Food

Brexit: Europe has modified UK food tradition for the better – leaving ought to turn returned the clock

If you have weekend food guilt, you need to read this dietitian’s advice
Overindulged?

Melissa Meier

Brexit: Europe has modified UK food tradition for the better – leaving ought to turn returned the clock 1
bodyandsoul.com.auMARCH 18, 201910:49AM

Image: Getty.Source: body and soul

Melissa Meier is an online and Sydney-based Accredited Practising Dietitian. You can connect with her at www.honestnutrition.com.au or on Instagram @honest_nutrition.

It’s Monday morning. You had a great weekend with your friends and family. But now you’re beating yourself up about what you ate over the last few days.

You know, that takeaway pizza you had on Friday night or the pancakes you devoured at Sunday brunch. Oh, and don’t even mention the Saturday night cocktails.

Sound familiar? Unfortunately, food guilt is a pretty standard trap. And it’s something I find quite concerning because it has no place in a balanced approach to eating. But it’s not as simple as clicking your fingers and letting go – it takes a long time to mend a broken relationship with food. So, to give you a helping hand, here are a few things to work on over time to help you say goodbye to food guilt for good.

Change the way you talk about food.

You’re sure to have heard people referring to food as ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ Maybe your colleague says they’re ‘good’ one day by having a salad for lunch and ‘naughty’ the next because they stopped by the biscuit jar with their morning cup of tea.

This kind of language fuels a negative approach to food – so here’s your permission to ignore bogus food rules. Take it from a dietitian that food is just food. And all foods fit.

Forget about quick-fix dieting.
It’s pretty simple: diets don’t work.

Sure, the latest and greatest fad diet might help you see a few short-term results (I’m looking at you, keto), but they’re often restrictive and unsustainable.

One of the main reasons diets eventually fail is that they come with a long list of foods to avoid. While you might be able to muster up enough willpower to stick to it for some time, sooner or later, you’ll give in to something on the ‘forbidden foods’ list. Then you feel bad about yourself because you blew it, so you start again on Monday, and the cycle repeats again and again – and you never really get anywhere.

I think it’s far more critical to focus on building up a repertoire of healthy habits over time rather than diving into a major diet overhaul.

Understand the phrase ‘balance.’
With all this talk about balance, you might wonder what the term truly means. And you’ll be pleased to know that my version of balance includes chips, chocolate, ice cream… whatever takes your fancy.

To start with, setting a good foundation is crucial. That means that a combination of whole grains, lean protein, dairy, fruit, and vegetables should be the focus of your diet most of the time.

Then, it’s okay to add ‘sometimes’ foods occasionally and when you truly feel like it (like a weekend pizza night with your girls or a scoop of ice cream at the beach). This way, there’s no need to feel guilty about anything you choose because you’ve got the healthy eating basics down-pat.

Duane Simpson

Internet fan. Zombie aficionado. Infuriatingly humble problem solver. Alcohol enthusiast. Spent several months exporting UFOs in Jacksonville, FL. A real dynamo when it comes to exporting gravy in Tampa, FL. Spent 2001-2004 implementing saliva in Edison, NJ. Had moderate success getting my feet wet with junk food on Wall Street. Practiced in the art of building Virgin Mary figurines in Tampa, FL. Practiced in the art of marketing Roombas in Phoenix, AZ.

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