Reframe how you think about food and fitness.
When you think of a big bowl of pasta, topped with yummy cheese and served with freshly-baked bread, how do you label the food? Is it ‘good’, ‘bad’ or is it, well, just food? One effective way to heal your mindset is to shift from giving meaning to food. This can be done through a behavioral therapy technique called positive reinforcement and conditioning, says psychologist Dr. Yvonne Thomas, Ph.D.
For example, when you’re eating a protein bowl with a balanced amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates, start to list all of the ways it makes you feel. Maybe it fulfills a craving. Perhaps it fuels you for your next workout. Then, do the same thing with exercise. Focus on how much stronger you’re feeling, how excited you are to see a workout buddy, and how proud you are of yourself for sticking to a routine. This creates habits that turn into a lifestyle — and not a fad.
“When you keep participating in an activity and feeling good about it, that activity can naturally become part of your regular routine because you are subconsciously conditioned to keep going,” she continues. “This occurrence is referred to as positive reinforcement in which your behavior makes you feel good!”
Yvonne Thomas Ph.D. is a well known therapist in Los Angeles CA. To read the full article “Do You Have An Unhealthy Relationship With Diet And Exercise? Here’s How To Heal It” visit edit.sundayriley.com