When Even Healthy Foods Can be Bad

Have you ever heard the phrase “too much of a good thing”?  Well, it absolutely applies to nutrition.  Even drinking too much water can be risky because our kidneys only process about 1 liter of water per hour (ok it has to be a LOT of water).

Mentally, we know that vegetables, fiber-rich, nutrient-rich and high protein foods are necessary for a healthy diet, but when these foods trigger a binge response, they can do more harm than good.  

Not all "trigger foods" for certain people are necessarily unhealthy.

Read that again… double negative.  Some trigger foods are actually high in nutrition!!

For example nuts and nut butters are something my clients struggle with a lot.  They are super healthy, but they also can be hard to stop, and before you know it you are head deep in the jar of peanut or almond butter! If you are in a weight loss stage, sometimes it's best to avoid these foods all together.

My clients sometimes have this idea that the best way to remove the craving for trigger foods is to just rip the band-aid off with everything and go cold turkey.  It’s important to recognize that sometimes that just creates a recipe for quick burnout. Remember to be realistic and have backup plans.

There are times when dealing with food triggers, and/or sugar cravings, that choosing the lesser of evils is a good way to go. So if someone has an issue with ice cream, then opting for frozen yogurt to start, or something along those lines to address the physical “habit” of eating that food and/or to address the mental/emotional desire for that food, may be a good strategy.  

So what method works best for you?  Having clear goals and a solid understanding of your “Why” will help you rationalize what foods you choose to nourish your body with.  I also recommend “journaling” when you get a craving, to understand what feelings are driving that craving (it could just be habit or boredom too!).  

Meal planning and prepping is also a great way to establish prior what you will eat to take the emotion out of it ahead of time.  So if peanut butter is a known trigger, measure out a healthy amount ahead of time in a separate container.  This way, you’re not faced with the full jar at a time of “weakness.”

Dealing with your relationship with food is fundamental to my practice and approach to whole health coaching.  Contact me if you’d like to explore more.

Xo

Rachel