Healthy Habit #7: Being Good and Being Bad
you are neither good or bad and you are always fabulous!
How many times have you said: I was good all week and then I was bad? I know I have.
Food is neither good or bad and you are always fantastic.
For example, let’s pretend you just ate a big piece of white cake with chocolate mousse filling and buttercream frosting.
It tasted so good (at least the first bite did but you really don’t remember eating the rest).
After you finish; you start to feel guilty and ashamed and you begin to judge yourself and the food.
Your brain takes notice and places it apost-it note in your head to remind it about the next time you eat something you deem as bad so it can send your body into stress physiology.
When your body gets thrown into stress physiology it will react in such fun ways as:
- Holding onto fat in case there is a famine. The body doesn’t know that you are just feeling guilty about a piece of cake. It believes you are in big trouble.
- Sending your blood flow to your extremities and away from digestion so you can survive.
- Speaking of digestion; it not happening so that cake sits in your gut causing problems and playing ping pong with your blood sugar.
Am I saying that sugar is good for you and you need to consume it at every meal? No way.
What I am saying is that barring any food allergies; you can have every food in your life.
Think of every food as being on a continuum ranging from once a week to once an hour.
Sugar may be a once a week indulgence.
Vegetables may be a once an hour necessity.
Marc David taught me that sugar, caffeine, alcohol and medications are powerful substances.
As a society we have abused them AND that is what has gotten us into the mess of obesity, sickness and toxicity.
As one hair commercial used to say “A little Dab Will Do Ya!”
Conversely, you may also have some foods that are triggers and are better off not being a part of your life.
My trigger foods are pretzels and hard candy. Lifesavers are like alcohol to me.
I couldn’t eat just one. I couldn’t eat just one roll! So I stay far away from those hard, fruity tasting candies.
The harder trigger for me to let go of are the pretzels at the baseball game. They hold such great memories for me and I can begin to justify why I should indulge. Yet, I know that every time I do indulge, the salt cravings become ravenous and my stomach kills me. I bloat up and become constipated.
Even though I know this; until very recently I did it anyway.
Then I said goodbye for today. I remembered what I learned in my 12 step program that I only have to let go of it for today.
Then recommit tomorrow.
Therefore, I encourage you to indulge in non-trigger foods, that you have tolerance to eat.
When you eat it; make it an event. Taste every morsel. Feel it go down your esophagus. Chew it into liquid.
After 3 bite ask your gut; would you like another?
If so, then do.
If you are afraid to ask your gut then stop at 3 bites.
Take a deep breath and savor.
Summary:
- Food is not good or bad and you are not good and bad for eating it.
- Certain foods are meant to be enjoyed once a week while others can be enjoyed as often as you like.
- Sugar, Caffeine, Alcohol and Medications are powerful substance and a little dab will do ya!
- If you have food allergies are trigger foods say goodbye to them.
My inquiring mind wants to know your thoughts about being good and bad. Does it make sense for you?
