This month’s challenge is meant to work hand-in-hand with last month’s: Eat like a kid.
Copyright: Five Seed
Here are the rules:
::If you are going to read labels on foods you want to buy/eat, you are only allowed to read the list of ingredients. No looking at the calories or grams of fat per serving.
::Absolutely NO WORRYING about calories or fat while you eat. Don’t even THINK about it. And don’t think about how many hours of cardio you will have to do to burn off what you’re currently eating.
::Eat whatever you want. Obviously, if you have dietary restrictions for health reasons, then I’m not suggesting that, say, diabetics should go on a sugar binge. But, no restricting what you can eat just because you’re worried about gaining weight. If you want an ice cream cone on a hot summer day, have one. No guilt.
::Eat with gusto. Eating is one of the greatest pleasures in life and it is meant to be enjoyed. Eat things you really like, with quality, flavorful ingredients. Pay attention to what you are eating. Take time to check in with your senses. Relish every decadent bite, whether it’s a garden salad or tira misu.
::Stop when you’re full.
I realize some of these are loaded issues. Eating what you want and stopping when you are full are pretty heavily charged actions for many of us. Believe me, I know. But I will address all of that in future posts coming this month.
But for now, all you have to do is enjoy the pleasure of eating and pay attention to what you are doing and how you feel while eating. Easier said than done, sometimes, but it’s a practice of mindfulness we all must return to again and again, even if we don’t have weight/body issues. When you get right down to it, it’s simply an act of being present and allowing ourselves to experience pleasure – something that is a huge part of radical self-acceptance.
Remember being a child and waiting all day to get that one bowl of ice cream for dessert. And enjoying every single bite. And licking the bowl. And being satisfied with that, not needing to check the fridge ten more times to see if there was something else to eat. It was an act of enjoyment. Fun. And there were no shoulds and shouldn’ts and worries and anxieties attached to the activity. The thought that we might not fit into our shorts the next day didn’t even cross our minds.
Until I can get back to this subject, check out what I wrote about my first love affair (minus my usual destructive behavioral patterns surrounding the act of eating) with food when I went to France a few years ago. And then try having a relationship with pizza:
And don’t forget to keep playing like a kid.
Love good food but I can’t vow on the not thinking about calories as it’s something I need to be more cognizant of with the snacks that seem to add up. It’s really important for me to improve my physical condition and being more conscious of my eating habits, including emotional eating, is of primary importance. I still love the good foods (I had a gorgeous handmade ravioli for lunch today with ricotta & parsley stuffing and a side of 3 beautiful grilled prawns), but moderation is something that I find as my challenge.
@EcoGrrl: I know what you mean. I am in that same boat. I think that’s where the mindfulness comes in, though – something I’m not so great at! How many times do I snack while I’m doing something else, having no awareness of whether or not I’m hungry anymore? But this is a big issue – bigger than what I could cover in this post! I’ll get to it soon!
I eat like this all the time. Well, sort of. I don’t always eat sweets when I feel like because I have to make them first. But once I do make them, I eat and enjoy with zero guilt. It does help that I use quality ingredients that I know won’t hurt my body or make me feel sick. I don’t worry about calories or fat. I’ve found that lots of fat in my diet helps me feel more satisfied and feel good. As for calories…I just eat nutritious food and stop eating when I feel satisfied, so I figure however many calories I ate was what I needed. I just don’t worry about it. It’s funny because I eat a way more strict diet these days (all real food but some restrictions due to health reasons) but I never feel deprived or like I’m on a “diet.” Because I eat whatever I feel like. A whole shot glass full of peanut butter with my apple? I’m hungry, so YES!
I’ve come a ways. I actually did have to do this sort of experiment with myself a couple years ago to train myself to let go of the guilt I had surrounding food. Eating like “a child” really helped cure me of my disorderly eating.
I enjoyed rereading that article of yours that you linked to. That is such a good article.
I eat like this all the time. Well, sort of. I don’t always eat sweets when I feel like because I have to make them first. But once I do make them, I eat and enjoy with zero guilt. It does help that I use quality ingredients that I know won’t hurt my body or make me feel sick. I don’t worry about calories or fat. I’ve found that lots of fat in my diet helps me feel more satisfied and feel good. As for calories…I just eat nutritious food and stop eating when I feel satisfied, so I figure however many calories I ate was what I needed. I just don’t worry about it. It’s funny because I eat a way more strict diet these days (all real food but some restrictions due to health reasons) but I never feel deprived or like I’m on a “diet.” Because I eat whatever I feel like. A whole shot glass full of peanut butter with my apple? I’m hungry, so YES!
I’ve come a ways. I actually did have to do this sort of experiment with myself a couple years ago to train myself to let go of the guilt I had surrounding food. Eating like “a child” really helped cure me of my disorderly eating.
I enjoyed rereading that article of yours that you linked to. It’s such a good one.
@Lisa C: Thanks for the feedback! I’m so glad you have gotten to this point. Even at my age, I’m still struggling with it. But I’m doing better! I think your system is awesome. While I’m trying to get away from the “you can’t eat this” type of diet, I do believe in avoiding packaged/processed foods like the plague. I’m still struggling with that one, too, as I have a nasty sweet tooth. But…in time, I’ll get there. My point is, that once we are focused on real/whole foods, the overeating and obsessing won’t be a problem anymore. Like you said, you eat what your body needs.
ok, weirdly i never ever ever think about calories. i never have. i’m not sure why. I do know, though, that due to my digestive issues, eating hasn’t always been fun for me though.
This is a fantastic post- and i think it’s SO important to just ENJOY our food again!
@EcoYogini: That is so cool that you never had a calorie issue. I went through some major calorie-focused years, and then it was fat grams, and then both… Ugh!