There Is No Such Thing as Bad Food and Good Food
Why you need to stop putting so much meaning to food when food is just food.
In the fitness culture, there has always been a dichotomous trend where you either do “this or that” to be successful with your goals. This needs to go away and thankfully, flexible approaches to a healthy lifestyle have been more present now so we are making progress. This is a really “black and white” way of thinking and doesn’t take into account the bigger picture. The media, in particular, promotes these sorts of “food rules” that dieters take so seriously and don’t realize they are doing themselves more harm than good.
These “food rules” I am referring to are when certain foods are forbidden if you want to achieve a health goal. Firstly, depriving yourself of certain foods is not healthy and so, you are already defeating the purpose of obtaining these health goals. Second, when someone promotes the idea of food being “bad,” they are probably lacking an understanding of the nutrient density component of each food and the first law of thermodynamics aka energy balance. Third, labeling food as “bad” or “good” is highly subjective. What may be good for you might be bad for someone else and vice versa. This leads to the fact that we’re all different and will operate differently. So this fixed idea of good versus bad isn’t really useful.
It is possible to live a healthy lifestyle without the avoidance of certain foods. When you learn that food is more than “fuel,” you begin this journey to not just a healthier body image but also healthier behaviors and the behavioral aspect of reaching your goals is everything.
Yes, food is fuel because it provides macro-nutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) and micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) that work together to make sure your body is working properly.
However, if food only existed for fuel reasons, life would be boring. Think about the times you enjoyed with family and friends and if food was involved. Not to mention, that date that didn’t result in a relationship but the food was great so the night wasn’t too terrible. Food is a part of our culture and society. It’s what brings a lot of people together. If you like to cook or bake, isn’t it fun making all these recipes and then taste testing it and trying out other recipes? You would be lying if you couldn’t relate to getting excited at the waitress heading your way only to learn it wasn’t your order but it was the table next to yours.
All these different events surrounded by food tell us there’s more to food than just fuel and debating which is good and bad for your body. To live a life full of restrictions is not sustainable and it will eventually backfire.
Another reason why you need to stop putting so much focus on just food regarding your health goals is that health is not just about food. Health consists of your lifestyle and habits.
I go over habits a lot in this article and this article because when it comes to making a change, habits make a big difference. Habits are a part of the behavioral aspect that determines your progress. If you have a bad habit of categorizing food under bad or good, you’re going to cause yourself unnecessary stress leading to unhealthy outcomes. On the contrary, if you improve the habit to look at food as just food and learn health is more than that, you’re going to reach your goals in a less stressful, more educated way.
Habits happen every day. It’s not the burger or salad you ordered at the restaurant that broke or helped your progress, it was the choice that was influenced by lifestyle and behavioral factors. Here are two examples:
- It’s lunchtime and that burger sounds so good. George orders it because he knows it has protein, carbs, and fat all in one and it’s going to taste delicious. He’s also been cooking his meals at home so he knows one time won’t hurt. Plus, he didn’t eat much for breakfast so he has enough calories to spare. He also does strength training five times a week, has a set schedule where he sleeps enough hours per night, and overall his stress levels are well-maintained. Based on his habits and lifestyle, the burger alone isn’t going to ruin George’s progress. On the other hand, if George had the habit of eating outside almost all the time, didn’t work out as much, and had inconsistent sleeping patterns while stressed with work and school, would the burger ruin his progress? Not by itself but in addition to everything else, his progress would be slower. So it’s not just that burger alone that affects progress, it’s the whole context.
- The second example is more on the behavioral and mindset aspect. Let’s say George enjoyed his burger with the lifestyle he has initially (working out five times a day). However, later that day he started feeling guilty because he has been eating homemade meals for a week and felt like he fell off track. Suddenly, this overthinking lead to feelings of shame and guilt. Everything was going well but his overthinking and approach to the situation turned it around. George shouldn’t feel guilty or ashamed for enjoying his meal because as we already learned, that meal itself isn’t going to do any harm. If George can focus on his good habits such as cooking at home most of the time, working out consistently, and healthy sleeping patterns, he’ll realize he has nothing to worry about. It’s having this self-compassion that could also make a difference along with good habits.
As you can see, there is a lot to consider when looking at your progress. It’s not just food. Food isn’t inherently bad or good, it is the lifestyle aspects such as habits, behaviors, and mindset influencing that food choice you made that will make a difference.
When we get too focused on the debate whether that food is good or bad, it can also lead to the negative side of behaviors such as binge eating and other eating disorders. The idea that we can’t have something makes us want it more. It is a scientifically proven fact in psychology. This approach usually ends in yo-yo dieting which leads to stress because you can’t get results. If you could find a more sustainable approach where you don’t avoid your favorite foods and you are still making progress, would you do it? That’s a no-brainer.
It’s important to understand there are no good foods and bad foods or how one food won’t inherently damage your progress. Once you get the idea that there is more to the story than just the food such as environment, activity levels, and sleeping patterns and you can actually enjoy your favorite treat such as that cheesecake you have been eyeing, the journey will be less stressful and you will be able to focus on more important things that will actually benefit you.
