How to Cultivate a Wholesome Mindset About Food With Chef Graeme Tomlinson

In the Verywell Mind Podcast, Amy Morin, LCSW, collaborates with authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspiring individuals to explore strategies that empower them to thrive in life.

Subscribe now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

Meet Graeme Tomlinson

Graeme Tomlinson, a nutrition and personal training expert, has garnered over a million followers on Instagram, making it one of the most prominent social media accounts dedicated to nutrition and fitness.

His mission is to educate people about the realities of healthy eating by dispelling common diet myths and exposing the misleading information perpetuated by food advertising.

His latest book, "Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind," provides guidance on developing a healthier relationship with food.

Graeme Tomlinson's Mental Fortitude

Graeme fearlessly challenges prevalent diet culture beliefs that permeate social media. Despite facing criticism, he persists in providing factual information about specific foods and fad diets, aiming to enlighten people about health.

Some readers may find the approach in his book overly simplistic to be credible. However, he remains committed to demonstrating the fallacy of many widely held diet beliefs.

What to Expect in the Podcast

• The most prevalent diet myth that people believe

• The science behind weight loss and wholesome eating

• The risks of self-punishing overeating

• How to overcome self-criticism after consuming foods perceived as unhealthy

• The validity of calorie counting for weight loss

• The true source of motivation for healthy living

• How to incorporate your favorite foods into your diet (and why it's crucial)

• Why "cheat days" are counterproductive

• Food ingredients you should be aware of (and why)

• The benefits of cooking at home

• The reality of organizations that conduct weekly weigh-ins

• How to overcome guilt associated with food

• Cultivating a healthier attitude toward food

• Understanding where and how 70% of your calories are utilized

• The actual number of calories burned during cardio and weightlifting

What You'll Learn About Mental Health and Mental Strength

• The mind and body are deeply interconnected. This applies to both your mental health and your physical well-being. Taking care of your physical health also improves your mental health.

• Being mindful of what you eat is essential. Food nourishes both your brain and body.

• Many misconceptions surround healthy eating, making it challenging to discern fact from fiction. Educating yourself about the facts is crucial; doing so will assure you that the food you consume is beneficial.

Graeme's Quotable Quotes

• "Fundamentally, what are you trying to change? Why do you want to change, and how are you going to do it?" — Graeme Tomlinson

• "Unfortunately, people beat themselves up and think they're immoral for having a slice of pizza...but it turned out to be 4.5% of their weekly intake."

• "I think the advent of social media in the last 15 years has made things a lot more confusing. Because you've got people who are incredibly engaging, who connect with their audience really emotionally, and they're putting out false information. And hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people are going to take that as gospel, even though it's not true."

• "If you go looking for the truth about something, you will find conflicting research; there'll be one study that says one thing, and there'll be another study that says the exact opposite. So it's really difficult. And I think it's important, if you're going to look at science and research, to look at high-quality publications."

Podcast Details

The Verywell Mind Podcast is available on all major streaming platforms. If you enjoy the show, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts.

Reviews and ratings are a wonderful way to support the show and help others prioritize their mental health.

Please note that this transcript has not gone through our normal editorial process, and may contain errors. Your feedback is appreciated. Amy is available for interviews and media requests.

Links and Resources

• Graeme's Instagram: @thefitnesschef_

• Graeme's books can be found here.

Episodes You Might Like: