Diet is an important part of weight management, but not so much in the traditional sense of the word. “Diet” simply refers to your eating behaviors and your lifestyle when it comes to food. If you are trying to lose weight, maintain your weight, or just manage your health in general, your diet plays an important role.
All or Nothing Nutrition
However, diets these days can give an “all or nothing” perception – and they often lead us to black and white thinking. This is when we label some foods as “good” and others as “bad,” then restrict or eliminate the “bad” foods altogether.
This way of thinking is helpful for some, but it can lead to a harmful relationship with food for others. Some people start to obsess over what foods to choose and what time of day they should be eating, and that isn’t a healthy or sustainable way of living. You don’t have to have an “all or nothing” mindset to be healthy.
How it Can Go Wrong
Where all of nothing nutrition can go wrong is when anything less than perfect is perceived as a “failure.” This is commonly seen in people who struggle with eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder or anorexia nervosa.
This kind of rigid dieting defines food and eating behaviors as either good or bad. As a result, some people start to internalize this thinking style and view themselves as either good or bad, too. Food can be viewed as scary and challenging, which can cause irrational thoughts. When all or nothing nutrition goes wrong, it can leave you feeling stuck, unhealthy and out of balance. You might even be constantly yo-yo dieting from one extreme diet to the next.
Living in the Gray Area
All of us have different approaches to food and weight management that work best for us. But generally, living in “shades of gray” can help you enjoy your relationship with food while also drawing important boundaries if you need them.
Tips for living in the gray area:
- Learn to be flexible and embrace some changes to your eating behaviors if something comes up or gets in the way.
- Enjoy your favorite foods in moderation. Most people find this helps them manage and enjoy their relationship with food.
- Practice portioning your food to include varied food groups so you aren’t missing out on key nutrients from diverse sources.
- Aim for a way of eating that is sustainable and doesn’t make you feel miserable or deprived.
- Keep a food journal not just to keep track of what you eat, but to write down your thoughts and emotions. This can help you see if your relationship with food needs some extra work.
For more advice about developing healthy eating behaviors and living in the gray area, CLICK HERE to read this Obesity Action Coalition article from Katie Chapmon, MS, RD, a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian.
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