Why It's Hard To Change Our Diets (And What To Do About It)

“I know what I should be eating but I can’t motivate myself to do it!” This is a common complaint I hear from patients. 

I want to first start off by reminding anyone who struggles with this to go easy on themselves. Food is a great source of comfort to people and carbohydrates and fats are fuels that our bodies are wired to gravitate towards. 

There are a number of underlying factors that could be contributing to this struggle. Below are just a few. 

Your Relationship With Food Needs Help  

If you constantly feel like you are trying and failing with some sort of weight loss diet (keto, paleo, sugar free etc.) the root issue could be that you have a negative relationship with food and body image. This could trap you in a perpetual state of hating your body, placing challenging demands on yourself to restrict food, feeling overwhelmed and eventually giving up on your diet plan. If this is the case, we need to work on healing this relationship with food and the body - something I love helping patients with.  

You Need Support With Anxiety Or Depression 

It’s hard to make food choices that nourish our bodies when our mental health is not in a great place. When we feel anxious, worried or down, we tend to want something that gives us a quick boost in mood. Foods higher in sugar, fat and salt can trigger more of a reward response in our brains - especially if we associate these types of foods with happier times. The root of the issue here may be that underlying anxiety, stress or depression is not being dealt with. Cravings may be a sign that your body needs some support with mental health - a topic that I’m passionate about.  

You’re Burnt Out 

When you’re depleted of energy and exhausted, the thought of preparing home cooked foods or even grocery shopping can be overwhelming. If you wish you could eat more fresh or home cooked foods but can’t muster the energy to do it, work on getting some help with addressing the fatigue. Fatigue can be caused by a number of things including hormonal imbalances and nutrient deficiencies. 

Food is a big deal. It’s a source of nutrition as well as joy and comfort. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t craft your diet into a state of complete perfection (which is defined differently by everyone anyways). If you struggle with exploring a new way of eating that you’re interested in, rather than berating yourself for not having enough willpower, address the barriers that are getting in the way.