Balanced eating can seem like a very abstract concept – what does balance really mean and what does it look like when it comes to food?
While balance will be different for each of us at every meal, there is an important takeaway we need to understand about how to find and maintain balance, and that’s what I share in this video.
The spectrum of eating habits
Imagine a spectrum.
On one end of the spectrum, we have the holistic mentality of rigid diets, plans, and eating rules that seem restrictive and require you to regulate yourself. This is the place where you eat “super clean” and avoid all the “bad” foods.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is not paying attention to your nutritional needs.
Sometimes this can feel like eating what you want, whenever you want. This usually happens when someone believes that the best way to have balance is to never say no to foods that they previously labeled as “forbidden” or “bad.”
It may also seem like you’re not conscious of making sure you’re getting a balance of nutrients or you don’t feel confident knowing what your body needs for nutrition without the guidance of following a specific diet.
If you simply abandon diets but don’t learn to focus on your nutritional needs in a more sustainable and sustainable way, you will eventually not feel well, you may fall away from your well-nourished weight, or your physical health may suffer. And all of these things can lure you back into wanting to diet, which takes you back to the other end of the spectrum.
You need to nourish your body well to feel better and also to take care of your health and well-being.
Remember, nutrition is the catalyst for all areas of our health and is what allows us to enjoy and experience life. You deserve to find a way to nourish yourself that supports you without having to regulate or restrict yourself.
What a balanced diet looks like
What we are looking for is a middle ground: balance.
What some people think of when they hear middle ground is spending some time on one end of the spectrum and some time on the other end of the spectrum, oscillating between the two.
An example of what this might sound like is that you say you’ve been “good” all week, so now you’re going to eat whatever you want all weekend.
Or it could be the other way around, where you say you’ve been so “bad” all week, that next week you need to make up for what you ate and eat super clean.
But that’s not really balanced. That is a cycle between two extreme states.
Not only does that not support your well-being, but it also does not give you a sense of calm, peace and enjoyment with food that is so important.
Instead of swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other, what balance really looks like is being right in the middle of the spectrum with a little give and take on a daily basis.
This is where you are making very intentional decisions that allow you to nourish yourself well without having to restrict or regulate yourself, and also have the flexibility to enjoy the foods you like without ignoring your nutritional needs.
Balance takes many forms and can look different for every person, every day, at every meal!
This can be like enjoying a slice of pizza with salad.
It may seem like choosing to eat dessert one night because you really want it, you have your favorite dessert on hand, and you’ve given your body the nourishment it needs.
It may seem like choosing to make a more nutritious version of your favorite comfort food so you can incorporate more whole foods into your day while making it a really enjoyable meal.
The purpose of finding balance with your food choices is to raise awareness about what you want and need, and to make an intentional decision that helps you stay in the middle, no matter what that looks like.
This balance allows you to honor your wants and needs, build confidence in your ability to make the best decision for you, and experience much more calm and peace around food so that it is no longer a source of stress or something that worries your mental energy. .
How to find and maintain balance
To find this balance and stay in this happy medium instead of oscillating from one end of the spectrum to the other, we must form new, more supportive practices and mindsets that allow us to float in this middle, balanced state for the long term. term.
If you’re curious about what those practices are, sign up for our free workshop. In it, I share the three important pillars that you should focus on to regain balance in the way you eat. You’ll come away knowing what those pillars are and why they’re so important if you want to have this balance with your eating habits that gives you the flexibility you need to feel at peace and at ease with food for life.
