The extreme takeover of diet culture has led to moralizing food as “good” and “bad.” There is more pressure to eat food perceived as “good” to look good and feel included, versus eating food perceived as “bad” will put a big shame cloud over your head. Sure, some foods are more nutritional than others, but feeling ashamed for having a piece of cake is not the right way to approach a healthier lifestyle.
What is Food Moralization?
Food is being put into two buckets of categories. One category is “good,” meaning foods you’re allowed to eat. The second category is “bad,” meaning foods you should avoid and never eat.
Huh, something doesn’t seem right here.
Yeah, something doesn’t seem right, indeed. Everyone has now developed a built-in food security guard slapping you on the wrist if you have a small bite of a cookie. This does a lot of damage to your relationship with food.
“Oh, you’ve eaten terribly today. You might as well eat all this BAD food too.”
Or
“You had some junk food at lunch today. You should skip dinner this evening.”
Nope, that’s just wrong on so many levels. Might as well put cookies in handcuffs and bring them to jail (Can you tell I like cookies).
What Moralizing Food Does
It can really damage your relationship with food. You’ll constantly be fixated on the thought that if you eat something perceived as bad, you should be put in timeout. You’re not a bad person for having a night in with your family to watch a movie and have pizza delivered from Domino’s. Heck, I’ll show you a good homemade pizza recipe if you want (movie suggestions are also needed, by the way).
Do you think non-stop about the food you can’t eat because you’re being so restrictive? Happens all the time, and then you end up on a binge once you cave. That’s why having balance and removing the two food categories of “good” and “bad” is so important. You can still be healthy and fit without extreme restrictions on food. You’ll adhere better to consistency too.
Adjust Your Outlook
It’s crazy how much diet culture has shaped the way we feel about ourselves. You should be able to give thought to what you choose to eat and get the nutrients you need, but not so restrictive that you can never enjoy food anymore.
After all, our bodies all have different needs. Limiting oneself to restrictive eating when you require more food to have enough energy to get through a typical routine day can do more harm than good. All just because you think there’s a “good” and “bad” way to eat, even though it’s not one size fits all.
The Concept is Not Welcoming to Everyone
Think of it this way. The clean eating healthy food category is being placed on this high pedestal. A lot of organic, unprocessed, and healthy foods can be costly, which can be limiting to some people. Even frozen vegetables and protein bars are not included on that high pedestal. Neither is really that bad for you.
Listen to your body. Learn what works and what doesn’t to provide nutrients and energy in the form of food. If diets don’t work for you, don’t do it! You’ll feel much better and happier when you’ve implemented a balanced, flexible eating style instead of switching off multiple diets.
–
I hope this provides you with a lot of insight! Don’t be afraid to reach out to me on any of my socials or email me!
If you want to take that first step but need help figuring out where to start, I can help. Let’s chat briefly about developing a routine that works for you! You can also fill out this easy form, and I’ll reach out directly.
