Reframing Language Around Your Eating and Exercising
We’ve all talked about our relationship with eating and exercising - to a family member, a friend, a therapist. But the words we choose to describe this relationship have a deeper psychological effect than we may recognize. Let’s discuss…
When we use phrases like, “I need to eat good” or “I’ve been bad with exercise!” we’re not only engaging in indirect negative self talk- putting ourselves down without actually saying mean words- but we’re also wiring our brain to normalize the “all or nothing principle.” What does that even mean?
By using language like “bad” versus “good” or “healthy” versus “unhealthy” we’re ultimately doing 3 things:
1) We’re putting some foods and “activities” off limits.
Rather than finding a balance with all foods, prioritizing those that are nutrient-dense, we are telling ourselves that there are certain foods we should. never. eat. What happens when the brain tells itself it can never have something again? It cues the binging and restricting cycle, which no one wants to perpetuate. Similarly, with exercise, we’re calling ourselves lazy if our body’s crave a rest day. What happens when we don’t honor rest and recovery? The body injures, and the body’s hormones get out of wack. Speaking from someone with experience, restoring hormones is no easy feat and has no quick fix.
2) We are convincing ourselves that we are doing something wrong, that we aren’t good enough.
When you tell yourself something enough, you will start to believe it. By using harsh phrases like “I have no self control I’m always so bad” you’re chipping away at your confidence and self-worth. Negative self-talk can have some pretty damaging impacts to our overall health. In studies, it’s been found that those who engage in negative-self talk more regularly have higher rates of anxiety, depression, stress levels, and lowered self-esteem. All of these factors can lead to a lack of motivation as well as greater feelings of helplessness, which in turn perpetuate the cycle of craving unhealthy foods and not wanting to exercise. It’s an exhausting hamster wheel! All because of the words chosen to describe a behavior.
3) We aren’t being specific
It’s near impossible to make changes in your behavioral health when those changes are vague. What does “healthy” or “good” even mean to you? How can you define being “bad” or “unhealthy?” It’s important to note that being specific will not only give you a tangible goal to work towards, but it will ease the general anxiety that comes from not knowing exactly what you need to do, or where you need to begin.
So, what can we do to help reframe our language surrounding eating and exercising & help set a more positive standard around our word choice?
At the end of the day, it takes time to undo behaviors that have crept in as habit. If you are someone who feels they’d like to try reframing the language they use to describe their food choices and exercise, try integrating some of the examples above into your routine. You can start by:
Writing one or two descriptive goals down
Asking yourself, “is it realistic?”
Envision how you’d like to start working towards your goal
Begin the planning process
For those of you who took the time to read this, thank you! Please let me know if you have any questions or are interested in speaking further about this topic!