizing support and building skills helps you develop self-care skills that will serve you for a long time.

How do you put this all together?

Start working on developing your realistic plan by targeting 1 or 2 strategies above for a few months.  As you feel more comfortable, add another item to your practice.

Finding a realistic plan to stop emotional eating is about working on addressing what may be missing in your life.

So the next time you find yourself grabbing your bowl of ice cream, take a moment to ask yourself if you are living a life with a realistic approach.  A life that takes a practical approach to emotional eating by doing a little bit of planning, working on support, and tending to your self-care needs.

Maybe you prefer to have an expert working with you to navigate your emotional eating and find solutions that work for you.  Schedule a discovery call 

• Additional articles you may find helpful
  •  “5 Tips to Help You Stop Emotional Eating to Fill a Void “
  • “3-Step Plan Instead of Emotional Eating”
  • “3 Factors that lead to emotional eating”
  • “Why I can’t stop eating”
  • “What is the difference between binge eating and Binge Eating Disorder”

The post 7 Steps to decrease your emotional eating appeared first on Confidence in eating.

 “Losing weight does not give you good body image” – Kathryn

There are far too many factors influencing your body image, for more, read the article “Factors impacting body image.”

Feeling better in your body is accessible to anyone, regardless of your size and stage of life. I want to help you feel better about yourself. There are 10 ways that you can try to factor into your life that will help you do that very thing.

Here is a list of 10 ways to improve your body image.

10 ways to improve body image.

1.  Stop comparing yourself to others!

What is the purpose of comparing yourself to others in the first place? Comparison critiques your body against others, and no one wins here. This approach just reinforces the values that how a person looks is most important.

Besides, when you are comparing yourself to photoshopped images of models and celebrities, you are comparing yourself to an image that is not even the real person in the first place!!!!

Instead of appreciating the unique aspects of life we all bring, comparisons create judgments.

Appreciate the diversity inherent in body sizes. Everyone is unique in their own ways and thank goodness. Can you imagine how dull life would be if we were all the same?

Besides, your body appearance fluctuates based on the time of the month, day, and stage of life.

2.  Recognize bodies change over time.

There are various stages of life where our bodies change over time. Each stage has unique aspects that are key to helping you during that stage of life.

You may not always appreciate how your hips are larger than they were in high school. But in a few years, when you fall off a chair onto your hip, that extra cushion may just keep you from breaking a bone.

Sadly, I hear people trying to get back to the size they were in high school. This goal is not healthy for most people and news flash, you were a KID in high school! Perhaps you just want to go back to when you did not have all the extra stress, like paying bills, taxes, and cleaning your house!

 
3.    Find ways to move your body.

Bodies are meant to be in motion. This is not about burning calories or achieving a number on the scale. By moving your body in a way that feels good for you, you can enjoy the benefits of physical movement.

When you have stiff muscles, you do not feel very good in your body. When your body does not feel good, you have more frustration with your body.

Not only does being active help you to feel better about your body, but you experience the added benefit of reducing stress, as well as increasing your stamina, flexibility, and strength.

4.    View content that is supportive for a better body image

Consider what your social media feed looks like and how the content you view impacts how you feel about your body. When scrolling on social media, you see accounts you have liked and content the algorithms think you want to see.

What you see influences how you feel about yourself. If you are constantly exposing your eyes and mind to diet culture messages that are punitive, no wonder you do not feel good about your body.

These messages keep the focus away from the values that really matter to you and instead put messages into your mind from targeted ads. You know, the ones that want to sell you their miracle product or program.

The whole premise used in marketing these potions, pills, and programs is you could be better by changing what you have on the outside. When you see people talking about drastic changes like before and after images, your mind starts telling you that maybe that will help you feel better.

Deep down you know you are not getting the entire picture. You do not hear what a person has gone through to make changes and how miserable they are, or what happens after they stop using the miracle pill. Better yet, what about all the side effects that are underreported?

Instead, focus on the diversity in all bodies doing wonderful things. I love to watch shows and see my social media scroll with people of all sizes, shapes, backgrounds, and colors completing activities they enjoy.

Curate content so you see people appreciating what their bodies do for them and living life with the values that are important to them..

5.    Do something for yourself every day that makes you feel good.

Doing something for yourself is self-care.  People feel better about themselves when they are taking care of themselves. If you are on the hamster wheel of life and always on the go, with little time for yourself, the lack of time for yourself impacts how you feel.

That is right, your poor body image could be because you are not taking time to do something enjoyable in your body.

Take time to nourish your body, mind, and soul.

Self-care ideas you can do for yourself include:

• taking a bath
• Reading a few pages in a book
• spending time on a craft
• learning a new skill
• visiting a friend
• spending time outside in nature
• get a manicure
• calling a family member
• cooking a new recipe
• Practicing mindful breathing
• volunteering to help others
• Spending time reading the bible

Doing something for yourself daily helps to remove yourself from stress, which is felt in your body. By taking your mind off stress and performing enriching activities, your body feels better.

6.    Focus on your positive qualities.

 Instead of focusing on the imperfections you see with your body, focus on positive qualities about yourself.

Start by considering special non-physical qualities about yourself. Try writing down qualities you like about yourself that are both physical and non-physical. Examples could include qualities like being kindhearted, energetic, intuitive, or patient.

 Your body is the house your soul lives in and allows you to connect with others. A connection can come in a physical way, like a hug from a special loved one. Consider what life was like during COVID when we were not allowed to physically connect and hug those we cared about.

You can also combat negative body comments with what your body allows you to do in life. Your body has enabled you to achieve many things in your life that are worthy.

Worthy accomplishments could be things like:

• ·         Carrying around grandkids
• ·         Keeping up with your staff at team-building events
• ·         Starting your own business
• ·         Participating in active vacations
• ·         Yard work and gardening
• ·         Growing a baby
• ·         Teaching classes to children all day long

By appreciating positive qualities about yourself, you feel better about yourself and improve your body image.

7.    Wear clothes that feel good.

Clothes that are comfortable help you feel good physically, which helps to improve your body image. Find clothes that work with your body, not against it. Wearing clothes that are too tight or even too baggy is just not comfortable.

And get rid of those old “skinny” clothes you wore years ago. Seeing a constant reminder in your closet of the size you were in college, or high school is not helpful.

Find clothes that feel good on your current body now. Replace those frumpy, baggy, plain clothes with a few power outfits that make you feel good.

8.    Identify and change self-talk patterns.

Identify critical self-talk patterns that you make about yourself. When you are constantly hearing negative thoughts, this impacts how you feel. Studies show that negative self-talk patterns are associated with anxiety, stress, and self-criticism.

Consider that your thoughts about changing your body may come from a need to try and control something in your life. There could be other areas in your life that feel out of control, so focusing on changing your body seems like something you can control (but doesn’t really work).

Some of those negative self-talk messages could come from messages you heard growing up. Instead of repeating critical messages, you may have heard at one time, work on reframing the narrative about the amazing things your body does for you.

By stopping and reframing negative self-talk about your body, you can build a more resilient and confident sense of self.

Change can be difficult at times and that is why you will need a support system in your corner.

9. Surround yourself with people who support you.

You know what the experience is like when you are around someone who is constantly negative. You begin to experience more negativity yourself. This negativity makes your body image worse.

By surrounding yourself with people who support you, you experience more comfort and confidence and can improve your body image.. These are the people you know you can depend on at any time of need. You know, the kind of people who are brave enough to speak up when they notice you are bashing your body. 

When you are around people with shared values and experiences, you have cheerleaders when you are down. People who are more positive about their bodies and able to see the distorted lens that so much of society is wrapped up in can be supportive of you.

If you do not feel like you have people like this in your corner, you can start by building a community. This is one of the benefits participants in the Tuning-in program report they enjoy.

Change is hard and will be even harder when you do not have a community of like-minded people supporting you. Living in this diet culture means you are constantly fighting messaging that is superficial and not in line with your values.

Nurturing environments will validate your feelings and identify inaccurate thought patterns. By refocusing your attention on helpful practices that build your body image, you will feel better and more comfortable in your body so you can start living that life you desire for yourself.

10. Work with a professional you feel comfortable with to help improve your body image.

When trying to balance reducing your risk for or managing health problems while finding what feels right for your body, it may feel overwhelming. 

Working with a non-judgmental professional who understands your challenges and can help support you along your journey is key.  You can feel better in your body and reduce problems with your health at the same time.

By finding a non-diet dietitian, like me, you can find a way to explore your personal nutrition challenges and explore what feels right for you.

If you would like to find out more about how I can help support you with having a better body image, let’s talk on a free discovery call.

Your next steps

Work towards accepting yourself as you are now. Working on your body image means working more on your own thoughts, feelings, and stories about your body that will change at times.

Remember that how you feel about your body is not about your outward appearance but more about your internal dialogue and self-care.  

If you would like to find out more about how I can help support you with having a better body image, let’s talk on a free discovery call.

Additional helpful resource:

• What is body image?

The post 10 tips to improve body image and start feeling good about yourself. appeared first on Confidence in eating.

And I want to help you reframe your food thinking.

You would not believe how many people say to me, “You wouldn’t eat “bad” food.s” They always add on, well you know what to eat so you are always eating well.

Spoiler alert, I love food so much, I had to get a degree in it! In other words, I love ALL foods, even those that may be considered by some as “bad” or “good.” People often ask what kinds of foods I keep in my house.

As if just being a dietitian means I love to eat ONLY fruits, vegetables, and “healthy” food. Yes, there are fruits, vegetables, dairy, and eggs in my kitchen., In addition, you will find pizza, ice cream, chips, cookies, and candy stocked at my house at all times also.

The surprise on people’s faces, when they hear I eat ALL foods, says it all to me.

Not only do I want to help you understand why ” There’s no such thing as good food or bad food.”, but also how to reframe your food talk.

Why are there no bad foods.

There really are no bad foods, unless, of course, the food has gone rancid.

That’s right, you do not have to apologize for what you eat. While foods you consume at times may not be what you think of as having tons of nutrients, the food still provides fuel for your body.

Likewise, there is a reason you ate that food in the first place, whether that’s due to emotions, convenience, habits, or another reason.

Why there are no good foods.

Many people think foods that are commonly considered healthy are “good” food. Eating “healthy” food does not save you from ever having health problems. One food does not give tons of benefits by itself.

Food is just not that magical. As if eating one particular food or type of food would miraculously do something magical for you, just because you ate that food!

Trends and patterns over time, along with many other factors like sleep, movement, stress, genetics, etc. dictate your health.

All food has nutritional value.

All foods provide energy to fuel your body in some form, as well as varying amounts of vitamins and minerals. But the nutritional value of food is only one of the key reasons people eat food.

This is because food serves many purposes to the body.

Foods with fewer nutrients still have value.

If you listen to fad diet gurus, you may hear messages to stay away from foods with fewer nutrients. Every food has nutritional benefits in some sort of form.

Yes, there are foods that have more nutrients than others. But the fact that the food has more nutrients does not mean you need to eat that food over other foods.

How all foods fit into a healthy diet.

One way to think about how all foods fit into a healthy diet is to think about foods like the letters of the alphabet. All letters have value and are used in multiple different combinations to make words, sentences, paragraphs, and so on. There are short words and long words, words with more vowels, and other words that have fewer.

Food is the same way. All foods can be used to make snacks, meals, menus, and meal plans. Some foods are used in smaller combinations and others are combined with other foods in a variety of other combinations.

Just as you need a certain number of vowels to make a word. You also need a certain number of specific types of foods to serve a purpose, whether this use is to add flavor, enhance texture, or nutrient delivery.

This brings us back to a reminder that there is little value in one food, the totality of patterns is what is most relevant.

Food is meant to be eaten combined, not just one food by itself. This is because no one food has all the nutrients in it.

Sure, if we eat foods that have small amounts of vitamins and minerals, often, in large amounts, at the expense of getting other more nutrient-rich foods, there could be a problem, in the long term.

But the problem is not the food!

The problem is more from the “large amounts, at the expense of getting other nutrients!” Besides, labeling and thinking about food in a moral way just makes you feel bad about your food.

Labeling food creates confusion about the value of food.

Food is not moral. The problem with food choices is more about how much is consumed, how often, and the extent to which you do not get other foods and nutrients, that’s the real problem.

When you label foods good or bad or even “‘healthy” you create a moral judgment about food that just should not be there. I know you have gone on some kind of diet or approach saying you are going to eat healthier. But what does that really mean?

This diet plan could mean you are not going to have the foods that you enjoy for a little bit, the ones you consider more as a “treat.” Typically this goes well for the first few weeks until you run into some situations that bring back that moral judgment you start doing.

Sometimes moral food judgment comes in when you:  

• Have a holiday.
• Experience a major life-stress event.
• Cannot follow your plan perfectly (You know, the screw-it, thinking)
• Don’t want to or can’t afford to spend money on special foods or products.
• Reach your goal and then slowly creep back into the way you were eating.

The way that you can help yourself when it comes to realizing that there are no good foods or bad foods is by starting to think about food the way dietitians do.

All foods fit!

You need to begin reframing how you think about food. I’ve got 7 tips you can use that can help with reframing how you think about food.

7 tips for reframing your food thoughts.

1. Each time you catch yourself labeling a food. Reframe and remove the judgment label.
2. Ask for support from those around you to call attention to when you label food and help you to change your words.
3. Say this affirmation daily “I am changing the way that I think about food. Food is neither good nor bad, it is just food.”
4. If you are trying to say, I had a “healthy” meal,  just say, I had a meal.
5. Take the morality out of food, and just say food.
6. If you are trying to say, I went to XYZ spot and had “bad” food. Change the sentence to I went to XYZ spot and had food.
7. Use these words. My dietitian says, “There’s Always Room for Ice Cream and Chocolate!”

You don’t have to eat “healthy” food.

You may feel you are not eating enough nutrient-rich foods; feel you should eat better and must change.

Just eat food, a variety of food. You do not have to label the food healthy, good, or bad. The food is just food.

The labels of the food can play with your mind and give more power to food than it actually has. Choose food with color, prepared in different forms, from all food groups. You do not have to call food good, bad, or even healthy!

If you are struggling with how to find a balance of foods that is right for you and that you enjoy, schedule a discovery call with me to find out how we can support your goals.

The post The dietitian’s take on eating “bad” foods appeared first on Confidence in eating.

Try this fun formula to satisfy an easy meal If you’re a smoothie lover, you have to try these smoothie bowl recipes at home! They are so yummy (and way more affordable than store-bought!)

Try out this no-fail formula for a fast smoothie bowl recipe:

 Liquid base:

Choose one (or a combination) of milk, milk alternative, or coconut water.

Adding some yogurt, either conventional or plant-based, can add some tartness

 Frozen fruit of your choice:

Ensure that the fruit of your choice is frozen to get that thick consistency. Using an ice-cold smoothie bowl helps to keep the consistency. 

Since you are using frozen fruit,  you can stay away from using ice (which tends to water it down).

We love frozen acai pulp, mangos, blueberries, strawberries, and frozen avocado for added creaminess.

 Boosters:

 Pump up the nutrition with add-ins like seeds, nuts, greens, protein powder, or chia seeds.

Toppings for added wow to your smoothie bowl recipe

Top your smoothie in a bowl with something crunchy. A few favorites include a bit of fresh fruit, sliced almonds, granola, or a drizzle of your favorite nut butter.

Just like that, you have a nutritionally balanced – protein fiber fat – and fun snack or mini-meal! This smoothie bowl will keep your bellies satisfied and your body energized until that next meal or snack.

Do you find yourself struggling to make meals and snacks that will fuel your body throughout the day? There can be a lot of roadblocks hindering that from happening, and they are not always food-related.

If you would like support, book a free 20-minute discovery call today. I am here to help. Let’s talk about how to make a nutrition plan that works for you in overcoming the struggles of time and knowing what to eat.

You can easily add the ingredients to your nutrition routine or start using a meal plan. For more ideas on creating a realistic meal approach that helps you with nutrition see:

• Top 5 Benefits of Meal Planning
• How to plan meals for a week using a meal pattern

The post Winning formula for a smoothie bowl recipe appeared first on Confidence in eating.

Whether you are what you consider “over” weight, “under” weight, or “normal”- whatever that is, you struggle from time to time with body image.

Think about it.  You’ve likely been on a diet and said when you get to this goal, then you will feel comfortable in your body. So many people think when they lose weight, they will feel better about themself. I hear these comments all too often.

After I lose weight my body image will improve.  When I…..

• lose x amount of weight
• get to my goal weight
• get to X size of clothes

….then I will be happy and feel better about myself. But then you got there and say, well, just another 5 pounds. The problem with this way of thinking is that you are forever going to be let down.

Most people still don’t feel good about their bodies after weight is lost.

 This is because body image is not about how you look.

While you may think that the emotions you experience inside your body are about your weight, this is not an accurate way of thinking.

Body image is complicated with many factors contributing to how you feel.

You were raised in a diet culture, the thin-ideal society that tries to simplify things down to you are not good enough the way you are, and you need to change your appearance to feel better.

By exploring what body image is, you will see that there is much more related to your appearance than what meets the eye.

Let’s talk about understanding body image today.

Living in a diet culture with all the messages you hear about being “healthy” gets confusing when it comes to understanding body image. Diet culture is the culture we live in that provides a message that only healthy foods are good, exercise is for changing your body size, and thin bodies are healthy bodies. None of these messages are accurate, yet there is a huge industry that profits off these “not good enough” messages.

For most of the clients coming to me for the Platinum Program, when they think about their bodies, they experience an uncomfortable feeling and begin to think negative thoughts.

They focus too much on the perceived imperfections. Instead of praising all the things their body has done for them, they tell themselves they need to change how they look so they will feel better. This view of themselves and the need to change makes them feel negative about their body.

Having negative thoughts about your body is no surprise when you are living in a society that is constantly focusing on appearance.

Here are 6 areas to understand what body image is and is not.

1. Marketing messages impact how you feel about your body.

Marketing messages are everywhere saying you can be better by buying a product or program. This “not good enough as you are now” message is the cornerstone for so many products and selling tactics out there. By selling the false belief of how life can change after using whatever magic product they are selling, not only do you not feel good, but you see a need to buy another product.

You are constantly being subjected to the “not good enough” message. These messages are enticing and so believable. By shifting your focus and thoughts, you can improve your body image by following the 7 tips to improve body image.”

Because diet culture thrives on people thinking they need to lose weight, there is no surprise that when you feel not good enough, your thoughts are associated with your appearance. You tell yourself you will feel better if you just lose weight or look better.

Let’s explore how your thoughts about your body contribute to how you feel about your body.

2. Body image is what you think about your body.

How YOU think about your body is a contributor to your body image.

Did you notice that there is nothing about your weight here? So many think that with different body weights, they will have a better body image.

You may look in the mirror from time to time and realize you don’t look as young or slim as you used to be. Guess what, none of us are as slim as we were in high school, because we were kids then!

Your body changes over time, and this is meant to happen.

Instead of being the most judgmental person about your own body, try to appreciate all your body does for you.

Did you know that appreciating your body starts with not being so critical about yourself?  You are the only one that sees your “less than your “ideal” body.”

That’s right those glaring wrinkles, body fat, and perceived imperfections you sometimes focus on are characteristics others don’t see the way you do.

3. Body image is not how others see your body.

Body image is also what you think that others see and think when looking at your body. While you may feel like others see your body the same way you view yourself, that is just not true.

Many people do not apply for a job because they fear being rejected based on how their body looks. First, you will never know unless you put yourself out there. Often the confidence, how you present yourself, and your personality are what draw people to you. That’s right, letting your personality shine and feeling confident may lead to job offers.

Do you judge people based on how they look? Why would you be any different? You are not that special! This judgment based on appearance problem is more about the stories you tell yourself about your own judgment and what you think others think of you.

I am willing to bet the stories you tell yourself about how your life will change when you achieve your “ideal” body seem so believable. 

4. Your stories about your body contribute to your body image

Over time you have created many stories about your life and how your body interacts with the world. You have many self-limiting beliefs because of experiences over time and how you made a story about your experience.

Instead of saying to yourself that the boy in high school you wanted to date was shallow and looking for a “trophy girlfriend” to make him feel better about himself, you told yourself he didn’t like you because you were fat.

You could have been telling yourself you did not get a job because of how you looked when the company had a more qualified candidate.

Besides, even if the reason you didn’t have a boyfriend or job was because of how you looked, would you really want a boyfriend or a job at a company that operated with such a superficial lens?

I bet not, yet this line of thinking is so prevalent.

I have heard it so many times. When I lose weight, I will…..

• attract a partner.
• have more energy.
• be happier.
• feel more comfortable in your skin. 
• be healthier.
• not get diabetes. 

You can experience a happier and healthier life and feel more comfortable in your skin without even changing how your body looks.

When living in a diet culture, blaming your body for your struggles with confidence, acceptance, and self-esteem is far easier than going to the root of what you are feeling. These struggles with body image are common and everyone has a bad body image day every now and then.

5. Everyone struggles in some form with their body image from time to time.

Everyone has days where they don’t feel as good as they would like to about their body. You don’t have to be a woman to struggle, this is not an identity-specific or even age-specific struggle.   

So many clients struggle with body image. Guess what? This is normal, expected, and a part of life. Some days you just don’t feel as good. In our society, we find this message far too easy to blame on how we look. Instead of the fact that we don’t feel 100% wonderful about ourselves all the time.

Perhaps the reason you feel bad about yourself is that you have not had the time to practice self-care activities.

These self-care activities could be activities like stress reduction, moving your body in an enjoyable manner, adequate sleep, or social connections.

This lack of self-care practices leads to feeling stressed. This does not mean that something is wrong with your body. By identifying what the challenge is, you don’t blame your body.

While you might not have the “ideal” body you dream of, you can still live your life and feel good, or at least learn to accept your body. You see when you practice self-care, you do feel better about your body. This is because you are taking care of yourself, not because you are changing your body.

This is true because your body image does not come from what you look like.

6. Your appearance is not what attracts people

Your appearance is not what attracts people to you or makes people want to spend time with you. Beauty comes from the inside and works its way out. Even though you may feel your body image would be better if you looked” better,” this just is not true.

There is nothing wrong with your body.

Your thoughts about your body are what create your body image. You can feel better about your body and live a healthier life, regardless of your weight, nutrition intake, or exercise program.

Think about what attracts you to others. I know you can think about an incredibly attractive person, by society’s standards, that has a very annoying personality. Are you still attracted to them, or do you have a tough time being around them because they are annoying?

You are attracted to people who radiate confidence, joy, and energy. Think about it, I am willing to bet you have lots of different body sizes of people you know that fit this description and that you love being around. You do not judge them for their body! And they don’t judge you for what your body looks like!

Your action steps

Body image is the feeling and thoughts you have when you look at yourself, compare your body to other people, or what you think other people think about your body.

You can better understand what body image is by looking at how life experiences and marketing messages impact your perception of your body.

You can start feeling better about your body now, regardless of what your body physically looks like.

By understanding why you think your appearance impacts your body image, you can stop blaming your body.

If you would like some help finding the right balance between improving your nutrition and feeling better about your body, let’s talk about your next steps on a quick call.

Would you like a quick way to impact how you feel in the next few minutes?  Try my Mindful breathing exercises that will help you with emotional eating and feeling better in your body.

The post What is body image appeared first on Confidence in eating.

You may have heard that there are bad foods to stay away from.

But this statement is just not true.

Foods often considered “bad” by some people are typically foods that are higher in calories or come in a package. But using a blanket statement about a food’s quality is a far too simple classification to use.

To understand good or bad food, let’s define what most people mean when they label food good or bad.

What is considered good or bad food?

Foods identified as good or bad are typically categorized based on the potential health benefits or perceived lack of healthful qualities.

Most people would agree that vegetables are considered “good” food. Yet a vegetable by itself is not necessarily good for everyone.

In addition, “bad” food is considered by some to be foods with higher calories, fat, or carb grams, come in packages or might have some level of processing. For example, many people believe ice cream, chips, and chocolate are bad. YIKES!

Would you really want to live without chocolate!?

Good news, you don’t have to, keep on reading and you will understand why.

Why is food classified as good or bad

Food is classified into categories in order to make general, simple recommendations on how to eat. But honestly, who really needs to know they should eat their fruits and vegetables? Most people know that fruits and vegetables have nutrients in them and there are other foods that do not have as many nutrient benefits.

There are far more factors to consider when determining if food is right for a person.

Common reasons food is labeled as good or bad

• Fad diet guidelines
• Media outlets summarizing news stories
• Supplement companies selling their products
• Salespeople selling books, food products, and programs
• A person struggling with an eating disorder justifying the food qualities
• General recommendations that simplify and summarize general overall dietary patterns

Believing that foods fall into good or bad food categories contributes to the misunderstanding of what balancing food intake looks like. Labelling just creates more confusion about what a person should eat, which is not helpful.

Common reasons the labeling of foods good and bad is not helpful.

Let’s look at some examples of how labeling food as good or bad is not helpful by starting with fad diet guidelines. These tend to overgeneralize and simplify this.

For example,  If you are following a keto diet, you hear recommendations to lower your grains, fruits, and many vegetables.

This guideline would mean “grains, fruits, and many vegetables” would be considered “bad.” This bad designation only falls under the labeling for how these foods fit under the keto guidelines. This labeling simplifies the fact that these foods have a lot of nutrients in them such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

How would eliminating foods with fiber, vitamins,  and minerals be a good thing for a person? Only under an overgeneralized approach would this even make sense.

Nutrition and health are complex subjects. Even a basic nutrition college course is a semester-long class that only scratches the surface of the basics of nutrition.

The problem with classifying foods as good or bad

When we classify foods as good or bad, it creates an inaccurate judgment system. People will use this system to evaluate how they are doing with their nutrition. The judgment of a person for the consumption of food and the qualities of that food can not be minimized to that food as being good or bad.

This judgment perspective says that if you eat more “good” foods and less “bad” foods, you are doing good. However, this narrow view of how a person is doing nutritionally misses the whole big picture that all foods combined over time create the reality of how a person is doing with meeting nutrition guidelines.

The number of bad foods does not determine the nutritional status

You cannot tell how a person is doing nutritionally just by the number of foods eaten in the “good” or “bad” category. For comparison, when I do a thorough assessment of my clients in the platinum program, the assessment takes about three hours to complete in order to get a good picture of how a person is doing nutritionally.

While the idea that meeting nutrition guidelines translates into improved health, this line of thinking also must consider multiple factors.

The key when considering how “good” and “bad” foods work for a person and how they are doing is to look at the time span.

After all, what matters most when it comes to nutrition, is the sum of the dietary patterns and choices with trends over time.

The challenge is that the food and nutrition picture is not so simple.

So, what is the impact of eating good or bad food

There is no big magical power that happens with eating one food or even several foods at one time.

Food is not moral, and you are not good or bad for eating food that falls into a particular category.

Even though you may hear people talk about being “good” or “bad” for eating certain foods, judging this way is not needed.

The feeling of accomplishment some people equate to eating foods that are “good” or “bad” just does not equate to as much as one might think. You know what I mean, while you may have been praised for eating all your peas and carrots as a kid, you don’t get any gratification like that as an adult. As if somehow eating your peas and carrots would make you a better person!

In the same manner, eating a cupcake does not make you a  bad person or mean you are bad. Likewise, eating a salad does not mean you are good.

Here’s the moral of the story about good food and bad food.

There is no such thing as good or bad food! Food is meant to help fuel your body as well as for you to enjoy.

If you feel like you have a love/hate relationship with food and wonder “Why I can’t stop eating”, the way you think about food may be the problem.

Remember, “chocolate fits in a “healthy meal” plan”.

If you would like some support with your nutrition approach and want to learn how you can eat all foods in a healthy nutrition plan, schedule a discovery call with me to find out how we can support your goals.

Discover if your binge eating is a concern by taking our free Binge Eating Quiz today and learn what your next steps are to feel more in control of your eating.

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