Imagine yourself in a fancy restaurant drooling over a delectable calorie laden chocolate cake. Yes, you heard me. Drooling. That’s all you can do because you refuse to indulge yourself lest you feel guilty after.
A few years back, someone said this to me: “Why are you eating chocolates? You’re a nutritionist!” Well, nutritionist-dietitians are human beings. We have food cravings and our needs are the same as everyone else’s. Agree?
“Rice makes me fat!” I hear this a lot from my clients. Welcome to the Philippines where rice is a staple food. Why do we keep blaming rice for our weight gain? It was never the rice’s fault. There’s no one else to blame but the person who ate too much rice!
We live in a society that categorizes food as “good” or “bad.” Is there such thing as good or bad food? I don’t think so! However, there’s such thing as unhealthy eating habits.
Like many people, I have been through a cycle of deprivation and overindulgence in the past. I “swing” between eating “bad” foods until feelings of guilt creep in and compel me to eat “good’ foods. Sounds familiar? This pattern of unhealthy eating will always leave one feeling unsatisfied.
In my journey of battling weight challenges during my thyroid problem years ago, I have discovered that the key to successfully achieving and maintaining a healthy weight range is to understand this:
“Eating should be pleasurable and dieting doesn’t mean starving oneself.”
Once “off-limit” foods can be a part of a healthy eating plan to ensure that one is not deprived which could lead to binge eating and weight gain. However, it is important to observe portion control. Instead of devouring an entire slice of that sinful chocolate cake all by yourself, take a few bites and share the rest with your family or friends. Sharing food and calories will not only satisfy but also make you feel less guilty. I hope!
Craving for something salty? Instead of grabbing a large bag of potato chips, take a handful and keep the rest out of your sight. Better yet, choose baked chips or plain popcorn which is a good source of fiber.
Sweets, chips and the like can be enjoyed in moderation once in a while as long as it is within your daily caloric allowance. Remember that these are treats meant to be eaten occasionally and not considered as staple food. What then should balance out eating these types of foods?
Eat mostly fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, low fat dairy products, nuts and seeds, and vegetable oils. Stuff some people may consider tasteless and boring.
A client once told me that whole wheat bread tastes like cardboard. A friend who wanted to go on a diet started to eat salads the whole day until finally she said that she felt like a cow eating grass!
Healthy eating need not be boring. Be creative! Make healthy, flavorful and easy-peasy food combinations. Here are some suggestions:
Boring: Plain oatmeal
Creative: Oatmeal with honey, fruit slices and nuts
Boring: Baked chicken breast
Creative: Roasted chicken with brown rice
Boring: Vegetable salad
Creative: Vegetable salad with low fat dressing topped with croutons
Boring: Plain yogurt
Creative: Fruit cup topped with yogurt and nuts
Boring: Whole wheat bread
Creative: Tuna with pineapple sandwich
Boring: Apple
Creative: Apple slices with reduced-fat peanut butter
Boring: Whole wheat crackers
Creative: Whole wheat crackers with low fat cheese
Forget extreme dieting and deprivation. Try and discover the gastronomic world of guiltless and pleasurable healthy eating now!
Twitter: CheshireQue
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