THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT TOXIC NUTRUTIONAL BELIEFS HINDERING YOUR WEIGHT JOURNEY

SOME TOXIC NUTRITIONAL BELIEFS IN THE WAY OF A HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT

This blog is an invitation for you to think about which of your beliefs about body and food can be blocking you of having a healthy relationship with your eating and with body weight.

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Have you noticed that some times even trying hard to lose weight and even losing it,it comes back as if the body itself wants to be fat? Have you noticed that we sabotage in the process and find it difficult to understand the reasons?

Our behaviour around food, eating and appetite is rooted in our beliefs and Mind Paradigms. In most cases, these beliefs are not created by us, we inherit them from family, school, social media. Wew have created some of these paradigms after emotional shocks and traumas That would not be a big deal if this set of beliefs is positive and allows us to have a healthy connection with food, so that, we could see appetite and eating itself as what they are: basic physiological needs through which we can experience pleasure and survival. If we have a healthy mindset about food we are more able to make healthy choices.

Sadly many of us adopt and instal in our minds nutritional beliefs that are negative and make our relationship with our bodies and with food very dysfunctional and anti-natural.

This Blog will explain you some of these Toxic Nutritional Beliefs, giving some general suggestions to harness them for you to have a healthier connection with food, appetite, eating and with the whole body. I will invite you to explore this connection and also how we can acknowledge and shift some misconceptions to cultivate not a cheesy and empty body positivity but a real one that is grounded in nature principles and in trusting body wisdom.

Through years of my personal body journey and working with clients, I have seen the direct impact of these negative nutritional beliefs on body confidence and weight. Shifting these negatives beliefs can be the first step towards having a healthy body weight. I am not stating that the nutritional beliefs is the only factor at play in body weight, as we know, body weight is complex, however our Mind set needs to benutritional beliefs is a fundamental aspect in body weigh and body image.

In my practice as a coach, I have seen many individuals striving to achieve a healthy body weight and implementing positive and health oriented strategies while their minds are bombarded with conflicting, toxic and misled messages about nutrition, body image and health. This misalignment between mind and action, often hinder their journey towards body love. As we know, the subconscious mind always runs the show and if in conflict with our conscious decisions, it overpowers them. The way how it overpowers in sabotaging our intentions, procrastinating our decisions and so on. As this is usually very unconscious it puzzles us and brings confusion and unexplained feelings of inner disappointment.

Some of these Toxic Nutritional beliefs are well ingrained in our collective subconscious and reinforced by the standards of beauty that we have been sold by social media and often by the same industries that make as overweight and dependent o diets to achieve our desires body goals.

When we bring awareness to which are the toxic nutritional beliefs that are running the show for us, we can decide to shift and them replace them for more scientific/nature aligned ones. The first step is to identify which are those beliefs that are in the way of us to achieve a healthy body weight, and for us to pave the way to cultivating body love and a positive relationship with food. By re-framing our perspectives on nutrition, we can experience greater freedom, joy, and empowerment in our dietary choices.

EXAMPLES OF SOME TOXIC NUTRITIONAL BELIEFS:

1. FATS ARE BAD FOR ME, THEY MAKE ME FAT:

We have been conditioned (often by the diet industry), to view fats as the enemy, associating them with weight gain and poor health. This misconception often leads to an aversion to incorporating healthy fats into one's diet, ultimately impacting overall well-being. This misinformation makes people avoid any kind of fat under the statement Fats in my food make my body fat, calorie restrictive diets often limit to the extreme the amount of fat with no discrimination of which are the healthy and which are the not so healthy Fats.

The vilification of dietary fats has perpetuated the misconception that all fats contribute to weight gain. There is a pervasive notion that certain foods or food groups are inherently "bad" or "fattening," leading to restrictive eating patterns and an unhealthy relationship with fat.

THE TRUE IS: Yes, there are fats that are bad for our body because they promote inflammation and make us hungrier since they do not provide us with the nutrition the body needs. There is a long list in this category: canola oil, soy bean oils, peanut oil, margarine, and many others.

However the Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are fundamental part of our nutritional balance. They:

-Support Nutrient Absorption: for example of soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K.

-Help a healthy brain function, our brain is 60% fat and right EFA intake promotes good brain function., clarity, concentration and focus

-Are important for the synthesis of some hormones that regulate Body Weight through sugar and fat metabolism such as Insulin, Glucagon and Cortisol.

-Given those reasons, EFA are important for a healthy Body Weight. A healthy intake of EFA is a great support when you are in a process of losing weight.

As a Final Note: The body needs certain amount of fat as a survival ancestral mechanism. One of the reasons why the body stores it is because sometimes under low calories dies, we are not providing the body with enough Fat. The body needs fat to be in state of safety.

2. FOOD IS MY ENEMY, APPETITE IS MY ENEMY:

For many individuals, the perception of food as an adversary comes from different sources such as: societal/cultural messaging and influences, as well as the diet Industry, which plays a big role in our subconscious choices.

This toxic belief often manifests as a fear of certain foods, a preoccupation with calorie counting, and a pervasive sense of guilt and shame about eating. The fear of food is linked to seeing appetite as an enemy. This can lead to efforts to suppress natural hunger, building rigid and restrictive eating patterns and/or pretending that we do not feel hungry even in extreme situations of food restriction

The actions that come from this toxic belief can impact our physical and emotional well-being because some people specially chronic dieters disconnect from the feeling of appetite as a positive sign and they are in constant fight with it instead. For some of these dieters, appetite is a nuisance in their intention to achieve their desired weight, therefore they always are in struggle whenever appetite and hunger show off.

This is counterproductive because when being appetite a survival mechanism, when it not not attended, cravings is the next thing. In state of craving, we are much more flexible eaters, less able to discern about the food the body needs. When the appetite wakes up it can appear as cravings and binging.

Many of us know people who sit at the table with fear of food, as if food is an enemy (I was one of these people for many years), in state of fear, we are in stress, Stress promote cortisol and insulin hormones unbalances, therefore fat accumulation and inflammation. Mindset influences body Physiology strongly.

THE TRUE IS: We can only suppress appetite for a length of time, after which it reappears. Appetite acts also as a reminder to connect us with the with pleasure of eating, at the same time, appetite when attended, is conducive to a relaxation state, relaxation triggers the parasympathetic state, in this state our digestion is more efficient and the burning calories increases.

Appetite is a great sensor and a regulator of body physiology. The problem is that through unhealthy eating and thinking habits we have distorted its function.

When we feel appetite, we should be grateful and happy we are alive and our bodies are thriving to survive. so that, we eat, feel sensorial satisfaction and provide the body with fuel to thrive, procreate, and create. On top of that we ate meeting a primary need and source of pleasure which is eating.

When we overcome this toxic belief, we dismantle the notion that it is possible and good for us to control or suppress appetite. Appetite is Body Wisdom talking.

3. WILLPOWER IS THE KEY TO CONTROLLING MY FOOD CRAVINGS"

   
   

Mots restrictive calories programs emphasize willpower as the ultimate solution to overcoming cravings and maintaining dietary discipline. This belief fosters guilt and shame when individuals struggle to resist certain foods, creating a cycle of restriction and eventual overindulgence.

THE TRUTH: Food cravings are not a sign of weak willpower but rather an indication of unmet physiological or emotional needs. Restricting food excessively can trigger cravings as the body signals for essential nutrients or comfort. Instead of battling cravings with sheer determination , it is more effective to identify their root causes—whether nutritional deficiencies, emotional distress, or chronic stress—and address them through balanced, nourishing meals and self-care practices. Mindful eating, emotional awareness, and nourishing the body adequately reduce the intensity and frequency of cravings, fostering a healthier relationship with food.

Restrictive diets very often do not follow scientific and physiological principles and very rarely meet the body nutritional needs. The diet designers in the market, usually do not understand the complexity of body physiology. That is why when we break diets, we crave and binge, because survival is much more powerful than willpow

Following a non-restrictive, inclusive approach to nutrition can empower individuals to enjoy a wide variety of foods without guilt or shame. By emphasising the importance of balance, moderation, and flexibility, we can support our journey to break free from the cycle of restrictive dieting and embrace a friendly and nourishing approach to eating.

4. EXERCISING MORE IS THE BEST PATH TO LOSE WEIGHT:

This is the rule that has been sold by many personal trainers and losing weight programs. They say that the strategy of burning as many calories through exercising. In theory, it makes sense, however, this strategy does not count on the levels of stress that the body is given when exercising in extreme and not providing the body with the amount and quality of nutrients to function.

THE TRUTH IS: Although exercising in a healthy and enjoyable way contributes to tap into the relaxed state and therefore is a great factor to have a healthy body weight; some people with the purpose of losing weight over exercise without enjoyment, putting the body under permanent stress. It has been proved that exercising with joy and in a consistent way support body weight balance. Excessive exercise put the body under permanent stress which affects cortisol and insulin hormone, stress is one of the mains obstacles if we want to lose weight. The burning calories is much more efficient when the body is in relaxation state.

Under a regime of high intensity exercise and low calories diet people can lose wight at the beginning, but the body soon reaches a plateau. In this plateau the metabolism and burning calories slows down, making losing weigh more difficult, the survival mechanism is triggered and the body retains fat. When we exercise intensively we some how feel entitled to rewards and the body tends to go for very rich food as a reward, when it happens the body stores more fat as a way t o compensate, it is again the survival mechanism that is triggered when we exercise intensively, cravings fro rich food is very common after intensive exercising.

4. I CAN’T LOVE MY BODY UNTIL I ACHIEVE MY DESIRED BODY WEIGHT

We are very influenced by certain standards of body beauty and body health and these standards often cloud the reality of health and well being. Under this approach, we undermine our body wisdom. When we reject our body in a conscious or unconscious level, the body responds with stress, as we have seen, in stress, the body retains fat as a protective mechanism

When we think that our body is not good enough, is overweight, or is betraying us, we are inviting more of us into our body, therefore we unconsciously sabotage losing weight intentions, and the conscious determination to achieve the body we want. This can sound contradictory but instead, I would say that this is how powerful our mind is. While consciously we want to lose weight, the automatic body response is resisting the very thing we want, because the subconscious mind is always the winner.

THE TRUE IS: We only can change something when we accept it. If we resist, it persists, it is only after we accept, that we can make changes.

Body Love and acceptance is the first step towards transformation. self love must be unconditional, we just need to embrace and acknowledge as it is, even if we do not like it. Often this is enough to see more clearly the things that consciously we need to change in order for our body to do its necessary shifts. Remember that it is the body and not us who makes the changes. The body recognizes when there is alignment between what you think and your actions. The body through its wisdom allows the changes to happen when this alignment happen.

5. "CARBS ARE EVIL AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED"

With the rise of low-carb and ketogenic diets, carbohydrates have been demonized as the main culprit behind weight gain. Many people fear consuming carbs, believing they lead to fat accumulation and metabolic dysfunction. This belief often results in unnecessarily restrictive diets that deprive the body of essential nutrients and energy.

THE TRUTH: Carbohydrates are the body's primary energy source and are crucial for brain function, muscle activity, and overall vitality.

There is a difference between simple and complex carbs. SIMPLE carbs release the glucose quickly in the body and contribute to blood sugar spikes and cravings in this category we can count the REFINED carbs. Such as refined sugar and wheat (brad, patries…) and COMPLEX complex carbohydrates found in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains provide fiber, vitamins, and sustained energy. They are called complex since they take longer to be released as glucose in the body since they have fiber. We need to prefer these complex carbs to have a healthy diet.

Eliminating carbs entirely can lead to fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, and disordered eating patterns, cravings and binging, especially if we do not have enough proteins and Essential Fatty Acids.. Instead of avoiding carbs altogether, focus on consuming high-quality, nutrient-dense sources that support metabolic health and sustained energy.

HOW TO HARNESS NEGATIVE NUTRITIONAL BELIEFS- SOME SUGGESTIONS:

1. Get into Your body: Observe how it receives different foods, the body always gives us feedback, act upon this feedback as if your body is your main influencer.

2. Do not follow standard Diets, be the master of your own body needs, experiment, adapt, dare to try food that is healthy even though you think you would not like, give yourself a chance. Experiment with your body with curiosity as if it is a learning workshop.

3. Listen to your inner voice instead of believing all that the influencers say: Try things for yourself, trust your own intuition, tune into your body wisdom to inform your actions..

5. Approach Professional Support if you need to shift stuck unconscious beliefs blocking your journey for a healthy body weight, be curious about where these negative beliefs come from, talk about them, bring them into your consciousness.

6. Engage with mindful eating practice as a tool. When you eat slowly, you are fostering appreciation for the sensorial experience of eating, you can develop a healthier relationship with food and make choices that support a healthy body weight through enhancing digestion.

7. Find a way of movement that you enjoy and that you can include and adapt to your lifestyle. Any Physical practice that you do with enjoyment will contribute to activating a relaxation state of mind and therefore burning calories.

8. Become the expert on your own body by experimenting with different foods and receiving the body’s feedback. Build your food plan

9. Challenge Negative Self-Talk: Identify whether your food-related beliefs stem from social media, old patterns, or self-judgment. Replace them with positive, science-backed perspectives.

10.Practice Mindful Eating: Eating slowly and attentively fosters

Final Thoughts

bbody weight is influenced by multiple factors, our nutritional beliefs play a significant role. By aligning our mindset with our body's natural physiology, we can cultivate a healthier relationship with food and achieve sustainable well-being. In this blog, I will highlight three common toxic nutritional beliefs and provide insights on how to challenge and replace them with more supportive perspectives.

Breaking free from toxic nutritional beliefs is beyond achieving a certain body weight—it’s about developing a healthier, more fulfilling relationship with food and eating itself. By challenging these misconceptions and aligning our mindset with our body’s natural intelligence, we can cultivate a deep sense of nourishment, body trust, and sustainable well-being.

When we cultivate a sustainable, nourishing, and positive relationship with food and body weight, we are in alignment with nature principles and can embrace a more balanced, intuitive approach to eating, we can support our bodies in a way that fosters lasting well-being.

Let's embrace our body with gratitude, fostering a mindset rooted in self-compassion, gratitude, and balance