Brandy, a nutrition and lifestyle coach is here to discuss a topic on #tipsytuesday that most of us women may struggle with, the diet mentality. It can be hard to stop with all the rules you’ve likely been following for years. Every diet has rules. The question is how do you break free?

Even macro tracking has rules. However, at least with macro tracking, it can teach you one very valuable tool... portion control. I believe that is one of the best benefits of macro tracking.

But how do you let go of labeling food good vs bad? How do you start eating more carbs? How do you stop restricting yourself to then binge on it later? How do you eat before bed? How do put time aside for yourself? How do you stop over-exercising? With so many rules, so now it’s time to start breaking some of these rules.

If you want to feel free, you have to start letting go of the rules.

Breaking the rules can have you feeling shame and guilt, no different than overeating. It will take time but all you need to do is start.

Changing your mindset is a great place to begin. Stop thinking with a scarcity mindset and switch to living and thinking in abundance. 

Those who live with a scarcity mindset tend to have rules, restrictions, guilt, and shame. They will think about the past and dwell on a binge or cheat meal. They will seek control and resort to negative self-talk. Procrastination takes over, driven by a self-sabotaging ego that fuels fear and anxiety. Those who live with a scarcity mindset tend to carry a lot of self-doubts and strive for perfection. 

Switch to an abundance mindset, you will think more about consistency, flexibility, and sustainability. You will have more compassion for yourself, learn from your experiences and focus on the present. You will begin to let go of what you can not control and lean into the unknown. You will have more self-confidence and acknowledge when mistakes happen. The best part, you give yourself permission to live and to trust yourself. 

The next thing you can do is change the language you have around food. There are no good foods and there are no bad foods. There will always be a better choice. Accept that you are not a good person for choosing to eat salad just like you are NOT a bad person for choosing to eat cake. 

How silly does it sound... I’m bad about eating cake? Seriously? This does not make you bad. It makes you human. The diet mentality will have you believe you are wrong, bad, unhealthy, nondeserving but this is simply not true.

You have to start listening to your body. You have to start trusting your body.

You have to change your mindset.

You have to start making peace with food. Carbs do not make you fat. OVER indulging, bingeing can lead to weight gain but what leads to overeating, to begin with? That is where you need to start. If you are not eating enough or if you RESTRICT certain food groups you will likely feel more hungry and will desire whatever it is you tell yourself you can’t have until you give in (aka - living with a scarcity mindset).

Change the approach and change your mindset. There is no diet out there that will help you with this. You must be willing to allow yourself to listen to your body. Are you hungry? Are you full? Are you craving food because you restrict certain choices? 

There are many myths out there when it comes to nutrition. The first step is to get more educated and you can do this by hiring a nutrition coach. Look for one that has experience along with knowledge. Ask for referrals, jump on a call and ask the coach questions. Don’t fall into marketing gimmicks promising results.

Diet mentality, it did not happen overnight. Neither will a change in your mindset. If you have always been on a diet or tried various ones, you will be stuck in a belief system that taught you nothing except to fear food or lay a foundation for disordered eating mentality.

You can use metrics like macros to help you figure out calories if you like but again, it’s only a method of tracking. It’s no different than journaling food. Both create awareness. From there, change your mindset. Change the language and how you speak to yourself and learn to trust yourself more. It’s about keeping your eyes on your plate and doing what is best for you. Comparisons will break you. What works for that person will not necessarily work for you.

Diets are not the answer to fat loss. YOU are the answer.

You have to be willing to let go, dig deep and put the effort in. Do you realize that you are a bi-product of the choices you’ve made over time? This is usually a result of the diet mentality. Always on a diet, never actually trying to listen to your body and figuring out what is truly best for you.

You will become a healthier human by changing your mindset. You will feel better and by default likely look better too. Mindset is a big piece of the puzzle and the key to helping you drop the diet mentality. Lean into the unknown, trust yourself,  be honest with yourself, have an open mind and stop procrastinating.

#TipsyTuesday post submitted by Brandy Schroeder
Motivate and B Fit | motivateandbfit.com
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