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The concept of not pushing a strict diet might be surprising. For example, if you can't imagine getting up in the morning and cooking eggs or having a yogurt, or all you can think about is having pancakes with a side of bacon, that's okay! That meal may be high in fat and may not be the perfect choice, but it also means that you are not going to skip breakfast, which is healthier than eating nothing at all. It is also very important to eat good foods throughout the day, without skipping meals. The overall idea is to embrace healthy food choices. The next step is to put nutrients into the body to help it grow stronger and healthier.
There are many different definitions for healthy eating, one of which includes moderation and variety as a way to make food choices. Some basic guidelines include:
Eat What You Want--When you eat what you want you are paying attention to your body. But this doesn’t mean go out and eat junk food all of the time!
Watch Your Portion Sizes--You have probably heard the phrase “my eyes were bigger than my stomach!” This is exactly the case and point for portions being too large. Putting less food on your plate will help you eat less.
Eat When You Are Hungry--Many times people eat because they are angry, stressed, guilty, sad, happy, or ashamed, instead of eating for physical hunger. If you are eating due to an emotion you are not listening to your body. If you eat due to physical hunger, you are doing a great job listening to your body.
Don’t Skip Meals--If you skip meals you will confuse your body. Your body doesn’t know the difference between you not eating on purpose or having some outside force not allowing you to eat. It will slow down your metabolism. Your body does not want to get rid of calories if it thinks it will not be fed for a while. Your body will start storing calories.
Stop When You Are Full--If you eat to the point of “Thanksgiving stuffed,” you are so full you feel sick. You have to untuck your shirt. You are eating much more than what your body wants and needs.
Slow Down--Your food is not going anywhere. Take your time when you eat a meal. By doing this you will be paying more attention to the amount of food you are eating. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to know your body has been given enough food.
"Legalize" Food--Allow yourself to eat foods you have not eaten in the past. If you start to label foods good or bad, or healthy or unhealthy, you will likely set yourself up for a binge.
Source: Renew Magazine, Jan/Feb, 2011. Michael Berg
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