Nutrition

8 Tips to Avoid an Unhealthy Relationship with Food

Do you have an unhealthy relationship with food? Discover the warning signs and, more importantly, how to experience joy when eating again.

Mar 2, 2024 — 8 min read

Eat “good” or “clean” food, like a steamed chicken breast, and you’re wonderful.

Eat “bad” or “dirty” food, like a fried chicken, and suddenly, you’re a failure.

This kind of black-and-white thinking leads to shame and guilt — feelings you want to avoid having with food.

And unfortunately, for many of us with fitness goals, this is all too common.

You see … the reality is that having a chocolate croissant or donut (or any food, really) doesn’t make you a bad person.

Neither have you failed in any way.

That’s why it’s so important to recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationship with food and learn how to avoid it.

Signs of an unhealthy relationship with food

Common signs of an unhealthy relationship with food:

1️⃣

You think about food all the time

2️⃣

You’re inflexible about food options

3️⃣

You need to work off the calories after eating

4️⃣

You feel guilty about indulging

5️⃣

You eat with an “all-or-nothing” mindset

6️⃣

You let the scale dictate how you feel

7️⃣

You prefer to eat alone in secrecy

8️⃣

You ignore feelings of hunger

9️⃣

You label foods as “good” or “bad”

This list is not exhaustive — and signs can vary greatly based on individuals.

What works well for someone might be too extreme for another. So, it’s important to always assess how you feel and be very honest about it.

This is especially relevant when you’re making big changes to your nutrition on a training program.