Never, Always, Best, Worst

Hey everyone, it's Karen here. NEVER. ALWAYS. BEST. WORST. If you come across a nutrition-related article that has any of those words in the title, just stop reading. Seriously. I can hardly scroll through the nutrition feed of any website without those words shouting "read me, read me!" Not only is it total click-bait, but it is probably playing Jedi mind tricks with you. The more normalized these words become in relation to food and eating, the worse off we all are. These words set you up for failure because there is no middle ground. No compromise. No grey area. And the more we hear or read those words, the more we think we are eating the "worst" vegetables (really?!) or "always" eating that gluten we should "never" eat. Taking any advice predicated on these kinds of absolutist words is a no-win proposition. They create shame, anxiety, guilt, and self-doubt (I always eat dinner after 7:00 pm - no wonder I can't lose weight). On the flip side, they can also cause false feelings of security and confidence ("I never drink soda, so I am A-OK!")

Check out the headline below. I guarantee you I was not interviewed for this article because I sometimes eat white bread, packaged cookies, ranch dressing, and french fries (gasp!)

So, my message to you is this: be mindful of the nutrition information you expose yourself to and consume. Keep the positive influences and get rid of the rest. What do you notice? How do you feel? And please, by all means, share any headlines that catch your attention!