Words Matter

Words Matter:

How the Language We Use Around Food Shapes What We Believe

Cheat days. Being "good". Feeling "naughty". It's time we talked about the words we use - and what they’re really saying.

We talk about food all the time. What we’re eating, what we’re not. What we’re cutting out, craving, making up for, giving in to.

And often, we don’t even notice the language we’re using.
“I was so bad last night.”
“I’ve been really good this week.”
“I deserve this.”
“It’s a cheat day.”

Harmless? Maybe. But also - maybe not.

Because every time we label a food as “bad” or a choice as “naughty,” we’re not just describing what we ate. We’re passing quiet judgement on ourselves. Framing food in moral terms turns eating into a reflection of our character. And over time, those throwaway comments start to sound a lot like truth.

Food is not a moral issue

Let’s be clear: food does not have a moral value. It is not good or bad. It is not sinful or saintly. It is just food - fuel, culture, pleasure, nourishment, comfort, convenience, celebration. Sometimes all in one meal.

But when we assign it moral weight, we create a narrative where eating something “bad” makes us bad. Where needing help to manage our health becomes a sign of failure. Where enjoying food becomes something to confess.

This isn’t just semantics - it’s shame, dressed up as self-discipline.

Language shapes belief. Belief shapes behaviour.

Think of the words you use when you talk about food. Are you allowed to have pudding? Are you making up for a takeaway? Have you earned your meal?

These patterns aren’t accidental - they’ve been shaped by years of messaging. From diet ads to family dinners, we’ve been taught that eating should come with rules. And if we break them, guilt is the price.

But here’s the thing: guilt is not a helpful ingredient. It doesn’t make us healthier. It doesn’t build consistency. It doesn’t encourage reflection. It simply adds an emotional tax to every bite - and we pay it, often without realising.

You don’t have to talk about food this way.

What if you started listening to yourself a bit more closely?

What if “I was naughty last night” became “I really enjoyed that meal”?
What if “I’ve been good all week” became “I’ve been making choices that feel good in my body”?
What if there were no “cheat days” - just days, with different kinds of food?

This isn’t about policing your words or finding the perfect phrasing. It’s about offering yourself a little kindness, and leaving space for more helpful beliefs to take root.

You are not a better or worse person based on what you eat. You are not a success or a failure based on the number of biscuits you’ve had. You are a human being, navigating food in a noisy world -and that’s already enough.

A small experiment

Try this for the next few days:
Listen to the way you talk about food - to yourself, to friends, in passing moments. Gently notice where judgement slips in. Then, try changing just one phrase. Soften it. Reframe it. See how it feels.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about possibility.

Because when we change the way we speak about food, we don’t just quiet the noise - we open the door to a healthier, kinder, more sustainable way forward.

You don’t have to earn your food.
You don’t have to apologise for eating.
And you never need to feel guilty for nourishing your body.

Words matter. Choose the ones that serve you.