Feel Good Food Connection

You want to have a certain look. You need to eat, too! What's the connection?  It's you!

When you feel good about yourself, it's easier to have patience with your eating choice. Feeling good tunes you into being kind to yourself.
 
Intuitive eating is all about you. Being unhappy with the way you look means it's time to change the way you treat yourself.

• Binging is a way of beating yourself up.  It's like banging your head against the wall.
• Rushing through a meal is like inhaling calories. When you rush, your body doesn't have time to feel full.
• Sneaking a bag of cookies is like poisoning yourself. It's doing to yourself the opposite of what will make you feel good.

You deserve respect. The first person you need to get it from is you!

• Eat for energy or do not eat.  This is different from eating just because you're hungry. Try it!
• Share the pleasure of eating. When you really like what you're eating, pause to taste it better. Then, talk about the satisfaction you feel.
• At parties, put something you don't like on your plate. Instead of eating, carry it around and talk to people. BUT don't talk about food or eating. Parties are for feeding social hunger. Don't let food get in the way of finding social satisfaction.

Still not happy with what you see in the mirror? 

• Wear a different color.
• Smile at yourself.
• Vow to respect your body and your heart at the same time. Since your body is the home of your heart, this makes a lot of sense.

If you feel like you've gained weight, you can be sure you're gained some bad habits. Bad habits are often created by stress.  Take the pressure off by giving yourself a chance to eat intuitively. Time is your tool. Take time to notice what makes you feel good about yourself.

• Eat less, chew more.
• Take control by being kind to yourself.
• Recognize self-defeating eating habits and decide you've had enough!

Plan to de-stress and eat less at holiday parties.

Here's the intuitive  plan to de-stress and eat less this holiday season.

 DE-STRESS :

D stands for Defend yourself. 

Don't let your emotions rule your body.  Remember, when your cousin is so annoying you want to eat the entire pie, that it's his problem, not yours. People who push your buttons usually don't know it. Defend yourself by realizing that you dance to your own music, and walk away from the annoyance.

E stands for Escape from your old emotional habits.  

Instead of expecting annoying comments from in-laws to 'make you' overeat, you can escape this by noticing you're not alone. Everyone deals with personal demons at holiday time.  It's not your fault that your brother-in-law is sour, so no need to punish yourself.  Defend yourself by realizing no one can 'make you' do anything that doesn't feel right. Check in with your body to escape from your emotions.

S stands for make it Simple.

Emotions make everything feel complicated. It's much easier to eat smart when you use your senses instead of your mind to to see and hear what's going on. Eating is physical, not emotional or intellectual. Keep it simple by trusting your body and your heart. You will feel protected.

T stands Think long-term.

Talk more, eat less. When tension makes you feel like shutting down and stuffing yourself, take a 10 minute stroll away from the food. Think about how you will feel about yourself in the morning if you stuff yourself tonight.  Intuition is always tuned into the big picture. Your life is Big; emotional eating is small.

R is a reminder to Relax and not react.

Stress makes us shut down and tighten up which interferes with efficient digestion. If you can't relax, slow down the eating by taking 3 deep breaths in and 3 deep breaths out between bites. This is the intuitive way to connect with and relax your body. Remember emotional reactions usually relate to the past. Stay in the present because, right now, you're creating your future.

E stands for Enjoy.

Eating for pleasure is intuitive. To get pleasure you must taste your food. When you enjoy what you eat your body digests it better and you get more nourishment from it. This means it will keep you full longer. Don't eat unless you're sure you're really enjoying every mouthful.

S stand for Share the pleasure.

Sit with someone you don't know  who you like. Talk about how delicious the food tastes. Share the pleasure of the holiday meal instead of focusing on the emotions. The point of  holidays is to celebrate life. Stay clear that you know you're lucky to have food when others are starving. Feeling grateful and sharing is intuitive.

S stands for Satisfy yourself.

This is your life. Today will never come again. Satisfy your need for self-respect by listening to your body to help stay away from emotional eating. Satisfy your need for comfort by enjoying and really tasting the holiday meal. Satisfy your need for love by treating yourself with dignity.


Print this out and keep it handy, or grab a copy of Am I Really Hungry on kindle and have the answers with you, 24/7.