Lose the Deprivation and Lose Weight

By now it seems that most of us know how to eat healthfully. Well then why aren’t more of us content with our eating habits and living at a healthy weight? There are a number of factors at play here, and I’d like to mention one in particular.

For many people, food choices are a bit black and white, and changes tend to be drastic. One day you’re eating pizza, ice cream, and stressfully polishing off your kid’s food and the next day you say that’s it! It’s right on to salads, berries and Kashi. You’re on the right track, but such a fast swing is going to leave you feeling quite deprived and restricted.

So the good news is that it’s time to cut yourself a little slack. Give yourself time to make healthier choices. You already know that a more gradual approach will help you be more successful in the long run.

Here are 5 tips for making the transition. Play around with all of them and notice which ones work best for you.

1. Identify what your body wants. Is it something salty, crunchy, or warm? Would you like fish, pasta, or cheese? Listen to your body and eat what you’d really like to enjoy in this moment.

2. Search for rich recipes that include lots of fresh vegetables, great textures, and a rich medley of spices and/or fresh herbs. Say for example, you find a soup that starts with sautéing butter and onions. The base is going to really sensationalize the flavor, so go ahead and enjoy it. The butter is really ok, especially when you have a pot full of greens and other bright natural ingredients.

3. With compassion, set an intention to only eat when you’re physiologically hungry and stop when you’re full. If you’re still eating when you’re already full, this can be a rich area of self-inquiry. Compassionately ask yourself, why am I still eating?

4. When you’re craving pizza, eat your absolute favorite, decadent greasy slice. When you’re craving chocolate, track down the richest, finest, most amazing dessert possible.

5. Enjoy all your food slowly, decadently, and sans guilt. As Gael Greene would say, “Great food is like great sex. The more you have the more you want.”