Stop overthinking about food

Sometimes, we are creating ourselves problems by overthinking everything about food. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), society plays a major role in the deterioration of girl’s mental health and how they think about food. Research has discovered a relation in sexualization with three of the most common mental health problems girls are facing today, which are eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression.

If there is something that I've noticed since I've been working in this field, is that a lot of young women put a lot of pressure on themselves to achieve the perfect figure or look. I have also noticed a big concern around food and body image. I often hear "I'm doing everything right and I'm still not losing weight".

Today I will talk about how and why overthinking about food can actually prevent you from achieving the goals you are seeking so badly. Here's a few reasons why you should stop overthinking about food:

1) Stress Levels

Has anyone of you ever heard about cortisol? If not, let me give you a brief description. Cortisol is a hormone secreted by our body and released when we are feeling stressed. This hormone slows down metabolism and increases fat storage levels in reaction to protecting your body from stress. The higher stress levels you have, the harder it will be for you to lose weight.

2) You are not eating enough

We've engraved in our minds that if we eat less, we will weight less. Although, this is not always the case. If you restrict yourself from food too much, it will actually prevent you from losing any weight, as your body is moving into that "survival mode" state and holding on to every ounce of fat you have in order to help you survive.

3) You start questioning healthy foods

We are at a point where some of us actually start questioning healthy foods. A good example of this, is carbs. Most people think that limiting they're carb consumption will help them lose weight. What they don't realize is that they are often cutting all of the healthy carbs, such as fruits and certain vegetable and whole grains.

4) Binge eating / Yo-yo dieting

There are plenty of fad diets out there. Some of you may even be following one or have followed some in the past. Without you realizing, a lot of these diets require you to cut out certain foods or certain food groups. In order for you to achieve your health goals, it is very important that you have a well-balanced diet. When you are cutting out certain foods, you will most likely miss out on essential nutrients and vitamins. Also, cutting out foods can slow down metabolism which will make it hard for your system to keep the weight off when you return to your regular routine.

5) Outings and special events become a struggle

There is nothing more annoying than depriving yourself on special occasions or events. Don't make food revolve around everything you do. Sometimes, it is ok to let go and treat yourself. This will help take away the cravings and satisfy your needs. As long as you have a healthy balance, one day of cheats won't make you fat. So there is no reason for you to feel bad or beat yourself up after having a treat.

Overall, overthinking about food will most likely rise up stress levels and prevent you from losing weight at all. Take it from me, stressing over food shouldn't be an issue. You should be enjoying your life while still being able to achieve a healthy balance. If you are looking to achieve your goals, while still having a healthy balance, I suggest you consult a health professional, like nutritionist or dietitian.