Want to know how to improve your relationship with food while losing fat? it is possible. You CAN improve your relationship with food AND work on changing your physique simultaneously.
Even when a client hires me to for fat loss, we work to help her improve their relationship with food.
Typically my clients look at food as simply calories and feel scared to eat. They come to me with the belief that if they burn more than they consume they will lose weight. So they’ve restricted for years, but still can’t lose.
They will over eat sometimes because they’re starving then feel guilty for it. They may choose something like pizza or cookies when willpower dwindles and regret their decision.
It’s not surprising we are so afraid of food since these experiences exacerbate the fear. Being scared or confused by food is also common because we are influenced by what many others say on social media or amongst friends. Those messages are not always positive.
Not only do I believe there’s a better way, I work to help my clients improve your relationship with food while losing fat. Before we go into those details, if you don’t already know my story of having a strained relationship with food, read it here.
Let’s start with three typical reasons that I have found most women are afraid of food..
- Fear of calories
- Belief that specific foods are bad
- Lack of trust
Let’s dive into each, then how I work with clients to solve them while losing fat.
Fear of calories.
When we believe the framework for fat loss relies on consuming fewer calories than we expend, it creates an inherent fear of food. We’re constantly trying to eat less. But what happens when we eventually get really hungry and the will power has worn off? We eat.. a lot. Not only does this cause us to feel guilty, it gets us out of that deficit and makes fat loss a challenge. So not only is there guilt, but it’s compounded with evidence that to lose fat, we have to eat even less.
Belief that specific foods are bad.
It’s natural to deem food “good” or “bad.” We may be influenced by social media, friends, other fitness/ nutrition professionals we follow, or past experiences. So when consume any of these foods that we have labeled “bad”, we are going to have feelings of intense guilt and shame.
Lack of self trust.
Finally, at this point, it’s very common to have a severe lack of trust within ourselves. Nowadays, there are so many ways to collect data between all of the trackers and devices. We can track our food online, we can meticulously see how many of each macro we consume each day, and we can see what we’re expanding through devices. Technology is great, however it doesn’t teach us to trust ourselves but to only rely on the data rather than how we actually feel. This creates a disconnect and lack of self trust.
So what do we do?
How to overcome the fear of calories.
In my opinion, the first place to begin anything is by creating awareness. When I have a client who is afraid to consume more calories will begin by determining the total amount amount of calories sheep burns in a day. Then we compare that to the amount of calories she consumes in a day then it’s a matter of education and understanding that an extreme calorie deficit can actually slow the metabolism and cause fat loss to stop.
By then being aware of that extreme deficit, it typically makes more sense why the client loses control and binge eats as a result. After we get through the education portion, we begin testing out new things. I’ll have my client gradually increase the calories in a manner that the body can handle and doesn’t feel too scary to the client. Over time the client witnesses positive changes, and ultimately becomes less afraid of the calories.
Ultimately, when we can eat in a deficit we can lose fat. But an extreme deficit followed by a binge typically does not lend itself to a deficit overall.
How to stop labeling foods as good or bad.
When working with a client who has emotionally labeled of food, good or bad, this can be a little trickier. In my opinion, the first step here is to look at things rationally. We can begin by asking ourselves where this belief came from, if it’s a rational thought, and if it serves us. The more we understand a belief, the more changing it is possible. Let’s say, as an example, I have a client who believes fries are bad, and she’s bad when she eats them, I’ll ask her why she believes that, if it’s rational, if it serves her. Once we get past that, I’ll ask her to challenge it. It’s true that eating a lot of fries are likely not in alignment with her goals, but she should be able to eat them without guilt.
The other side to this is that usually when someone eats a “bad” food the flood gates open. I challenge my clients to enjoy bites, then stop. And the next day to enjoy another bite or two of a “bad” food, then stop, and so on. By making “bad” foods off limits, they seem to have power over us. By making these foods seem less elusive it takes their power away.
When we can master this and stop labeling foods as good or bad, temptations dwindle, making fat loss that much easier.
How to regain trust in ourselves.
Lastly, when we lose trust in ourselves it’s usually from a lack of connection, so we must work to reconnect. That may mean it’s time to break up with your food tracker or device. Going back to creating awareness around rational thought, I may ask a client if it’s rational to believe that if she didn’t track her workout on her watch that it doesn’t count.
I may ask a client to keep a written food journal where instead of tracking macros, she tracks how it makes her feel and why she chose that food. Being aware of how each food makes us feel is important because it can lend insight to whether or not that food actually serves us. I know that letting go of control may be scary, but it’s freeing in the end.
When we trust ourselves things are much easier. Fat loss doesn’t have to be all encompassing. You can start to live and allow your body to be healthy, making fat loss simple.
If you struggle with your relationship with food AND you still wanna lose fat, please understand you CAN do both. We can work on this in my 1:1 coaching program. Enrollment begins soon! Learn more at commit2fitcoaching.com.
Your Coach,
Kyra