There is no such thing as a “bad day of eating”
Good days & bad days are a thing - we all have them. Same as good weeks and bad weeks
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But NOT with FOOD!!
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-> Good day ie “been good and eaten well”
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-> Bad day ie. “been bad and eaten badly”
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I’d love to ask you this: Have you ever said, thought or compensated for a “bad food day” or “bad food week”? Telling yourself that it’s OK because you’ll be “good tomorrow”, “good next week” or you’ll “start on Monday” ?
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I hear you. But this is diet culture talking - and I challenge you to stop dictating the type of day you’ve had by your food choices.
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Why is this a problem?
Firstly, there is no food choice that would warrant the title of a “good or bad food day”.
Secondly, there is no “perfect” way of eating and no “perfect diet”.
Thirdly, if you genuinely feel you’ve had a “bad food day”, chances are you’re also feeling guilty. Guilty for the food choices you made that day (read my post on food guilt here). Chances are you may then think about or actively compensate the next day (that may also be governed by a particular food rule like removing a particular food group) . It may also involve some negative self-talk and the feeling that you need to somehow punish yourself for ‘giving in’. And to be frank, this is not ok. Your body and your mind deserve more than this. YOU, an incredible human being, deserve more than this.
So tell me, how is this way of thinking going to improve your health?
(hint: it’s not)
So what DO you do if and when these feelings and thoughts start to creep back?
Maybe you have a lot going on in your life, or maybe you've been away on holidays? Maybe you feel you've been pulled away from your 'normal' life routine making you feel not quite like yourself. What do you do if you start to moralise your food choices, feeling shame and guilt for what you've eaten during this time?
The best thing you can do for your health when these thoughts start coming back is...
..Firstly, remind yourself that a “bad food day” is not a thing and there is no “perfect” way of eating.
Next, reflect on why you are feeling this way and have some self-compassion. You do not need to punish yourself for living life or for things that are completely out of your control.
Lastly, simply take it back to basics and start to find your normal routine again. One small step at a time.
No punishment. No compensation. No guilt. No restriction. No letting it fill up PRECIOUS space in your mind.
Just go back to your normal routine.
Maybe that’s cooking more at home, drinking more water or going to bed earlier. Whatever a ‘normal routine’ means for you. Find your baseline.
See if THAT makes a difference to your health, because “good and bad food days” are not a thing
I hope you found this article helpful - You may also enjoy my blog about fearing dessert, and this one about weight fluctuations.
Is there a topic you'd like to see me write about? Let me know!
written for you by
Melissa Eaton
A university qualified Dietitian (MNutrDiet), Nutritionist (BSc ANutr.), PhD student, and former teacher from Sydney, Australia.
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