05 Sep What Is Normal Eating?
Eating should be one of life’s many pleasures. Sadly, I see time and time again people who are so confused and sometimes even terrified about trying to eat “perfectly” that food ends up creating feelings of guilt and misery instead of pleasure and enjoyment.
The “clean eating” movement seems to have created so much negativity around food. Suddenly, many people feel that in order to eat healthily, they must also eat “perfectly” – a goal which isn’t sustainable or realistic.
Instead, I much prefer this definition of “normal eating” provided by Ellyn Satter:
Normal eating . . .
is going to the table hungry, and eating until you are satisfied.
Normal eating . . .
is being able to choose food you enjoy and to eat it and truly get enough of it—not just stop eating because you think you should.
Normal eating . . .
is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.
Normal eating . . .
is giving yourself permission to eat because you are happy, sad, or bored, or just because it feels good.
Normal eating . . .
is mostly three meals a day—or four or five—or it can be choosing to munch
along the way.
Normal eating . . .
is leaving cookies on the plate because you will let yourself have cookies again tomorrow, or eating more now because they taste so great!
Normal eating . . .
is overeating at times, and feeling stuffed and uncomfortable . . . and undereating at times, and wishing you had more.
Normal eating . . .
is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eatin
Normal eating . . .
takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.
In short, normal eating is flexible . . .
it varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your food, and your feelings.
You can find more of Ellyn Satter’s work at: www.ellynsatterInstitute.org
So what is YOUR mindset like when it comes food and eating? Do you view food with enjoyment and flexibility? Or are you simply confused and terrified? Your mindset around food and eating can have a huge impact on the quality of your life and even, your success with losing weight. If you want to develop a healthier and more positive relationship with food, click here to join my newsletter & private Facebook group – http://eepurl.com/dxu6rT
If there is anything else I can do to help, check out my website at: www.eatgreatfeelgreat.co.uk
Blog compiled by Sheri Taylor, Dietitian & Nutritionist at Halo.
Sheri Taylor offers clinics at Halo on the first Tuesday and the third Thursday of the month. If you would like to book an appointment, contact Sheri at 07787 603863 or email info@eatgreatfeelgreat.co.uk for a free, no-obligation discussion of what your needs are and how she can help.
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