Of course, there are exceptions, but this mechanism explains why it’s so tough to change old, familiar habits—especially when it comes to lifestyle and diet. The key is to consciously recognize your routines and habits, then patiently (and maybe with expert help) work to change them. This process can bring anxiety, which everyone handles differently. Have you ever thought about how much your eating habits say about you? Dr. David Hanscom has, and he’s gathered some common traits that reveal a lot about our relationship with food:
You Eat Within Very Rigid Boundaries
We all have some connection to food—after all, eating is essential for survival. Our hunger is deeply rooted in our subconscious, making the urge to eat powerful. That’s why sticking to a strict diet or changing bad habits can feel so challenging. It’s not just about overcoming physical needs; it’s a serious mental challenge too.
You carry an image (usually shaped by what you’ve learned) of how you should eat. When you follow these rules, you feel happy. But if you go against them, you experience inner conflict and discomfort—even if you’re trying to improve! The stricter and higher your standards (or the deeper they were ingrained in childhood), the more energy you’ll need to consciously work through them.
In this case, it’s worth looking at other parts of your life: is there an area where your personality is overly self-critical?
This might be your work, parenting style, how you seize opportunities, or how you evaluate your achievements. Often, parents unintentionally program us to feel “not good enough,” and this can show up in how we approach food.
Health Obsession Taken Too Far
It also says a lot about you if you eat by very strict beliefs and regularly criticize yourself. This not only reduces the joy of eating but also dims the happiness you experience in life overall. If you cling too tightly to certain eating rules and feel guilty when you break them, this distortion can spill over into your personal life.
For example, you might eat very healthily most of the time but see it as a failure if you "let loose" at a party or occasionally eat fast food. In reality, these occasional indulgences have very little impact on your actual health.
The "all or nothing" mindset can show up in eating habits and then affect real life too.
Self-criticism has no end or logical conclusion—you need to consciously choose joy and enjoy the freedom of choice. Health is a great choice, and the best part is that improving your eating habits also boosts your mood and self-esteem.
But if you tend to be very strict about food and harsh on yourself, it’s worth paying extra attention to how this plays out in your personal life. What (self-imposed) rules are you really struggling to meet?
Food as a Source of Joy
It’s not just about people who deny themselves all pleasure and constantly diet or beat themselves up when they slip. Just as common are those who see food as a major source of joy.
Experts often trace this back to childhood patterns, and many adults who do this were rewarded with food as kids. They got ice cream for good behavior and had treats taken away when they didn’t meet expectations.
This pattern doesn’t just disappear in adulthood, and overeating often goes hand in hand with self-reward and self-comfort.
To some extent, this is okay—after all, chocolate is known to help release happiness hormones, so it supports both body and mind. But too much of a good thing can be harmful. If food becomes your only real source of joy, it’s understandable that this won’t be sustainable physically or emotionally.
Recognizing this is already half the battle, and awareness puts the finishing touch on it. When you create some distance between yourself and the urge to snack, its power will gradually fade.
