​How we view the world says a lot about our mental health and well-being. Frequently, the way we see the world depends on our thoughts, beliefs, and cognitions. Of course, not all our thoughts are helpful or even true, which can result in cognitive distortion.

A cognitive distortion is a flawed or inaccurate pattern of thinking that often leads to viewing the world through a negative filter.

While there are multiple types of cognitive distortions, many people have experienced all-or-nothing thinking.

All-or-nothing thinking, sometimes referred to as black-and-white thinking, involves perceiving the world as binary. It’s a tendency to see things as “good/bad” or “either/or,” with nothing in between. This thought pattern lends itself to perfectionism and can cause us to throw in the towel when things don’t go perfectly.

Unfortunately, we frequently find all-or-nothing thinking in the nutrition and health realm. In fact, this faulty thinking is so ubiquitous in diet culture that we can coin it the all-or-nothing diet mentality. This mentality often shows up in restrictive diets and unhelpful beliefs about food and health.

The good news is that we can challenge an all-or-nothing diet mentality. Read on to learn more about black-and-white thinking, the all-or-nothing diet mentality, and five steps you can take to break free from all-or-nothing dieting.

What Is All-or-Nothing Thinking About Food

Do any of these statements sound familiar?

• I can’t eat that food because it is “bad” for me.
• Next week I will start eating “clean,” and I mean it this time.
• I gave into that cookie today, so I guess I blew my whole diet. I might as well give up entirely.
• I am going to give up eating chocolate starting tomorrow. In the meantime, let me finish all the chocolate in the house.
• I can’t be trusted around certain foods. I know I will eat the entire box if I have one or two.

These are examples of all-or-nothing thinking and how it can creep into our beliefs about food and our bodies.

All-or-nothing thinking is a cognitive distortion that can lead to believing in extremes and not considering the gray areas. When it comes to all-or-nothing thinking, you either succeed or fail; there is no room for a middle ground.

When it comes to eating, many people think of foods as good or bad, leading to restrictive food rules and an all-or-nothing diet mentality. With an all-or-nothing diet, there is no room for flexibility, which can set us up for failure and ultimately damage our self-esteem. It can also lead to a cycle of yo-yo dieting (or losing and regaining weight).

What Causes an All-or-Nothing Diet Mentality

An all-or-nothing diet mentality occurs when we think of foods or health as binary. For example, labeling foods as good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, fattening or not fattening, clean or toxic, and so on. We may even begin to label ourselves as good or bad based on our food choices. With all-or-nothing eating, you are either “all-in” or “all-out,” without any room for flexibility or moderation.

An all-or-nothing diet mindset often results from diet culture and years of restrictive dieting. This is because any new weight loss diet comes with a long list of food rules, and most diets or diet products are rooted in faulty all-or-nothing thinking.

For example, you need to eat this, or you shouldn’t eat that. You need to eat during this window of time and never eat after 7 pm. The list of “good” versus “bad” goes on and on.

Restrictive food rules such as these can train our minds to believe in extremes. We either follow the diet completely, without mistakes, or we fall off the wagon. An all-or-nothing diet cycle can occur as chronic dieters swing from one extreme to another, alternating between strict diets and eating with abandon.

Additionally, many people approach their personal health goals from the lens of all-or-nothing thinking, setting themselves up for failure. It’s not uncommon to set big, idealistic goals. But what happens when we inevitably encounter a barrier? Even small mistakes leave us defeated when we have an all-or-nothing approach to health.

All-or-Nothing Thinking Examples:

Some examples of all-or-nothing thinking include:

• Labeling foods as either/or (e.g., good foods versus bad foods, healthy versus unhealthy, toxic versus clean)
• Following strict and inflexible food rules, such as giving up sugar or avoiding your favorite foods
• Swinging between restrictive diets and eating with abandon
• Cycling between unsustainable fad diets
• Having a strict definition of what a “good” diet looks like
• Setting a big goal but giving up because that goal was unrealistic

Good vs. Bad Foods

Perhaps the most common example of all-or-nothing thinking in nutrition is labeling foods as good versus bad and, thereby, defining ourselves as good or bad based on our eating behaviors.

The problem with this form of dichotomous thinking is that it can attribute far too much power to certain foods and leave us feeling like failures if we succumb to these “bad foods.”

For many of us, foods labeled as bad are powerful enough to ruin our day and cause feelings of guilt and shame. For some, consuming “bad” foods may even warrant punishment, such as purging or overly restrictive diets, which can lead to a host of problems.

Research suggests that those engaged in rigid dietary methods are more likely to report symptoms of eating disorders, higher anxiety, depression, and excessive concern with body size and shape compared to those with flexible dietary strategies.

Real-Life Scenarios

So now that we know the definition of all-or-nothing eating, let’s look at how it can impact our lives. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
You start a new diet, and everything is going well at first. You’ve been on similar diets to lose weight in the past, but you’re optimistic that this time will be different. Your stomach is rumbling most days, but you can ignore that for a while. Then comes the party…

You attend a gathering with some friends. You have all your favorite foods that aren’t allowed on this new diet, and then you have some more.

The following day, you feel like a failure, which leads to a weekend of binge eating. Unfortunately, this pattern of dieting and bingeing has played out before and will likely play out again with the next fad diet.

Or how about this scenario:

You work hard Monday through Friday, including following a set of strict food rules. You love ice cream, pizza, and chocolate, but those are strictly “cheat day foods.” When it’s finally the weekend, you indulge in these foods until you are uncomfortably full, only to restrict again on Monday.

One day, your best friend invites you to a pizza place on a Tuesday, and you have to decline. You skip spending time with your friend because you are nervous about having pizza in the middle of the week. You rationalize that pizza is weekend food.

Why Is It a Problem?

An all-or-nothing diet mentality is a problem because it traps us in a cycle of restrictive dieting. Additionally, it does not allow for the flexibility needed to build healthy, sustainable eating patterns.

In fact, all-or-nothing thinking may be associated with:

• Lower self-esteem and poor body image
• Perfectionism and fear of failure
• Binge eating
• Anxiety and depression
• Increased risk of disordered eating
• Lower resiliency in the face of hardships
• Negative emotions and thoughts
• Loss of control around certain foods

How to Stop All-or-Nothing Eating

The good news is that we can overcome cognitive distortions with time and practice. Try these five steps to stop the all-or-nothing diet mentality.

Step 1. Learn to recognize an all-or-nothing diet mentality

The first step to overcoming all-or-nothing eating is to identify our binary or dichotomous thoughts. How can we identify all-or-nothing thinking when it comes to nutrition? Try asking the following questions:

• Do I set rigid or restrictive rules around food and eating? If so, what are those rules?
• Do I label foods as “good foods” vs. “bad foods?”
• What happens when I eat a food that I deem “bad?”
• Do I use the terms “never,” “always,” or “nothing” frequently? (These words can be a big clue that you are in an all-or-nothing cycle.)

Begin to recognize that the all-or-nothing diet mentality produces an uncompromising attitude that can make us feel stuck or unable to adapt. On the other hand, flexible thinking allows us to see a situation from all angles.

Once we have identified our thought patterns as two ends of a spectrum, we can challenge this all-or-nothing thinking by finding the middle ground.

Step 2: Look for shades of gray

Checking for alternative views of a situation or different possible outcomes-shades of gray-can create a more balanced outlook on life.

In all-or-nothing or black-and-white thinking, foods can be “good” or “bad,” and rules are followed or broken. This strict form of thinking can set us up for failure and leave us feeling guilty when something goes wrong.

By monitoring our thought patterns for black-and-white thinking, we can start to challenge our cognitions around food and move toward the gray space.

You can think of the gray space as the area between black-and-white thinking. It is where you can explore your relationship with food and your body without judgment. There are no unhealthy foods in the gray space. Instead, we can see that all foods fit into our diets and lives. 

For some, this gray space may mean learning to build a balanced diet that includes all their favorite foods. For others, it may look like reframing their definition of health. Ultimately, exploring the gray middle ground helps us adopt eating patterns that are flexible and sustainable.  

Try the following activity to start discovering shades of gray:

• First, describe a situation when you experienced all-or-nothing thinking.
• What was the “all” in this scenario, and what was the “nothing?”
• What other possibilities or gray areas were there for that situation?

Step 3: Stop thinking of foods as good or bad

Remove good vs bad food from your vocabulary. Most importantly, stop defining yourself as a good or bad person based on your food choices.

You can think of this step as neutralizing or balancing your thoughts about food. By balancing your mindset, you remove the negative associations surrounding “bad” foods and recognize that your favorite foods can have a place in a balanced diet.

The benefit of no longer labeling foods as good or bad is that it neutralizes the power held over us by what we consider “bad” foods. If all foods are allowed in the diet, we will be less likely to restrict, binge, or feel out of control around those “bad” foods.

For some, the idea of allowing all foods in the diet may trigger fears that it could result in unrestrained or binge eating. Notice that this is another example of an all-or-nothing thought pattern in which you can either eat no cookies or all the cookies with no room for moderation. In general, the opposite is usually true. Once previously “bad” foods are allowed in your diet, you’ll likely notice that your mind and your plate are more balanced.

Step 4: Question the food rules

Who says that you can’t eat pizza during the week? Or that added sugar has no place in the diet? Strict food rules like these are frequently rooted in black-and-white thinking because you are either “all in” or “all out.”

Try this instead: Give yourself unconditional permission to eat the foods you enjoy without the harsh food rules.

Step 5: Set small, achievable goals

The final step to overcoming all-or-nothing eating is to set achievable and sustainable health goals. So many individuals have fallen into the trap of setting health goals that are daunting and demanding.

Imagine you’re working toward a goal but make a small mistake along the way. All-or-nothing thinking might cause you to label yourself as a failure for that misstep.

For example, perhaps you would like to start meal planning more often so that you won’t be as reliant on takeout. An all-or-nothing goal might be to make an eating plan for all meals and snacks for the entire week. It’s not realistic! On the other hand, an achievable goal could be planning three meals for the following week.

Now it is your turn. Have you ever set a goal that was so big it was impossible to achieve? What might you do instead?

When to Seek Additional Support

Sometimes, all-or-nothing thinking can be associated with more severe issues such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders. If that is the case, it is best to work through cognitive distortions with the help of a therapist or mental health professional.

It’s never a bad idea to seek support from a mental health professional, especially if your thoughts or emotions interfere with your daily life.

Final Thoughts on the All-or-Nothing Diet Mentality

Thinking in extremes- not considering the gray areas of a situation- is known as all-or-nothing thinking. Thoughts like this often label foods as either “all good” or “all bad,” resulting in an all-or-nothing diet mentality.

Additionally, all-or-nothing thinking traps can produce an inflexible attitude and make us feel stuck or overwhelmed. Checking for alternative views of a situation or shades of gray is one way to create a more balanced outlook.

Confronting all-or-nothing thinking can be daunting, but it is crucial for building long-term healthy eating patterns free from restrictive food rules. By challenging all-or-nothing thoughts, we can take steps to build a better relationship with food and ourselves.

​When it comes to maintaining and enhancing long-term health, the advice of your primary care physician is invaluable, especially concerning dietary habits. Often misconceived as mere temporary eating regimens, the true essence of a “diet” lies in its permanent role as a lifestyle of disciplined choices that support lasting health. This article delves into the core elements that constitute a healthy diet and the impact of sustained dietary discipline as recommended by health professionals.

Understanding Diet as a Lifestyle Choice

The concept of diet extends far beyond temporary fixes or rapid weight loss. It embodies a comprehensive approach to eating that influences various aspects of health and well-being. Here’s how you can adopt a dietary lifestyle that promotes enduring health benefits:

1. Balance and Variety:

A balanced diet incorporates a diverse array of foods to ensure that you receive all necessary nutrients. Primary care physicians stress the importance of including a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and fats in daily meals. This variety not only supports bodily functions but also contributes to disease prevention.

2. Portion Control:

Understanding and implementing portion control is crucial. It’s easy to overeat, even healthy foods, which can lead to weight gain and associated health issues. Doctors often advise using smaller plates, measuring servings, and being mindful of hunger and fullness cues to maintain portion control.

3. Regular, Balanced Meals:

Skipping meals can lead to overeating later in the day. Primary care physicians recommend regular meal schedules that include three balanced meals per day, possibly supplemented by healthy snacks. This regularity helps stabilize blood sugar levels, control appetite, and sustain energy throughout the day.

4. Limiting Processed Foods:

Minimizing the intake of highly processed foods is essential for maintaining health. These foods are often high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and sodium, which can contribute to various health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Instead, focus on whole and minimally processed foods.

The Importance of Dietary Discipline

Discipline is key to transforming diet from a concept into a lifestyle. Here’s how disciplined dietary habits can make a significant difference in health outcomes:

1. Consistency Over Perfection:

Adopting a healthy diet doesn’t mean you can never indulge. Rather, it’s about consistency in making healthy choices. Primary care physicians advocate for a realistic approach to diet, suggesting that occasional treats are part of a balanced lifestyle as long as healthy choices are made most of the time.

2. Educating Yourself on Nutritional Values:

Understanding the nutritional value of foods can empower you to make informed decisions. Doctors often provide resources or refer patients to dietitians to further their understanding of nutrition, helping them make choices that align with their health goals.

3. Long-term Goal Setting:

Setting long-term health goals can motivate sustained dietary discipline. Whether it’s reducing the risk of chronic disease, managing weight, or improving overall vitality, clear goals can guide your dietary choices and help maintain focus.

Conclusion

A healthy diet is a foundational aspect of long-term health, emphasizing not just the foods eaten but the lifestyle adopted. Primary care physicians play a crucial role in guiding patients toward sustainable dietary habits through education, support, and practical advice. By understanding and implementing these principles, individuals can enjoy the benefits of improved health and well-being, demonstrating that a disciplined approach to diet is not just about restriction but about nurturing oneself holistically.

​Wondering what the top obstacles are that keep you from achieving fitness goals? We’ve made this list to help you find out!

• STOP dieting – diets only provide temporary results; instead, change what is wrong with your diet and you will see long term, lasting results.

• STOP ignoring pain – it is a sign something is wrong. Fix it.

• STOP making everything else in your life a priority over your own health. It will catch up to you sooner than you think. You were only given one body, treat it as such.

• STOP believing that showing up is good enough – you have to work hard to see the results you want.

• STOP doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result – If what you are doing is not working, find something else that does work. This doesn’t mean following the latest fad, find what works for you!

• STOP following advice from people who are not any more educated than you are about health/fitness. This includes: significant others, family members, news outlets, TV shows, and magazines. Find a credible source of information that you can believe in and trust. Then, stick with that source for the long term.



• STOP doing cardio and skipping strength training – muscles start to atrophy (get weaker) after just 3 days. Use it or lose it.

Hundreds of fad diets, weight-loss programs and outright scams promise quick and easy weight loss. However, the foundation of successful weight loss remains a healthy, calorie-controlled diet combined with increased physical activity. For successful, long-term weight loss, you must make permanent changes in your lifestyle and health habits.
How do you make those permanent changes? Consider following these six strategies for weight-loss success.

1. Make sure you're ready

Long-term weight loss takes time and effort — and a long-term commitment. While you don't want to put off weight loss indefinitely, you should make sure you're ready to make permanent changes to eating and activity habits. Ask yourself the following questions to help you determine your readiness:

• Am I motivated to lose weight?
• Am I too distracted by other pressures?
• Do I use food as a means to cope with stress?
• Am I ready to learn or use other strategies to cope with stress?
• Do I need other support — either from friends or professionals — to manage stress?
• Am I willing to change eating habits?
• Am I willing to change activity habits?
• Do I have the time to spend on making these changes?

Talk to your doctor if you need help addressing stressors or emotions that seem like obstacles to your readiness. When you're ready, you'll find it easier to set goals, stay committed and change habits.

2. Find your inner motivation

No one else can make you lose weight. You must undertake diet and exercise changes to please yourself. What's going to give you the burning drive to stick to your weight-loss plan?

Make a list of what's important to you to help you stay motivated and focused, whether it's an upcoming vacation or better overall health. Then find a way to make sure that you can call on your motivational factors during moments of temptation. You might want to post an encouraging note to yourself on the pantry door or refrigerator, for instance.

While you have to take responsibility for your own behavior for successful weight loss, it helps to have support — of the right kind. Pick people to support you who will encourage you in positive ways, without shame, embarrassment or sabotage.

Ideally, find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, spend time exercising with you or creating healthy menus, and share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle. Your support group can also offer accountability, which can be a strong motivation for sticking to your weight-loss goals.

If you prefer to keep your weight-loss plans private, be accountable to yourself by having regular weigh-ins, recording your diet and exercise progress in a journal, or tracking your progress using digital tools.

3. Set realistic goals

It may seem obvious to set realistic weight-loss goals. But do you really know what's realistic? Over the long term, it's smart to aim for losing 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week. Generally to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day, through a lower calorie diet and regular physical activity.

Depending on your weight, 5% of your current weight may be a realistic goal, at least for an initial goal. If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kilograms), that's 9 pounds (4 kilograms). Even this level of weight loss can help lower your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

When you're setting goals, think about both process and outcome goals. "Walk every day for 30 minutes" is an example of a process goal. "Lose 10 pounds" is an example of an outcome goal. It isn't essential that you have an outcome goal, but you should set process goals because changing your habits is a key to weight loss.

4. Enjoy healthier foods

Adopting a new eating style that promotes weight loss must include lowering your total calorie intake. But decreasing calories need not mean giving up taste, satisfaction or even ease of meal preparation.

One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without giving up taste or nutrition.

Get your weight loss started with these tips:

• Eat at least four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits daily.
• Replace refined grains with whole grains.
• Use modest amounts of healthy fats, such as olive oil, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, nut butters and nut oils.
• Cut back on sugar as much as possible, except the natural sugar in fruit.
• Choose low-fat dairy products and lean meat and poultry in limited amounts.

5. Get active, stay active

While you can lose weight without exercise, regular physical activity plus calorie restriction can help give you the weight-loss edge. Exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can't cut through diet alone.

Exercise also offers numerous health benefits, including boosting your mood, strengthening your cardiovascular system and reducing your blood pressure. Exercise can also help in maintaining weight loss. Studies show that people who maintain their weight loss over the long term get regular physical activity.

How many calories you burn depends on the frequency, duration and intensity of your activities. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise — such as brisk walking — for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Some people may require more physical activity than this to lose weight and maintain that weight loss.

Any extra movement helps burn calories. Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day if you can't fit in formal exercise on a given day. For example, make several trips up and down stairs instead of using the elevator, or park at the far end of the lot when shopping.

6. Change your perspective

It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for only a few weeks or even months if you want long-term, successful weight management. These habits must become a way of life. Lifestyle changes start with taking an honest look at your eating patterns and daily routine.

After assessing your personal challenges to weight loss, try working out a strategy to gradually change habits and attitudes that have sabotaged your past efforts. Then move beyond simply recognizing your challenges — plan for how you'll deal with them if you're going to succeed in losing weight once and for all.

​You likely will have an occasional setback. But instead of giving up entirely after a setback, simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once. Stick to your healthy lifestyle and the results will be worth it.