Eat healthy - or: how our settings determine our eating behavior

Maybe you feel the same way I do: You want to eat healthy to do something good for your body. To be and stay healthy. But how exactly do you do that? What should you focus on, and what does "healthy eating" actually mean? healthy Nutrition?

Since I feel like many people are asking these questions, I'd like to share my thoughts on the topic of a healthy eating mindset and try to find answers to them. However, I want to emphasize that this is all very subjective and simply reflects my experiences. I'm neither a nutritionist nor a doctor nor an expert in anything. But perhaps this post will serve as a little inspiration or simply to let you know that you're not alone.

What does healthy eating mean to us?

Healthy eating has become more than just a trend. Many people feel a kind of compulsion to eat as healthily as possible. What started as a positive intention to do something good for their bodies has now developed into a mania for doing nothing wrong. Sugar? It's best to eliminate it completely from your diet. Instead, eat more protein and, please, only "low carb."
Unfortunately, we are increasingly losing our true connection to our bodies. We need to remind ourselves what food actually means to us: Food provides our bodies with the energy they need to do what they do every day, every second. Our cells require certain substances to function properly. And we consume most of these substances through food.

Food is the fuel for our bodies. Everyone knows this. But in today's world, food seems to be much more than that—an escape from negative thoughts, for example, a leisure activity, an expression of our social role, or even part of our identity.

Once we realize that nutrition means consuming nutrients, we quickly ask ourselves what's best to eat. What kind of diet is healthy? Which foods are harmful to our bodies?

Which food is “healthy”?

Of course, we all know that vegetables are healthier than fast food. But what exactly we eat, when, and in what quantities is very individual. Moreover, everyone defines a healthy diet a little differently. For some people, a healthy diet means eating lots of greens, for others, avoiding processed sugar as much as possible, and for still others, eating whatever they feel like eating. For me, for example, a healthy diet means not only providing my body with the necessary nutrients, but also doing something good for my soul. And that includes developing a healthy relationship with food.

The internet and social media, in particular, offer a great opportunity to learn about nutrition. But often, you feel overwhelmed by all the posts and articles, and you don't know who to believe. Some information contradicts itself – is coconut oil healthy or actually bad for us? Are superfoods really super or just another attempt to take money out of our pockets?

However, this wealth of information about healthy eating often leads us to feel bad about what we eat or to feel like we're not eating well enough. We start to stress over our eating habits and devote more time to this topic than necessary.While this overthinking is based on good intentions—namely, doing good for our bodies—it strains our relationship with food and makes our lives difficult. Before I discuss how to get out of it and how to develop a healthy food mindset, I'd like to address why eating healthy can sometimes be difficult.

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Why do we find it difficult to eat healthily?

One well-known reason that makes it difficult for us to abstain from high-calorie, sugary foods is that sugar acts like an addictive substance. The chemical processes in the brain trigger our reward center, triggering a feeling of well-being.

However, I'd like to focus on another aspect here: When we only want to eat healthy or are on a diet, we often forbid ourselves from eating certain foods. This contradicts our natural "urge" for freedom of choice. Furthermore, prohibitions often make the very foods we want to avoid more attractive to us. The problem is that we feel we cannot freely decide what we are allowed to eat.

What is the solution to this problem? We need to understand and give ourselves permission to eat anything, but not immediately act on it. Then we won't think from a perspective of prohibitions, but rather know that we are making conscious decisions each time. We won't be guided by certain rules that allow or prohibit something, against which we then internally "rebel." We will then understand that we can make different decisions that have different consequences.

Embrace your freedom of choice and understand that you can decide what you eat, how much you eat, and what diet you follow. The more freedom you give your diet, the more self-control you can develop. It will become increasingly easier for you to make healthy choices—whatever "healthy" means to you personally.

How do I develop a mindset for healthy eating?

We have just established that knowing your own freedom of choice is an important first step toward healthy eating.

Furthermore, I think it's important not to be too hard on yourself. As I said, health isn't just about consuming important nutrients, but also about doing something good for your soul. This includes treating yourself to something sweet when you really want it, or not immediately putting yourself down when you go out for pizza with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Enjoy these things, because they nourish your soul and thus your well-being. As many say, balance is key.

Get informed, but don't drive yourself crazy. Experiment and try to find out what healthy eating means for you. dI Feel free to be inspired by other "healthy" people and their diets, but don't compare yourself too much to them. Every body is different, and different life situations require different diets.

And be aware that you have the power to decide what you eat and how you want to feel after eating.

After all, food should be fun and enrich our lives rather than a burden, right?

If you would like to learn more about healthy eating, mindfulness or sustainability, Check out more exciting blog articles on these topics here.

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