As you work toward becoming an attuned eater, think about whether you are truly honoring your body’s cravings. A friend of ours was explaining that even though she loves to have a dish of berries with a piece of toast in the morning, it was too expensive to keep buying fruit, especially since it can spoil so quickly. Instead, she frequently grabbed a donut and coffee on her way to work, a match that felt okay to her, but not truly satisfying. We reminded her that it is as off to eat a donut when she craves fruit as it is to eat fruit when she craves a donut!
If our friend were also a member on one of our groups, we’d go further in trying to solve this issue. First, can she try to buy the berries when they go on sale? Is there another, less expensive fruit that would feel “good enough” as a match. Would using a berry jam give enough of the flavor and texture? How about buying frozen berries? She might also consider [private_membership circle]what it means to her to have to throw away food that spoils. After all, the reality is that it’s impossible to buy the exact right amount of food. There will always be too much – or too little – and it is important to make sure that she has enough food so that she does not end up feeling deprived.
The ideas mentioned so far address the logistics of her situation. However, if she still finds that she is unable to make a satisfying match in the morning, she may need to dig a little deeper. We might ask our friend to explore what is means to take care of herself. Does she feel worth the time and money to have berries available? How does she end up feeling when she eats something that doesn’t really satisfy her? Does she pay attention to her needs, such as leaving herself enough time in the morning to prepare what she really desires? Or, is she so busy making sure that her family is cared for that she leaves herself for last?
Remember, the key for our friend is to listen to her body each and every day. If berries and toast will be a wonderful match, it would be great for her to have them available. If, however, on a particular morning she decides that a donut is exactly what she is hungry for, she can leave the berries behind and get the vanilla sprinkle donut that will satisfy her physical hunger. We hope you will consider our friend’s story and reflect on where you are at when it comes to listening to your body and choosing the foods that will make the best match for you!
Eat well! Live well! Be well!
Judith and Ellen
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Eat well! Live well! Be well! Judith Matz and Ellen Frankel, are co-authors of The Diet Survivor’s Handbook, Beyond a Shadow of a Diet www.dietsurvivors.com Chicago Center for Overcoming Overeating: 847.267.1200
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