Being Happy and Comfortable with your Diet (Guest Post)

Hello, again! I am super excited to have one of my favorite bloggers… Cait – here to write a guest post for you all today. (No – I don’t just like her because of her name.. but it DOES make her super cool!) I love Cait’s Plate – because I get to stare at AMAZING food creations (at the hand of Cait, of course) multiple times a day! Her photography skills are fantastic – and she is slowly working her way back into running after suffering a back injury! I hope you enjoy her words of wisdom as much as I always do!

 

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Hi Beyond Bananas readers!

I’m Cait, from Cait’s Plate and I was lucky enough to be asked by this Cait to do a guest post!

I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity and the chance to tell all of you fabulous Beyond Bananas readers a little more about myself.

While there are millions of things I could ramble on about, I wanted to share my top 5 tips for being happy and comfortable with your diet!

Listen to Your Body!   

 

 

This is absolutely my number one rule when it comes to being happy with your diet. If I’m not hungry, I’m not eating. And likewise, if I AM hungry, you better believe I’m fixing up something delicious to eat!

While this seems like such an intuitive rule, I often find that a surprising number of people tell me that they struggle with this. The concept of intuitive eating seems so completely fundamental but can often be much easier said than done. When we were kids, intuitive eating came naturally to us – before any knowledge of dieting, before stressful careers, late nights and social gatherings. I would argue that how you ate as a kid was most likely the healthiest way to eat. There was no guilt attached to anything you ate, no “I really should have had…” – you just filled your tummy when it was hungry and were out the door as soon as it was satisfied!

While I know adult life can take you in many different directions and often put you in situations where you’re not in control of meals, it’s important to remember that you’re ALWAYS in control of your own body. You and only you can choose how, when and why to feed it. Trying to stay as close as possible to that kid mentality with eating is often a suggestion I give people.

Eat when you’re hungry. Stop when you’re full. LISTEN to what your body is telling you. Don’t let anyone or anything else influence you otherwise. Trust me on this one – you’ll be infinitely happier with your diet once you make this change!

 

2 Eat What You Crave

 

 

 

This goes hand in hand with my first tip. When you’re eating what you crave, you’re much more likely to feel satisfied with your meal. Of course all of us have some version of “should versus want” in our heads when it comes to food choices – but I stand by the fact that more often than not, it’s best to choose WANT. Our bodies are pretty smart (they’ve gotten us this far after all!) and they’ll always be sure tell us what they need to function optimally.

There’s no denying that I love all types of healthy food, but I certainly love plenty of unhealthy foods as well, and when I’m craving it, the best thing I can do is just eat it. If I don’t, I’ll find myself thinking about it way too often and that just gives food far too much power.

Crave it. Eat it. Move on.

 

3. Strike the Right Balance

 

 

So yes, when you’re craving something ridiculously decadent, you should just eat it. The only time you shouldn’t do this? When it becomes more of a norm than the exception. I’m all for eating what I want when I want it – especially because more often than not when I indulge at one meal, my body craves healthier/lighter fare at the next.

 

 

For the most part my body naturally follows the 80/20 rule – healthy, whole foods 80% of the time and then all the other stuff 20% of the time.

 

 

HOWEVER, that’s not to say that’s always the case. I can usually tell when I’ve just had a bit too much sugar/greasy/fried food – I start feeling tired, irritable and lethargic. When I’m feeling this way and I’m still craving something unhealthy, I’ll usually resist that craving and opt for something a bit more nutritious and you know what? My body usually thanks me for it!

 

 

It’s all about finding the balance that works best for you.

 

4. Know That There is Always Tomorrow 

 

 

Ever had a dish that was so incredibly good the thought of not finishing made you sad (despite feeling stuffed?). We’ve all been there. It’s important to remember that there is always tomorrow. Whether you pack up the rest and reheat it for lunch or make something else just as delectable the next day – it’s important to remind yourself there will always be an opportunity for more good food.

 

It all goes back to my first tip of listening to your body – if it’s telling you it’s had enough, then listen to it! The food will always be there tomorrow (and you’ll be able to enjoy it much more when you’re not stuffed to the gills!).

 

 5. Make Every Meal Special

 

I know a lot of people argue that food is simply fuel and there should be no other connection to it. But for me, food is SO much more than that. It’s an experience and one that should be enjoyed each and every time you sit down to eat – no matter how big, or small the meal.

 

I talk a lot on my blog about making every meal feel special. It’s important for my satisfaction to make sure that I’m really enjoying everything I put into my mouth.

 

Even if you’re home alone and cereal is all you can manage for dinner, light a candle, set the table and make it feel a little more like an experience. I think it will surprise you the impact that can have on how content you feel with what you’re eating (and will probably keep you from going back to the pantry later on).

 

You can read more about my food philosophy here .

 

Thanks so much for listening – feel free to weigh in with your own tips and tricks! 