I’m fairly certain, without much exaggeration, that I would be a millionaire today if I had a nickel for every time I said that to myself.
Between the heavy programming we all are bombarded with regarding watching our weight, and daily news about “good” vs. “bad” foods, it is far too easy to feel disheartened about eating.
Being hyper-alert to news relating to nutrition, I may have an extra challenge in this department. Nonetheless, I am finally learning to be more at peace about it all.
Even though I write about food and health here, may I suggest that an equally important component of experiencing the satisfaction of good health surely includes feeling pleasure and serenity around the act of eating.
How can we adopt an attitude of “just enjoy food” when we are all wrapped up in our (tight) underpants about what is okay to be eating? I believe it is about balance. Not an “all things in moderation” philosophy, but the kind of balance that one feels INTUITIVELY about their bodies.
My comment abut “enjoying food” could easily be misinterpreted to suggest that I am advocating a screw-it-and-eat-whatever-you-like-then approach. That isn’t it, either.
It has taken me years, but I have become much, much more in tune with what feels good to eat, and what my bod seems to be asking for. Without a doubt, eating “clean,” less processed, whole foods very literally and plainly feels better to me. That has become extreeeemely evident to me—a true no-brainer. When I eat whole foods and the like, I don’t have heartburn, I don’t have heart palpitations, etc. No gorgeous, delicious, gooey cake in the world has ever had that positive effect on me.
Yes, I still think birthday cake tastes REALLY good to me, and I will eat it now and then. But by listening to my body and making my choices of what to eat THAT way, vs. what I’ve programmed myself to love over the years, takes away a huge amount of temptation to chant, “I shouldn’t eat that.” (That worried, guilt stance just sucks the life out of ya.)
Instead, I am now simply choosing my foods by what truly feels good—–less judgment, less analyzing, less guilt.
My personal quest is to give my body, mind and spirit what it desires in order to enjoy good health and a good life. It isn’t about looks, weight, deprivation, following orders, or doing the “right” things. It’s about coming into a harmonious and rather peaceful place where food and health are pleasurable thoughts and a more joyful experience. It’s a pleasant mindset where concerns like “right” and “wrong” are not clamoring for my attention at all….
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