A balanced diet can seem like such an abstract concept – what does balance really mean and look like when it comes to food?
While balance will look different for each of us at every meal, there is an important supplement to understand about finding and maintaining balance, and I share that in this video.
The spectrum of eating habits
Imagine a spectrum.
At one end of the spectrum, we have the general mindset of rigid diets, schedules and eating rules that feel restrictive and require you to regulate yourself. This is where you eat “super clean” and avoid all “bad” foods.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is not paying attention to your nutritional needs.
Sometimes this can feel like eating whatever you want, whenever you want. This usually happens when someone believes that the best way to have balance is to never say no to foods that they previously labeled as “off limits” or “bad.”
It can also look like you’re not paying attention to making sure you’re getting a balance of nutrients, or feeling unsure of what your body needs to be nourished without the guidance of following a specific diet.
If you just give up on diets, but don’t also learn how to focus on your nutritional needs in a more supportive and sustainable way, you’ll end up feeling unwell, you may drift away from your well-nourished weight, or your physical health may suffer. And all of this can make you feel frustrated in your desire to diet, which brings you back to the other end of the spectrum.
You need to nourish your body well to simply feel your best and also take care of your health and well-being.
Remember, nutrition is the catalyst for all areas of our health and is what allows us to enjoy and live life. You deserve to find a way to nurture yourself that supports you without requiring you to regulate or limit yourself.
What does a balanced diet look like?
What we aim for is a happy medium — balance.
What some people think of when they hear happy medium is spending some time on one end of the spectrum and some time on the other end of the spectrum, swinging back and forth between the two.
An example of what this might sound like is saying you’ve been “good” all week, so now you’re going to eat whatever you want all weekend.
Or it could be the other way around, where you say you were so “bad” all week, so next week you have to make up for what you ate and eat super clean.
But this is not really balanced. This is the bike between two extremes.
Not only does it not support your well-being, it also doesn’t give you a sense of ease, peace and enjoyment with food that is so important.
Instead of oscillating from one end of the spectrum to the other, what balance really looks like is hovering right in the middle of the spectrum with a little bit of vibration and reception on a daily basis.
This is where you make very intentional choices that allow you to eat well without having to restrict or regulate yourself and also have the flexibility to enjoy the foods you like without ignoring your nutritional needs.
Balance takes many forms and can look different for each person, each day, at each meal!
This might look like enjoying a slice of pizza with a side salad.
It might look like you’re choosing to have dessert one night because you really want it, you’ve got your favorite sweet on hand, and you’ve given your body the nourishment it needs.
It might look like choosing to make a more nutritious version of your favorite comfort food so you can sneak more whole foods into your day while still making it a meal that’s actually enjoyable.
The point of finding balance with your food choices is to realize what you want and need, and make a deliberate choice that helps you keep the happy medium—no matter what that may look like.
This balance allows you to honor your wants and needs, build confidence in your ability to make the best choice for yourself, and experience much more ease and peace around food so that it is no longer a source of stress or something that engages your mental energy.
How to find and maintain balance
To find that balance and stay in that happy medium instead of swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other, you need to form new, more supportive practices and mindsets that allow you to stay in that middle, balanced state for long. period of time. term.
If you’re curious about what these practices are, join our free workshop. In it, I share the three important pillars you need to focus on in order to regain balance in the way you nourish yourself. You’ll walk away knowing what these pillars are and why they’re so important if you want to have that balance with your eating habits that gives you the flexibility you need to feel calm and comfortable with food for life.
