How to Navigate Negative Thoughts Around Food

Navigating negative thoughts around food can be SO tough, especially when you’re working on healing your relationship with what’s on your plate. Trusting your nutrition choices after years of dieting or restrictive eating takes time and patience. That’s why I created a simple flow chart to help streamline your thought process when choosing meals and minimize all that negative noise that tends to creep in.

Let me walk you through an example from last week, during my menstrual phase. I was seriously CRAVING chicken tenders (which, let’s be honest, are one of my all-time favorite foods!). But, I also knew that if I ate a lot of fried food, especially while on my period, it wouldn’t make me feel great. My stomach tends to hurt after fried foods, I feel super lethargic, and it’s even worse with period bloat. Plus, I knew that sodium and saturated fat can make cramps worse and aggravate GI issues—both things I was already dealing with during my period.

So, what did I do? I used my flow chart to work through this decision step-by-step:

1️⃣ Does this food sound good to me right now?
Absolutely YES! Chicken tenders were calling my name.

2️⃣ Does this food make me feel sick?
In large quantities, yes. And probably even more so since I was on my period.

3️⃣ Is there guilt or fear around choosing this food?
Kind of. I was already feeling bloated, and honestly, I wasn’t feeling my best in my body that day.

Here’s how I handled it: I reduced my portion size to just 2 chicken tenders (totally satisfying) and added a homemade mixed greens salad with berries, walnuts, and avocado. This way, I got the fiber to support my digestion and omega-3s and antioxidants to fight off inflammation from cramps.

Then, I reframed my thoughts. Instead of spiraling into, “This meal will make me feel more bloated, and it’s definitely not helping my weight loss goal,” I shifted to, “This meal is fulfilling my craving, and I’m balancing it with a nutrient-packed salad to support my body. One meal won’t derail my progress, and this period bloat is only temporary.”

By following this process, I honored my craving, made a more mindful choice, and eliminated the guilt.

If you’ve been struggling with negative food thoughts or don’t feel confident in your nutrition choices, it’s okay! It’s all part of the process. Let’s work through it together.

Reach out HERE to schedule a free 20-minute nutrition discovery call, and we’ll chat about how to find balance in your nutrition without the guilt!

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