“I hope I don’t see anyone I know right now.” 

“I hope my clients don’t see me eating this.”

Have you been there before? Ooooh, have I ever.

For me, it used to be at the grocery store, or at a restaurant, or out for ice cream.

What would my clients think if they saw my dark chocolate, bag of chips, or frozen pizza in my grocery basket? What if they saw me eating (the most delish) fudge sundae? What if they saw me eating a burger and fries at the pub?

What would they think? Would they lose all trust in me? Would my credibility go down the shoot?

UGH.

The answer is: they would have loved it. Correction, they DO love it.

This Is How I Really Eat

Here’s the thing, when I see clients in the above situations now, or when I post on social media about how I actually eat, it is my REAL life. It’s how I really eat. There’s nothing to hide, because there’s nothing to hide.

Yes, I am a fitness professional and yes I enjoy eating food. All kinds of different food. I like pizza, veggies, meat, smoothies, fruit, candy, nachos, kombucha, salads. I could go on and on…

Choc PB cup

(Fully enjoying this Choc + PB cup in the Dallas airport while traveling home from the Women’s Fitness Summit.)

The truth is, this had nothing to do with my clients. It had everything to do with ME, my relationship with food, and my identity as a fitness professional that I thought meant very specific things…for instance, that I somehow only ate chicken and veggies and loved every minute of it. I don’t.

Let me tell you, times are a changin’. Not just for me, but in the fitness and nutrition world too.

Food doesn’t have to break you and control you. It doesn’t have to be an obsession. If you’re struggling, just know that there will come a time when you’ll find at peace with food and it won’t take up so much mental space in your brain.

2 Ideas To Help Revamp Your Relationship With Food

1). #itsjustfood

This is a hashtag I often use on Instagram because it’s been a major mindset helper for me in rediscovering my views of food. It is just freakin’ food.

I feel no more “proud” of myself for making the decision to eat a salad with chicken, than I do when I eat a plate of meat + cheese.

YYC Pizza Week

(This pizza = just food.)

There’s no good or bad divide anymore. There’s no, “Oh, I really don’t need that”, but there is way more of “I don’t want that” (see point #2).

2). Food should make you feel amazing.

I’m talking mentally, physically, emotionally – the whole nine yards. If it doesn’t, it’s not worth eating. The foods that make me feel amazing has changed quite a bit as I’ve gained more ease around food, but I’ve also become more particular about what I do eat and certainly, where I eat.

Meat and veg dinner

(This is a really common dinner in my house: meat + veg + cheese.)

If it’s not going to taste really, really good I’m not super interested in eating it (exceptions apply of course). If it’s not going to make me feel good, I’ll pass.

A New Way Of Eating 

Obviously, these were learned behaviours and my old habits took time to unlearn. The good news? We eat every single day so we have tons of practice time.

I didn’t think it was possible to support my physique goals and my health goals with FULLY enjoying my food…I’m talking all food. The green veggies, the protein, the chicken wings, the cupcakes, and everything in between.

Simple smoothie

(Smoothies are usually part of my daily fare because they make me feel good and taste good. Simple.)

I’ve lived to tell the tale that they all can be enjoyed. It’s OK. Well, it’s better than OK. It’s really the best and the last year or so marks the most comfortable relationship that I’ve in my adult life with food.

So, my friends, today and going forward practice eating foods that make you feel amazing and remember that it’s just food. Food doesn’t deserve to hold space as a big bad monster in your life anymore.

JMG

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