DISCLAIMER: This is in no way intended to be or should replace nutritional/medical help from a licensed professional. This is simply me sharing my opinion from my personal experiences and research.
"Food may be essential as fuel for the body, but good food is fuel for the soul." Malcom Forbes
I'm sure I don't need statistics to prove that the food we consume has an immense impact on the way we feel throughout our days, which eventually impacts our mental health. We've all skipped breakfast and arrived at work unfocused and hungry, literally one second away from yelling at everyone in the building. I'm sure you must have had a Zinger for lunch with a large soda and ended up feeling like Little Miss Piggy, just fat and oinky (yes, I just made up that word). If you've never looked at someone else in great shape or with a curvy figure and felt inferior because your body is not quite there yet, then you might just be very far removed from social media (not that there is anything wrong with that). You might even decide to restrict your diet to lose weight and hate every minute of it. We've all even felt a little sad or heartbroken and decided to fix our sorrows with a large serving of ice-cream all while thinking "Mi shame, shame a kill mi!" *loops sad music throughout the day*
The nourishment we receive from food for our bodies and minds all comes from our relationship with food, so how do we ensure we get the best from it ? Here are five tips to let food fuel your mind positively:
Tip One: Think of your body as a temple, and food as the building blocks of that temple. This has got to be one of the most corny sayings, but hear me out. As a temple, we're a prestige building, one that not only has high-level goals to achieve but also needs to enjoy the fruits of our templey (yup I'm making up a lot of words today) labors. Now, how can we do any of that if we’re feeling lethargic because we skipped breakfast, had a double whopper for lunch, had no water all day, and then sugary cereal for dinner?
No ma'am or sir! When we hold ourselves in high esteems, we have high expectations for ourselves and we’re more mindful of the things we put into our temples. Then, and only then, can we make the most of our days.
After all, a healthy body leads to a healthy mind!
Tip Two: The mind is a powerful thing. The thoughts we have around something impact the way we feel towards and interact with it. In order to ensure food fuels our bodies and minds positively, we must rephrase negative food talk and thoughts. When you think, "Oh I eat too much, no wonder I’m big and fat," these thoughts can lead to issues with body image and self-love. In comparison to when you think, "let me ensure my meals are balanced", which leads to mindful eating and a better relationship with food.
Tip Three: Consume all foods in moderation. Have you ever heard of the Restrict/Binge Cycle? That’s when we restrict ourselves to certain amounts of calories or food in order to control our body weight. This then leads to us having intense cravings and then feelings of guilt and shame when we give into these cravings by binging on what we’ve been missing. This then brings us back to the start of the cycle by starting or increasing our restrictions to make up for the binge we just had. Falling into this cycle can create a toxic relationship with food by simply going against what our body needs. Food from all food groups is necessary for our bodies' development once had in moderation. Even drinking too much water can lead to an illness called Odema. When we restrict ourselves and fall into a binge, we wrongfully tell our minds we’re weak and tell ourselves that due to that weakness we’ll never get to the place we desire. These thoughts due to our mismanagement of food consumption can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem when all we have to do is moderately intake all the foods we love and need to fuel our bodies and minds.
Tip Four: Tip 3 welcomes us into Tip 4, skip the weight loss fads and make a plan that works for you. Restriction is not the answer to weight and body image control. Neither is trying to maintain a one-size-fits-all dieting trend, because in reality, one-size-does not fit all. Studies have shown that having a long-term health plan can yield greater and longer-term results for our overall health and appearance than a quick restrictive diet. So do your research, speak to a nutritionist or trainer, find out what your body needs and give it just that. You’ll feel so much better about yourself when you’re actually able to achieve what you need by using food to your advantage.
Tip Five: Fifth, and most importantly, give yourself grace! Life is hard enough without having to fight against yourself ever time you have a snack or meal. We’re going to mess up sometimes or go against the plan, but as long as we don’t die, we have a chance to make up for it tomorrow.
Thanks for reading, you've reached the end of my Ted Talk! Do you have any tips for the gang? Leave a comment below!
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