1. One limits you and the other frees you

That’s true! Diets limit the type of food you can eat making you crave some forbidden ingredients. However, healthy eating on the other side nourishes not only your body but also your mind and spirit. This means that you are allowed to eat the brownie you are craving, but also it means to choose not to eat it, or eat anything else when you are full and satisfied. While dieting forbids you from eating this brownie, healthy eating teaches you to balance between your cravings and health.

2. They have different goals

The goal of dieting is changing your body’s shape or size, while the main aim of healthy eating habits is to shape your health and maintain it. The latter consists of dynamic food choices that can be influenced by different factors and changes. It means choosing foods that are nourishing to your body and soul at that specific moment (think of a craving that you think would make you happy if you eat it at the same time you crave it). Your food choices should take into consideration desire, craving, and nutritional value. They should reflect your own self-care rather than self-control.

3. Healthy eating habits allow you to listen to your body

Your body is always communicating with you. This communication allows you to understand its needs and the messages it is trying to tell you about your overall health. When you adopt strict diets, you are shutting down the sounds of your body which will later on make them unclear for you to understand. Mindful eating can help you stay in touch with your body in order to be able to make the right decisions when it comes to nutrition and health.

4. If you are unsure of what to do, answer these questions

When you are in front of food-related decision and you are wondering whether to eat it because you are craving it or not to eat it because it is ‘forbidden’, ask yourself these questions:

“Do I feel the need to eat this food because it will make me feel good right now, or because it satisfies different needs?”

“Do I want to avoid eating this food because it is not healthy for my body or because it will make me gain weight and I need to lose some?”

It is the way you answer these questions that determine if you have a mentality focused on dieting or one that is focused on eating healthy.