Do you know that there are over 100 cuisines around the world? Food is always a topic of discussion. I don’t know a person who wouldn’t have an opinion about food, what to eat, what not to eat, what’s healthy or what’s not.
And don’t you love it when they say kale is the new ‘it’ vegetable or acai berries are the superpower food? Not sure if any of us realises, that spinach, kale, or broccoli don’t care that much how popular they are.
They have a very unemotional relationship with themselves. Which in a way is healthy, isn’t it?
On the other hand, we can get very emotional about food. I would go a bit further and say that sometimes we can be obsessed with food. We can even create an attachment.
We also take on food and what we eat as part of our identity. You identify yourself as healthy because you eat more apples than doughnuts. But whether you are foody or not, I would like to show you a different take on food.
So keep reading to find out how you can change your relationship with food, and learn three tips for healthy eating when rushing from place to place and thinking about what to eat is the last thing on your mind!
Join me on Thursday, 30th March for a FREE Masterclass to beat the stress, overwhelm and regain the mental and physical energy, manage your time, and learn the foundation of a healthy diet. REGISTER HERE.
Your Relationship with Food
Do you get passionate when you talk about food? Do you love to follow the newest culinary trends and watch cooking shows? What is your relationship with food?
The health of your relationship with food will depend on the way how you classify food. Do you think the food you eat is good or bad? Or is it healthy or unhealthy?
The way you talk and think and your emotional attachment all influence your relationship with food. The emotional part comes in when you start thinking you are good or bad because of the food choices you make. To be blunt, your relationship with food can be healthy or unhealthy too.
I hope I can put your mind to rest today.
Food is not good or bad (and neither are you). Food is neither healthy nor unhealthy. Food is either nutritious or not.
But your relationship with food doesn’t end with how nutritious your food is. The way how you prepare and consume food also plays a role. The more passionate you are about cooking, the bigger your chances of going for healthy options.
I am sure you have heard about mindful eating. This new trend is gaining in popularity rapidly. And it is all about taking the time to chew your food, enjoying the flavours, and mindfully engaging in eating.
It is a beautiful practice and even more achievable when you have the time to do it. It can make it easier to have a healthy meal with the extra attention you give to how you eat.
Why Do We Need to Eat?
This question may seem funny, but have you ever asked yourself why do you need to eat? I used to think I needed food because I would feel hungry otherwise. I also used to think that eating was a chore.
In my busy, leading-to-burnout times, I didn’t have time to cook or often sit down and eat something. It felt like a nuisance.
So, I ate when I had to or when I felt hungry. And even this didn’t happen regularly because I lived in a constant state of stress, and I am not a stress eater. I was detached from food as much as I could be.
Think about it. If you didn’t have to eat, you would save a lot of time and headaches on planning, grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning the dishes. And aren’t we all looking for time-saving hacks?
What’s more, countless studies show that we overeat regularly. The are many reasons for overeating, including high stress, lack of planning, and emotional reasons. Interestingly enough, none of the studies showed that we overeat because we feel hungry.
My perspective on food changed when I was recovering from burnout, depression, and high levels of stress and overwhelm. I needed to re-do my relationship with food, or rather develop one.
Now, I believe food serves us two purposes. One is to give us energy. The second is to heal.
How to Feel Energetic
I never truly paid attention to food and what I ate. I always wanted to eat something quick, without any fuss. As I result, I felt tired, irritated, and unbalanced most of the time. I suspect you feel the same way.
At its core food is to provide the required nutrients and vitamins so our body can perform all its duties. I’m not only talking about transforming oxygen via your blood vessels, digesting food, or flexing your muscles so you can walk and lift. Your body needs food to keep you alive.
But you need physical and mental energy to juggle all your commitments, responsibilities, tasks, duties, chores, emotions, or events in your life. There isn’t a moment in your body’s or mind’s life when they don’t need energy.
How would you make your food choices if you recognized that food is to give you energy? My belief is that food is to nourish me from the inside out and to give me energy, so I show up as my best, healthy self.
In addition, food is medicine for me. It truly is that you become what you eat. And the healthier food choices you make, the better chances of your body having the strength to fight any disease.
But how to make healthy meal choices when you are on the go? Here are 3 tips to keep in mind when it comes to food:
Tip #1 Be Prepared
When you feel stressed, overwhelmed, and above all rushed, you don’t have the time to think about what to eat. You may already be running late, so the last thing you want is to spend time deciding what to eat!
And that’s the trap.
When you don’t have the time to evaluate what’s healthy and how your body will benefit from the food you eat, you just pick the first thing you see. It does not necessarily mean it’s going to be unhealthy, but the probability is high.
Sometimes I can spend hours looking for something healthy to eat. Why? Because when you are on the go or when you are eating out, it is harder to be quick while finding a healthier option. Grocery stores want to make it as easy as possible, so they choose for you.
Sadly, they look after their own pockets more than they look after your health.
So, what’s the solution?
Be prepared. Planning what you’re going to eat can help you to make healthier food choices. If you plan what you eat (or even the type of food you want to have when you are on the go) rather than feeling pressure to choose what is available at a given time, you will make more conscious decisions.
Planning has also another added benefit. It’s always better to plan what you will eat rather than wait until you’re hungry because hunger is not the best judge when it comes to food.
Have you ever gone to the store when you were hungry? You probably loaded your trolly with whatever you felt like. Your emotions were the decision-maker.
And if you recall from earlier, lack of planning is one of the reasons why we overeat.
Tip #2 Food is Your Fuel
The reason you eat is to have energy. Of course, you need food for survival, so you can think, walk, and memorize things. But when you are on the go and feeling under pressure and stressed, you need to top up your energy levels.
And the best way to do it is through food.
Thinking about food as your fuel can help you make healthier food choices. I like to use the car analogy here. The better quality fuel you put in, the faster and more efficient it will run.
Your body converts fats and carbohydrates for energy. Carbohydrates (aka sugar) are fast-burning energy. It means that your body converts sugar quicker, so you can feel energetic almost straight away when you consume it.
On the other side of the coin, it burns much faster. That is why your 3 pm cookie gives you a boost of energy to carry on through your afternoon. But it wears off in no time, and feeling energetic in the evening may prove to be a struggle.
The second source of energy is healthy fats. Opposite to carbohydrates, fats are slow-burning. Your body takes longer to convert it into energy, but the energy is long-lasting.
The healthier fats and complex carbohydrates you can deliver to your body, the more energetic you will feel. Your best option is to deliver a balanced meal, containing all the food groups, minerals, and vitamins.
However, if you are short on time and need a boost of energy instantly, opt for complex carbohydrates such as fruit or muesli bars (but check the label so there isn’t any added sugar). If you need your energy to sustain you for a longer time go for healthy fats such as avocados or nuts and seeds.
Tip #3 Keep on Snacking
Tip number one mentioned planning your meals in advance. It is true when you don’t feel pressured, you make healthier food choices. But on the occasions when you can’t plan in advance or can’t prepare your own meals, keep some healthy snacks handy.
Many doctors advise against snacking. Snacking can link to weight gain, changes in your metabolism, or hormonal imbalance. And although all this is true, I believe that it all comes down to what you are sacking.
The main purpose of snacking when you are on the go or don’t have time to have a healthy meal is to get you through. Going back to the concept that food is fuel, your snacks need to fuel you.
In this case, relying on healthy snacks, such as a piece of fruit or vegetable or healthy fats from nuts and seeds can save you. It will not only carry you through the moments when you’re feeling peckish but also delay the offset of hunger.
This will give you more time to look for healthier food options.
How to Eat Healthy When You Have No Time
Whether you are a food enthusiast or not, you have a relationship with food. As with any type of relationship, the healthier it is, the better.
At the base of your relationship with food needs to be understanding that food is very unemotional. It’s not good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, depending on your definition. Food either is full of nutrients or not.
Looking from this perspective, making healthier food choices is much easier. And when you find yourself on the go, remember that you can still eat healthily.
Plan and be prepared, so when the stress and busyness of the day come, you don’t even need to think about food because your meal is ready to go. Food is fuel, so opt for a balanced meal, full of healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. And if you can’t plan, keep healthy snacks handy, so they can move you to the end line.
So, which tip will you use to make a healthier meal choice today?
Join me on Thursday, 30th March for a FREE Masterclass to beat the stress, overwhelm and regain the mental and physical energy, manage your time, and learn the foundation of a healthy diet. REGISTER HERE.
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