Anyone who’s ever been on the internet has seen clickbait articles sharing foods to avoid. These usually feature arbitrary lists of specific foods supported by cherry-picked “research” and dubious-looking doctors.
During the early days of your fitness journey, you may fall prey to these lists. I know I did. In time, however, most of us learn that very little about food and nutrition is so black and white.
As a general rule, I’m not a fan of restrictive behavior around food.
I don’t believe foods are inherently good or bad; so much depends on the individual person, circumstances, and environment.
However, this doesn’t mean I don’t use food rules with myself or my clients. It’s still up to us to figure out which foods work for us and which do not.
Having a little bit of structure can help us make good choices and not feel so lost in a sea of options. The four categories below can help guide you as you decide which foods to eat and which to skip (at least most of the time).
Foods that don’t agree with you
Although some scoff at the preponderance of food allergies these days, the struggle is real for many people.
I’ve worked with dozens of clients who experience physical distress in response to certain foods. This distress can present as stomach or digestive troubles, acne, joint pain, asthma, or an uptick in allergies. Some people have only mild symptoms, others suffer severe discomfort.
In order to feel their best, these clients need to remove certain foods from their regular meals.
Through a combination of food logging and experimentation, you can identify which foods are making you feel bad and gradually replace them with other things.
If you suspect you may have a food allergy or intolerance, it’s best to consult a nutritionist or doctor who can help guide you through the process of identifying problem foods.
Foods you don’t like
Many people have a lot of outdated ideas about what it means to diet or eat healthy.
If I had to eat nothing but bland baked chicken breast and soggy steamed veggies, I never would have stuck with healthy eating over the long term.
You can improve your eating habits without sacrificing flavor, taste, or diversity.
This is why learning how to cook can be so helpful for those trying to lose weight; not only do you have more control over the calorie content of your meals, you learn what it takes to make delicious food.
Your meals should taste good and make you feel good. It is possible to have both.
Foods you can’t stop eating
Some people excel with a moderation-based approach to food. If they completely remove trigger foods (like chips, ice cream, peanut butter, pastries, etc.), they feel deprived and are more likely to overeat those foods later. These people do better when they eat small amounts of treats on a regular basis.
Other people, myself included, do better with an abstinence-based approach to trigger foods. If there’s a food you can’t stop eating, it’s easier to stop yourself before you take the first bite.
I’m willing to bet you already know if this is you. You plan to have a small amount of a food, but it only triggers you to want more and more. Before you know it you’ve eaten way more than you intended and you feel physically and mentally gross.
Read more: Five tips to help you stop stress and emotional eating
If this sounds like you, removing these foods from your house or not ordering them can be a helpful first step in your journey to combat stress or binge eating.
By the way, this can change over time. With increased self-awareness, some people will be able to reintroduce certain foods to their diet in moderate amounts.
The important thing is to be honest with yourself about what will help you feel your best.
Foods you don’t want to eat
Have you ever had a well-meaning friend or family member pressure you into eating a certain food?
This is one of the biggest challenges of losing weight or getting in shape, one that’s not talked about nearly enough.
So much of our history, culture, identity, and emotions can be tied up in food.
Other people may feel resentful, confused, left out, or just oblivious when you’re eating in a new and different way. This leads them to consciously or unconsciously pressure you to eat certain foods or eat more than you’d like.
If you don’t want to eat something – for any reason – it’s okay to say no. It’s not always easy to do, but learning to say no can improve both your fitness outcomes and your relationships.
I hope this gives you some things to consider. Whenever possible, eat foods that taste great, make your brain and body feel good, and support your long-term goals.
Would you like some help figuring out the best nutritional and dietary approach for your unique goals, personality, and lifestyle? Apply for my online training program and I can help.