So if what we eat is not a moral issue and we don’t have to try to control everything we eat, what keeps us from eating everything under the Sun and gaining a zillion pounds?
Our choices.
The choice between Power Foods and Play Foods. Power foods are ones that feel good in your body, they leave you feeling light and energetic, not bloated and sluggish and they digest well. Play foods are foods that may not provide a lot of nutritional value, but you enjoy them for no other reason than they make your taste buds sing and or they remind you or home or your childhood. At any given moment in time we have a choice. We can choose to eat something that serves us in a way that makes our body perform well, or we can choose something simply because it tastes good. Either way, we get to own that choice.
So when we go back to the concept of legalizing ALL food so everything is on an even playing ground, let’s be clear that we are NOT talking about eating play food until you are sick. This is an exercise in listening to what you want and honoring it. At the same time, you are staying in touch with your body so that you honor it by stopping when you are comfortably satisfied. This may take a while to get used to at first, but when you start to notice yourself going beyond the point of comfortable satisfaction, ask yourself why? Is the food really that good? Remind yourself that you are starting to feel full and that you can always go back for more if and when you want it. We have revoked your membership to The Clean Plate Club 🙂
Initially, you may be afraid that you will only choose foods that you previously restricted and that’s okay. If you are honest with yourself, how long will you crave and eat cookies, cake and chocolate until your body wins the negotiation and says, “Hello? I want some fruit or some veggies.” Do you crave that stuff all day long every day? My guess is no. It may be on your mind a lot because you don’t allow yourself to have it. It is like telling someone not to think of a pink elephant. They may not want to own a pink elephant, but because you told them not to think about it, the mind will go there and stay there.
Challenge:
What are some of your favorite foods that may be on your forbidden food list?
Really think about what it means to legalize ALL FOOD. Notice if you feel resistance to this thought. Take the time to WRITE DOWN the thoughts that come up for you when you think about what it means for you to be able to eat whatever you want.