Christmas has already come and gone, but the guilt from all the holiday cookies, cocktails, and indulgent meals may be lingering.
Food guilt is natural, and can be perfectly healthy if you’re able to recognize it, learn from the situation, let the guilt go, and move on.
But when food guilt leads to intense self-criticism, overeating, over-exercising, or jumping into a restrictive diet or detox, it’s no longer serving us in a positive way. When we hang on to food guilt, it most often leads to spiraling out of control.
Holding onto that guilt after eating can sabotage your weight loss efforts. Constantly yo yo-ing from eating healthy to overeating or eating unhealthy foods can leave you feeling bloated and lethargic, and it can be a real downer for your self-esteem.
Food guilt is such an energy suck. It makes us feel bad about ourselves, which can lead to feelings of unworthiness and feeling like a failure.
It can also make getting back to healthy habits after the holidays harder. Letting go of that food guilt will make living a consistent healthy lifestyle easier! So what’s the first step to ditching food guilt?
Let go of the idea that food is either good or bad. You can enjoy all foods in moderation. Especially on holidays, give yourself permission to truly enjoy your favorite foods of the season. Christmas cookies aren’t evil and they’re not going to ruin your diet or your life.
Some foods are nourishing for your body, and some aren’t. The foods that aren’t nourishing for your body aren’t evil or bad. They might even be nourishing for your soul.
Discover how you can let go of food guilt for good by taking my emotional eating quiz here.