It’s that time again… meal-time.
And speaking from experience, I know the seemingly simple act of feeding your body can sometimes come with a side of stress and a pinch of panic.
Food rules and body dissociation thanks to diet culture’s influence have made the primal and inherent need to eat way more complicated than it ever should have been.
“Choose this, it has less calories…”
“If you’re hungry, drink a glass of water and wait 30 minutes…”
“Don’t eat between the hours of ___ and ___ and never after ___…”
“Avoid sugar, cut carbs, increase protein…”
The commentary goes on and on. It is overwhelming, unhelpful and only furthers you from tuning in to your body and listening to your intuition when it comes to deciding what, when and where to eat.
Well, friend, I want to help mellow meal time mayhem for you and give you a manageable and memorable way to silence all of the outside noise that comes along with making food choices and give the authority and attention back to you and your body.
I want you to remember your ABCs.
A– Assess your hunger. Ditch the clock, forget the fasting windows and just ask yourself… am I ready to eat now? Odds are if you’ve started thinking about food or you have a friendly reminder from your growling tummy… the answer is yes. No matter the time, let me be the one that gives you full permission to eat whenever your stomach is requesting you to.
Now that you know you’re headed for food, let’s B– Build your plate. If you are home and scanning the fridge or pantry- what do you have? What sounds good right now? It’s totally okay to opt for convenience here and go for last night’s leftovers or something quick and on-hand. However, I also think it’s worth doing a little self-scan to see if there might be something special or specific you are craving. Could you prepare a dish that potentially leaves you a bit more satisfied? And if you’re grabbing something on-the-go, the same principles apply— determine what is available and then make your selection to the tune of filling up both your tummy, and your heart.
Once you have decided on what meal to make or grub to grab, I want you to C– Consider your preferences. What is going to make this food taste as good as it possibly can? Think spices, sauces, any extra TLC you can give to the dish or bring to the table, here.
Additionally at meal time, I challenge you to discover whether you are able to add in a D– Dash of color to your food. Are there any fresh fruits or vibrant veggies that could pair well or be included in this dish? You know what you have created so far is going to taste delicious, now let’s see if you can boost not only it’s flavor profile, but also its nutritional value.
Finally, you are ready to sit down and eat. Please do nothing now except E– Enjoy your meal. Be present, let the food resonate with all of your senses and allow this to be a time where you are truly savoring every bite- either in solitude or in the shared company of family or friends.
And lastly, do your best to remember F– Fullness checks. Just as you promptly responded to signs of needing food, let’s likewise work toward recognizing when your body is telling you it has had enough. Whether you experience this signal after you’ve cleared your plate, or you still have a hefty portion left untouched, what matters here is simply staying aware of how you are physically feeling as you eat and trusting your body’s intrinsic cues.
So, friend, just as learning the alphabet as a child takes patience, re-learning how to listen to your body and make autonomous, diet-culture-free food choices can require a similar amount of perseverance. But, practice makes progress, and I pray that these mantras will serve you for many, many meals to come!