How to eat healthy: The Body Benevolence Diet

HOW you eat is just as important as WHAT you eat. And, when it comes to staying motivated to dieting or eating well, embracing a motivating mindset is the key to your success.

When you think of food, odds are you think about what you are “supposed to eat” or what you “can’t eat” or how much of it you should limit yourself. These are not necessarily bad ways to think about eating yet on a subconscious level this line of thought actually creates a negative association with healthy eating that may trigger “Little You™” into making “more convenient” and unhealthy choices.

A different yet more powerful approach to healthy eating is the Body Benevolence Diet™. The Body Benevolence Diet is a powerful shift in mindset for how you choose what to put into your body and how you choose to eat it. In its basic form, it is to consider everything that you eat as an action toward (or against) “Body Benevolence”. Body Benevolence™ is the expression of pure love for yourself and your body and when you practice it, you will enjoy confidence, freedom and health at unprecedented levels.

One of the most empowering habits that we can create is the practice of self care and a critical part of that habit is healthy eating. I understand how challenging this can be. Healthy eating doesn’t come naturally for everyone, especially in our fast paced and “ToDo list” culture.

We are also a culture filled with emotional eaters. Too often, we eat, over eat and under-eat based upon our emotions. We eat not because it is what our body needs, yet to escape challenging feelings or to create more positive feelings… instead of simply feeling them as they are. Sometimes we even eat, or we don’t eat, to punish or reward ourselves.

Consider this powerful idea. How you eat sends a powerful message to “Little You”. It says to her that she is either loved or unloved. That she is either valued or dismissed; That she is important or a bother. What I am suggesting is that how you eat effects your self esteem, your confidence and the degree to which you can feel fulfilled in your life. How you eat and what you eat has more effect on your well being than your body image and what you look like.

Below are 6 healthy eating habits to get you started on your Body Benevolence Diet:

1. Eat at your dining table.
2. Eat slowly and savor each meal.
3. Think loving thoughts as you chew your food.
4. Acknowledge yourself for making good choices.
5. Only eat when you are physically hungry.
6. Separate your feelings of emotion from your feelings of hunger.

Today, set the intention to practice Body Benevolence. When you consider eating a snack or preparing a meal, do it because you love your body, and base your food choices on what would best express that. Choose to eat foods that send the message to “Little You” that you love and care for her, and then enjoy the freedom from fear that results.