I want to talk about a topic near and dear to my heart. Food. The bane of dieters' existence, the enemy of every scale, the villain in every triumphant weight loss story. That's right, none other than that which we cannot live without, and don't want to live with...food.
When physical limitations come into play, reducing the number and restricting the type of exercise a person can do, the relationship with food can be even more strained. The problem is the perception that food is the enemy. This has never been less true than it is today. The problem is not that we're eating, but we're eating the wrong things. Being healthy has never been about keeping a strict diet of organic lettuce and water. It's about making good choices, and doing your part to enhance the flavor of those choices. And yes, the occasional indulgence in the molten lava cake with the liquid fudge center (*cough* just an example, of course...*cough*) is included in that. No one makes the exact right food choices every single time; it's long past time to end the guilt ridden misery that comes from making the occasional unhealthy choice in our diets. If we focus on improving the overall picture of our nutrition, the little indulgences won't affect it.
There is absolutely an emotional component to the food choices we make, and we can learn to steer those emotions as well. If it's been a crappy day, and your emotional response is to reach for a brownie sundae, just stop. First, drink a glass of water. Then have a healthier option, with a piece of dark chocolate after. Savor it, enjoy it, revel in its richness. Your body gets the benefits of the nutrition, and your brain gets to have the indulgence as its end note. This takes some time before it becomes a habit, but it is absolutely doable. And the more this becomes a habit, the less guilt you'll have on those occasions when you make that conscious choice and eat a whole piece of cake.
There are no easy answers to the "perfect" diet. There's one based on blood type, low carb, no carb, low glycemic, high protein, high fiber, low cal, whatever. What it all boils down to is simple math. Calories in need to be less than calories out in order to lose weight. But how you get there is almost as important. After all, eating 1800 calories of chips, pizza and soda will have a much different effect on the body than the same amount of calories consisting of lean protein, fresh fruits and veggies, and complex carbs. If you aren't sure how good something is for you, read the label. No label? Google it. None of this is rocket science, people.
Learning some very basic cooking skills is a fantastic way to enhance your nutritional profile. Experiment with spices, textures, methods of cooking. A pork chop, pan fried to a nice shoe leather consistency, for example, is a completely different meal than a succulent pork chop brushed with an apricot ginger glaze and grilled. (Apologies to my mother in law!) Instead of complaining about the fact that your whiny, picky eater self just can't eat healthy, try actually being proactive and responsible first. You don't have to be a student at the Culinary Institute of America to make a delicious, healthy meal.
First and foremost, food is fuel. But as humans, we do get profound sensory delight from it. There is no reason not to relish the tastes and textures on our plate, as well as a beautiful presentation. It takes almost no time or effort to plate a meal in an attractive manner, but when do we take the time? We're in such a rush for that instant gratification that we fail to make even the smallest gestures. Slow down. Enjoy each bite. Feel the textures, consider the taste. What spices or flavors can you pick out on your tongue? Do you recognize the ingredients?
In order to improve our relationship with our food, we will need to put in some time, some effort, and a whole lot of love. I'd love to hear from others on what meals they like to prepare and the amazing feedback they get.
