Choosing Food: What Do I Have?
December 24th, 2007, 11:28 am · Post a Comment · posted by Michelle May, M.D.
This is the third of the three questions you should ask before you decide what to eat.
The key to the final question, “What do I have?” is planning. If you feel hungry and the only thing available is a vending machine, you’re likely to choose a snack food that may not be very healthy, may not taste very good and may not really be what you were hungry for anyway.
Instead, strive to have a variety of foods available that are healthful and appealing but not overly tempting. These are foods that you enjoy when you’re hungry but won’t be calling out to you from their storage place saying, “Come eat me!”
Of course, you’re not always in control of which foods are available. At a restaurant, office potluck, or friend’s house, simply see what’s available and remember to ask yourself “Is there a healthy choice that will meet my needs without feeling deprived?” For example, could you be happy with frozen yogurt instead of ice cream this time?
Matching the food you choose to what you’re really hungry for and what your body needs leads to greater satisfaction and more enjoyment—with less food.
Remember that small changes really do make a difference and that balanced eating is simply the result of all of the individual positive decisions you make. Eating food you truly enjoy while taking good care of your body is the best way to make long term changes that you can live with.
Join me for an 8-week Spirit of Women/Am I Hungry? weight management workshop at Banner Desert Medical Center. Send an email to info@amihungry.com or visit http://www.AmIHungry.com.
