Moderation and choice are key.
So many times, I have seen people enter into diets that require counting calories and limiting their meal choices to only a few items. They begin with great enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm becomes the fast fading kind. Within a few days, usually the result is not a loss of pounds, but a big binge and a loss of confidence.
I am often asked which diet I follow and what I eat. The easy answer is that I don’t diet and I eat what I want. That is a bit misleading though and always must be followed up with further explanation. What I mean is that I don’t follow fad diets. On a day-to-day basis, I eat what I want, when I am hungry, and I stop eating when my hunger is gone. I like a lot of different foods and grant myself permission to eat and enjoy a lot of different foods.
Moderation with eating means a few different things to me, none of which include deprivation. Moderation means eating until I am satisfied, not until I am stuffed. It means keeping special food occasions special rather than constant. It means realizing that my body needs many different foods for many different reasons, each in reasonable portions.
Eating satisfaction is most easily recognized when you’re able to eat your meals slowly and while relaxed. This takes some planning, though no more so than any other important appointment. Remember that eating is an activity best done in the seated position. I have known a lot of people who eat while standing up and eat while in bed; both of which can be indicators that you’re not allowing yourself adequate time, space, and preparation for a meal.
When I sit down for a meal, I try to be conscious of my posture. I chew slowly and offer myself plenty to drink along with the meal. I take advantage of the socialization with my family that daily meals provide as its often a chance for us to catch up with one another.
Satisfaction means that I am no longer feeling the signs of hunger. My energy level is good, I am sitting straight up in my chair, my stomach doesn’t feel uncomfortably full. I am alert and tuned in more to the conversation than the meal. This is the best time to stop eating, whether my plate is “clean” or not. Note: It doesn’t have to mean leaving the table, though if you’re just learning the difference between satisfaction and stuffing, sometimes it is good to move the conversation to another room so as not to continue grazing even after you’ve determined that you’re done with the meal.
While I have referred to eating as an important appointment to keep with your body, I don’t mean that it should always be a special occasion. The other day, I found myself making the observation (again) that we have so many special occasions in society that we all have to go to work once in a while to take a break from them. Between birthdays, holidays and scheduled social times, there seems to be an opportunity to overeat nearly every day.
I do enjoy special occasions. I consider eating out a special occasion and I enjoy eating at a restaurant. When at a restaurant, I order what I like to eat.
On the other hand, I remember to keep special occasions special by not doing them on a regular basis. Eating at a restaurant is a once or twice a month event for me. Holiday feasts are reserved for holidays and I don’t feel a particular obligation to celebrate every single holiday on the calendar with a large meal. And, as much as possible and even at restaurants, I try to remember to eat until I’m satisfied, not until I’m stuffed.
