STRUCTURE vs. REBELLION: Food Freedom for Every Season
I thought a lot lately about how we relate to food while on my latest trip to Japan—especially because I took an intentional break from tracking!
Structure vs Rebellion
If I’m being honest, I’ve always leaned “structured.”
- I like logging
- I like hitting protein targets
- I like knowing exactly what’s going on with my nutrition (It’s part trainer, part recovering-Type-A)
On the flip side, I’ve observed (and experienced) the “rebellion” mindset too. Folks who, after trying to control everything, swing wildly the other direction as soon as they let go. No structure, no awareness, no support—just avoidance. They’re not eating intuitively; they’re avoiding thinking about food at all. And that can backfire too.
The tricky truth? Both extremes—rigid control and total avoidance—can disconnect us from our bodies + cause us trouble.
Our feelings towards food are valuable information. The sweet spot is probably somewhere in the sometimes-murky middle. The place where structure and intuition meet:
- where you build habits and trust ✅
- structure with flexibility ✅
- awareness without obsession ✅
Habits that hold--even when we loosen the grip. As a trainer (and as a human who’s constantly still learning+growing), I’m always practicing this balance too.
On this trip, I experimented with letting go. Not rebelling—but releasing. I didn’t stop caring. I just stopped tracking for a bit. And the funny thing? My body didn’t panic. It whispered. It nudged. It asked gently: “Hey, remember protein?”
- You’re not “bad” if you need structure.
- You’re not “weak” if you want to take a break.
- You’re allowed to recalibrate.
- You’re allowed to come back to center.
If you’re stuck in a cycle of hyper-control or total rebellion, know you're not alone. There is a middle ground.
Question for you: What does “freedom” with food look like for you right now? Is it tracking to learn? Taking a break from tracking to rest? Something else entirely?