The likelihood of clean eating working for you is also dependent on your goals. If you’re looking for weight loss, then calories matter (unless you’re on going keto – i. e. very high fat and very low carb). If you just want health, they are less important. You can still lose weight by eating only rubbish, but doing it in a very restrictive way. Health, however, is multi faceted and requires you to eat a whole food diet with a balanced intake of protein, carbs, fat and fibre, alongside regular exercise, all of which helps with mental health too. Eating this way helps your body feel and function better and can improve gut health massively. Just don’t take ‘health’ too far, and get overly specific or strict with yourself. This can lead to increased mental stress and a range of physical issues too (nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances etc.).

To put it another way: being healthy means being healthy most but not all of the time. If we incorporate the 80/20 rule into our lifestyle (80% adherence to a health plan), we are more likely to walk away with a) our health intact and b) a good relationship with food. Because loving yourself needn’t be hell. It can be fun, and taste good, too.