A balanced diet may seem like a very abstract concept, but what does balance actually mean and what does it look like when it comes to food?
Everyone’s diet is balanced differently, but there’s one important thing to understand about finding and maintaining balance, and that’s what I’m going to share in this video.
diverse eating habits
Imagine a spectrum.
At the other end of the spectrum is an all-in mindset that feels restrictive and requires discipline, including strict diets, plans, and eating rules. This is the place to eat “super clean” and avoid all “bad” foods.
The other end of the spectrum is not paying attention to nutritional needs.
In some cases, this may look like eating whatever you want, whenever you want. This usually happens when someone believes that the best way to achieve balance is to never say no to foods that have been previously labeled “forbidden” or “bad.”
They also don’t seem to pay attention to ensuring a balance of nutrients or lack the confidence to know what they need to nourish their bodies without specific dietary guidance. Sometimes.
If you just stop eating and don’t also learn how to focus on your nutritional needs in a more supportive and sustainable way, you can end up feeling worse and moving away from a well-nourished weight. Your physical health may be compromised. And all of this can lead you back to wanting to diet, sending you back to the other end of the spectrum.
In order to stay in top condition and stay healthy, your body needs to be well-nourished.
Remember that nutrition is the catalyst for all areas of our health and it is what allows us to enjoy and experience life. You have the right to find ways to nourish yourself that support you without regulating or limiting you.
What does a balanced diet look like?
What we strive for is a happy middle ground, a balance.
When some people think of being a happy medium, they think of spending some time on one end of the spectrum, some time on the other end, and then going back and forth between the two.
An example of what this might sound like is saying all week, “I’ve been feeling good, so I’m going to eat whatever I want this weekend.”
Or you might go the other way and say you’ve been “sick” all week and need to make up for what you’ve eaten and eat super clean next week.
But it’s really unbalanced. It is a cycle between two extreme states.
Not only does it not support your health, it also does not give you the all-important comfort, peace, and enjoyment of eating.
Instead of swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other, real balance is like floating in the middle of the spectrum with a little bit of give and take each day.
Here we are making very intentional choices to ensure we are getting enough nutrition without having to limit or regulate ourselves, and we are also making the choices we want without having to limit or regulate ourselves and without neglecting our nutritional needs. It also gives you the flexibility to enjoy your food.
Balance comes in many forms and can look different from person to person, day to day, and meal to meal.
This might be like enjoying a slice of pizza with a side salad.
It might look like choosing to eat dessert one night because you really want to, you have your favorite dessert on hand, and it’s giving your body the nutrition it needs.
That may look like choosing to make more nutritious versions of your favorite comfort foods. That way you can sneak more whole foods into your day and make it a truly enjoyable meal at the same time.
The purpose of finding balance in your food choices is to be aware of what you want and need and to keep yourself happy, no matter what. It’s about making intentional choices that help.
This balance allows you to respect your own wants and needs and have confidence in your ability to make the choices that are best for you, making food less of a source of stress or something that takes up your mental energy. You will be able to experience peace with much greater ease.
How to find and maintain balance
In order to find this balance and stay in this happy in-between state rather than swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other, we need a more supportive approach that allows us to maintain this in-between balanced state for long periods of time. New practices and ways of thinking need to be formed. semester.
If you’re curious about what these practices look like, sign up for a free workshop. In it, I share three key pillars you should focus on to restore balance to the way you feed yourself. If you want to balance your diet and give yourself the flexibility you need to eat food with peace of mind throughout your life, walk away with an understanding of what these pillars are and why they’re so important. Probably.
The post “How to find the right balance in your food choices” first appeared on Nutrition Stripped.
