Eating for satisfaction

If we are only eating for fullness we actually will not become intuitive eaters. Try cutting back on vegetables to satisfy your hunger. Two fists of veggies is a good amount for each meal. While veggies are wonderful for you, they digest very quickly leaving us feeling unsatisfied and hungry. They also contain lots of water and fiber which can leave us feeling bloated after eating large quantities of them. If you come from a restrictive background you may be used to eating a ton of vegetables. Instead, we should focus on healthy carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Don’t stress about making everything one-hundred percent “healthy”. Being healthy doesn’t mean we have to eat flawlessly and sacrifice our happiness. Here is a tip: pair what you are craving with nourishing foods that will make you feel good physically. By doing this, you are feeding into the satisfaction and the nourishment piece. These are things that will satisfy you and keep you physically full and satiated.

Look at fullness as if it were on a scale of one to ten. One being absolutely starving and going to pass out and ten being so full you might puke. The goal when eating is to be around a seven or an eight. We don’t want to eat until our hunger cues go away; instead we want to eat until we feel physically full. When we actually stop thinking about food is when we should stop eating. If you are done eating and already thinking about your next snack, you may not have had the right balance or carbs, fats and, proteins, or you maybe waited to long between meals so it will take more to satisfy you.

Binging on low calorie foods is just as detrimental as binging on pizza or ice cream. We may tend to “zone out” or eat low calorie foods until we are beyond satisfied. This can be mentally and emotionally detrimental. There is an emotional need under our hunger that can’t actually be filled with food.

Try taking at least twenty minutes to eat a meal, no matter what you are eating. This allows us to cultivate awareness on how our bodies feel when eating. When we eat to fast we actually swallow more air. This can create a “false” fullness and cause digestive stress, like bloating, cramping, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) type symptoms.

Remember that food will always be there. Whether it’s a holiday, birthday party, you’re eating out, or whatever the scenario may be, we will always have food available. We are always presented with lots of opportunities to eat.

Being healthy is a process; there is no destination or endpoint. There should be no pressure to be perfect. Don’t stress about making everything one-hundred percent “healthy”. Being healthy doesn’t mean we have to eat flawlessly and sacrifice our happiness.

Written by,

Diamond La Croix

Integrative Nutrition Health Coach