eat what you want

and feel good about it.

*Photo above is one of many from my recent shoot with the lovely Anna Sirota!

Although I’m writing this from home, I’ll be traveling from Greece to Istanbul as you read this, happily eating “what I want.” Props to the power of technology.

I often hear people refer to this when they struggle with a diet or go on vacation – that they just want to be able to eat whatever they desire, as if it means they don’t want to feel obligated to care so much about the result of what they eat.

When I was voraciously counting calories, I would have something like a meticulously measured veggie sandwich or boring “healthy” snacks in hopes of my efforts resulting in a smaller waistline… but all I really wanted was In-N-Out or pizza. When I surrendered to a craving, I wound up feeling bloated, disappointed in myself, and anxious about falling off the wagon.

I’ve done some thinking, observing, and digging within myself [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][per usual] and recently came to the conclusion that eating “what we want” doesn’t have to hold such a negative connotation. It also doesn’t mean that we should go out and have a cheeseburger every day, but that what we want to eat can actually shift by paying attention to what ultimately makes us feel the best.

So if eating a burger gives you energy and makes your body feel amazing, there is no reason to not eat it. If however it makes you feel sluggish and icky, you may decide you no longer want it. Either way, the point is to nourish and take care of ourselves in order to maintain our bodies. By taking care of ourselves, we can take better care of the people we care about.

Therefore, if we care and are aware of what best serves us and our bodies, eating what we want can take on a whole new meaning.

The kinds of foods I want to eat today differs from what I wanted to eat six months ago – it takes new shape depending on my mood, time of year, where I am, and how my body feels. On my recent trip to California I thought I would have to “refrain” from ordering In-N-Out, come to find I actually didn’t even want it because I knew it wouldn’t make me feel how I want to feel. I’m still learning to accept that what I want to eat will never be stagnant, which causes an understandable amount of both relief and stress.

I’m relieved because, when things feel stuck, I can find solace in the fact that they will change [I will not be in a cookie coma forever]. I’m stressed because what if eating what I want means always giving into temptation, resulting in an expanding tummy? When reality kicks in, I remind myself the following:

• Worrying about things that haven’t yet happened is pointless.
• If I listen to my body, it’s not logically going to want a pint of ice cream every single day.
• Deprivation will only lead to bingeing, and I’m not one to deprive myself of the things I love or want.

By not allowing ourselves to eat what we want, as I did when I racked up my calorie points, we wind up pushing it aside like we do with emotions when we don’t want to deal with them. My yoga teacher says whatever we suppress is “in the closet doing push-ups.” So when we finally open the door, give in, or acknowledge what we feel and want, we’re in for a beat down.

It’s a constant balancing act, and that’s not a bad thing. If we want to feel positive about what we put in our mouths, all we have to do is be mindful of noticing what we want versus what we need, what makes us feel good versus gross, and simply what serves us best.

There’s no doubt that, as I eat my way through Greece and Istanbul, I will have pangs of regret and anxiety of things I “shouldn’t” be eating. That’s just how my brain works, and I myself am working to shift that pattern, because I know that there’s absolutely no benefit to that guilt. The majority of the time I will be happy eating what I want, which may occasionally include dairy [FETA], gluten, and [gasp] sugar when I want it. Will this serve me, make me feel good and energized? I’ll report back, but in the meantime I’ll do my best to listen to my body and enjoy every experience.

What does “eating what you want” mean to you?

Click here to read the full newsletter including a super simple salad recipe, special discount from my new friends at Lulitonix, an amazing energy healing workshop [don’t miss it!], good music + more.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]