TGIM: Eating 101

Welcome back to Thank God It’s Monday!

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tl;dr “Healthy eating” has become such a complex issue with all of the fad diets, trends, and social media “experts.” But at the end of the day, the best approach is similar to anything in life: keep it simple, and don’t overdo it. If you’re looking for some habits to improve your eating, check out a few ideas below.
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If you listen to podcasts, go on social media, or listen to talk radio, I’m sure you’ve heard of the “best diet” or the “best way to lose weight.” People swear by high-fat diets, low-fat diets, eating at certain times, not eating certain foods, tracking calories, blah blah blah.

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But as with most things in life, people are overcomplicating it. If you’re like me, I’m always looking for ways to improve my habits by making them easier to adhere to. While the root of our eating practices largely comes back to our mindset around food, here are some tips to make eating well easier.

*Disclaimer: When I say eating well, it’s not necessarily eating to lose weight or gain muscle. It’s eating to fuel your body, make you feel good, and enjoy life.
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• Use smaller dishes to plate your food. This gives the appearance of filling your plate with less food so you don’t add more food to fill a larger plate. Your brain registers this as more satiating.
• Always add nutrients to your meal. I try to have a fruit and/or vegetable with every meal. This helps add satiety to the meal without adding a ton of calories. It also makes sure you get the micronutrients you need. The greater the variety in colors the better!
• Drink your water. Have it before your coffee in the morning (it will actually help your coffee be more effective). Have it between meals or before snacking to make sure you’re not just eating because you’re thirsty. Have it instead of more processed, sugary drinks.
• Eat foods you enjoy in moderation. What is life if not for doing (and eating) the things we love? Learning how to enjoy any of the foods that bring us happiness without overdoing it enhances the experience. We can enjoy the piece of cake, the chips, or even the fries if we can do it with integrity (aka eating the amount we intended on eating). Is it the most optimal for our health? Maybe not, but we’re all going to die one day anyway so do things you enjoy without being gluttonous.
• Don’t eat distracted. Put your phone down, turn off the TV, and stop doing work during lunch. It allows you to better pay attention to how full you’re feeling and the enjoyment of the food itself. Eating distracted ends up with overeating, stress eating, and eating for all of the wrong reasons. Enjoy your food, and pay attention to it!
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If you found some value in this, please share it with a friend you think would enjoy it! And let me know if you’d like to be added to get TGIM.
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This week, my podcast recommendation is from All the Hacks with Chris Hutchins, “Secrets of Super Achievers: Learning the 10x Growth Mindset with Dr. Benjamin Hardy.”
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With that, let me know if you implement any of these and any eating habits you already have that help you enjoy life and eating more.

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Until next time,

Shannon

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P.S.

1. I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
2. I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health.
3. I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
4. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
5. My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.