The Fit Pharmacist: Changing Your Mindset About Nutrition

Adam Martin, PharmD: Hi, I’m Adam Martin, founder of The Fit Pharmacist. When it comes to nutrition, pharmacists feel an ethical and moral duty to lead by example. Binge, emotional, or restrictive eating are mental traps that keep pharmacists from reaching goals. Believe it or not, psychology is the real driving force behind our food-related decisions. To get a handle on this mindset, it is important to keep in mind that how you think determines how you feel, which translates to how you act in terms of food and eating choices. Research shows that those who are on a diet tend to overeat even after they have consumed a large meal, while those not on a diet can call it quits and make the last bite the last bite. Why? Focusing solely on food and weight coupled with inflexible and unrealistic eating habits creates an unhealthy relationship with food. Pharmacists cannot afford to fall into this trap. When we talk about emotional eating, it does have a place serving a protective role to help us cope with emotions, but after we emotionally eat, the emotions are still there even though the food is gone. When you feel stress, instead of suppressing it, acknowledge it. This helps effectively manage the emotion, rather than using food as a crutch to cope. You must be willing to accept yourself as you are, and not with conditions such as ‘I must lose 20 pounds,’ or ‘I must run a mile under 7 minutes.’ This can be challenging, scary, and uncomfortable. This is a skill that you might be trying for the very first time, so don’t expect to master it right away. Action is the antidote to fear. Taking action can shift our mindsets and provide relief from fear that may come up when thinking about the effort, obstacles, or time involved with making a change. So, what action steps are we to take?

First, write out what areas in your life that you are not happy about, whether it be your health, job, or relationships.

Second, in those areas, how would you want each of them to look? Be as specific with detail as possible.

Third, what would you want your life to look like if you had all of those wants fulfilled?

Finally, what 1 action will you take to make it happen? Take that first step, and good luck.

Thanks for watching.