What would you say if I told you that to have a successful eating plan you will need to indulge? When we think of the word indulge we think of overeating, overdoing it, excess and something that we shouldn’t do. I believe the opposite. My favorite definition of indulge is to allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of…
The key to a successful and balanced eating plan is satisfaction. We need to eat foods that satisfy us or it will not be sustainable. Having pleasure with food is so important and SO healthy. When we feel good when we eat, we have better digestion, a positive experience which releases all sorts of healthy chemicals within our bodies, and we feel a sense of satisfaction and contentment that better allows us to stop eating when our body has had enough. The foods that sound satisfying often have nutrients and compositions that give your body the things it needs to work optimally as well.
Simply Listen
It is so important to listen to what the body is telling us. It will tell you when it is physically hungry, when it has had enough, what foods it wants and if that food was a good choice for its ideal function and health. We just have to listen. All of these components are so important. If you don’t listen to your body when it tells you it needs food and you allow it to get overly hungry then it will be very difficult for your body to tell you what it really needs to eat. For instance, if you are starving, it throws your body out of balance and your body starts working in more of a survival mode and not an ideal functioning mode. This can cause it to ask for more food than it needs or foods higher in fat and carbohydrate. When you keep your body properly fed it will ask for things that support it.
I am a huge advocate for whole, nutrient dense, fresh food but it is just as important to allow ourselves to have a variety of foods. When we deprive ourselves from certain foods, it heightens our desire for them. The more you restrict yourself, the more power the food has over you. The holiday season is a perfect example. Why is it so hard to indulge but not overindulge? Permission is the key. Give yourself permission to indulge and then listen to your body. Pay attention and be conscious. Be aware of your bodies signals about what is enough and how the food feels in your body. Also be conscious of your thoughts. Thoughts like “I can’t have that or I shouldn’t eat that… etc.” can drive our desire for the food and cause us to react to the feeling of deprivation and not consciously chose.
So this holiday season listen to your body, honor your hunger, stop when you are satisfied and allow yourself to have pleasure with your food without overdoing it and feeling the post holiday remorse.