Adopting either of these mindsets has the potential to make a big difference to your training and nutrition. Many fad diets or protocols these days are often associated with frequent exercise in order to ‘earn your food’, and there is a stark difference between this and fuelling your body with enough food to perform optimally in your chosen form of exercise. Having the mindset of ‘earning your food’ is a slippery slope which may result in an unhealthy relationship with food and/or disordered eating patterns.
So, what are some potential ways to avoid this? These are just our thoughts and opinions, however we believe that putting a large emphasis on your training and exercise performance can have a profound positive impact on your relationship with food and exercise! Plus, it’s important to note that you don’t need to be an athlete or sports-oriented individual to have training goals. Therefore, shifting your focus from burning energy to improving training performance instead may result in a better relationship with food and exercise, ultimately leading to an improved outlook on body composition and more sustainable results.
For example:
- Set yourself a strength goal you would like to achieve on three lifts.
- Run a certain distance in a given amount of time, rather than running based on the calories you burn.
- Choose to engage in different forms of exercise you enjoy and/or train with a friend. Focus on the endorphin rush you get from these types of activities, rather than solely seeing food as a reward and the only form of pleasure.
Ultimately, long-term results will be achieved by progressing through a training regimen that you ENJOY, and one that makes you feel strong and empowered. Having a healthy relationship with your food is just the cherry on top to make this process even more enjoyable and sustainable.
Of course this can be easier said than done, so feel free to message us for any help ☺️ And just for clarification, we definitely aren’t saying there’s anything wrong with looking forward to a nice meal after a large bout of exercise – we’re just suggesting that this shouldn’t be the prime driver for moving your body in the first place!