Me doing yoga on Hornby Island, BC - it was so beautiful!In my last post I asked you to pay attention to how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally after you eat.
The point of this is to get in touch with your body. Your body will let you know if it is "happy" or not. You will then become aware if your body is receiving the proper nutrients. You may also gain insight into your thoughts and feelings regarding food. You may attach a lot of guilt to eating. Maybe you are not even hungry when you eat. You may realize that a food you thought you loved doesn't make you feel good when you eat it.
When you are on a diet or trying to lose weight and you crave a food you don't think you should eat, you stop yourself from eating it. Why this fails is that you end up eating more "junky" foods to make up for the one thing you are craving but did not eat. In most cases it would be better to eat a little of what you are craving so that you do not eat a lot of food trying to get rid of the craving.
In most cases, the foods you end up eating (to avoid eating the one you crave) are full of empty calories and probably do not have a lot of good nutritional value to them. So basically, they are added calories that you didn't want and you didn't need and now you will consume more calories by actually eating what you were craving. In the end you have consumed more calories than if you would have just eaten what you craved in the first place.
I know myself, I have periods when I crave either fat, salt or chocolate. When I really, really crave something that is not good for me, I buy a small version of it or choose a healthier version of what I am craving. If I am craving fat and salt, I like to have vegetable tempura. The vegetable tempura satisfies my fat craving and the light soya sauce satisfies my salt craving. This is what I do when a celery stick just doesn't cut it.
When I crave chocolate - I eat it. I make my own chocolate treats with raw cacao powder, which is extremely healthy, so I don't feel bad about consuming chocolate. I also don't eat a lot at once. When you are really craving chocolate it is best to buy a small amount and eat it. You can buy small amounts in the bulk section of a grocery store, but I do suggest eating raw chocolate or buying organic chocolate. Go to a health food store and buy a small bar of organic chocolate. Dark is best.
Think about why you eat what you eat
Why do you want that food item? Do you really want it or has it become a habit to eat it, even if you do not really crave it? Are you eating because you are bored?
Like I mentioned, if you are about to eat something that is unhealthy for you, ask yourself:
- Why do I want it?
- Could I find something healthier to eat that will satisfy that craving?
- Could I find a healthier alternative of the item I am craving?
- Am I eating out of boredom?
- Am I thirsty? (often this is the case)
- How will I feel after I eat the unhealthy snack?
- How will I feel if I choose something healthier to eat?
You do not need to continue with a bad habit. YOU CAN REPLACE IT WITH A BETTER food choice. Even if at first it is not the best food choice, as long as it is better. Then next time you have a craving, choose something better than before. Take steps to continually choose better foods. As long as you are moving forward and not backwards you WILL feel good about your choices.
Steps to take:
- Continue to monitor how you are feeling (physically, emotionally and mentally) before you eat, while you are eating and after you eat
- Try not to eat a bunch of empty calories or junk to avoid eating a little of something that you crave
- Notice if you are eating out of habit or boredom
In my next post I will share more steps to guide you closer to eating intuitively so you can lose unwanted weight and feel more energized and healthy. Whether you are in perimenopause, pre-perimenopause, menopause or post-menopause, intuitive eating will help you feel more energized, stay healthier, lose weight and assist in balancing your moods.
Let me know how you satisfy your craving for something "bad".....
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