Eat It Like You Mean It: How to Feel Full

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I have a weakness for all types of salty processed foods. Chips, crackers... you name it, I'll eat it. And when it comes to Parmesan Goldfish, it's all over. We have a hot and torrid relationship that usually involves the bag being opened and demolished in the course of a single day.  

Try not to de-friend me, ok?

So today, in response to a grossly irresponsible moment I had last week with a bag of Goldfish, I'd like to talk about a little thing called nutrient density. Sharing this nugget of information is my way of paying penance for my indiscretions. Try to play along. 

In the world we live in, our food is wrapped up in bright, beautiful, beckoning packages. The bag, box or label begs you to notice it, describing its contents so poetically that you'd be amiss if you passed it by. We all have our weaknesses. Mine is Goldfish. Yours may be Doritos... California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizza... or a pint of Ben & Jerry's (or maybe all three!). 

When you've had a large quantity of these things, one would expect to feel full (or at least satisfied for a few hours), but in my experience, this is not the case. After eating these things, I'm hungry again, and in no time at all. 

I stuffed my face... so what gives?

Two words - Nutrient Density. Processed, refined foods are completely lacking in nutrient content. You'll be hard-pressed to find anything substantial or nourishing inside that shiny packaging. When a 'food' lacks nutrients, it slips straight through your system, doing nothing to help your body along the way and actually causing cravings for more destructive foods. In addition to giving us nothing, these foods also require additional resources from our body just to digest them. The digestive process leaches many existing nutrients from our organs and bones and robs us of our existing energy stores. In essence, these foods are 'antinutrients'.

Talk about double whammy!

The good news is, when you eat foods that are nutrient dense, you will feel nourished and full. These nutrient dense foods I'm referring to are WHOLE FOODS, the kind that don't come wrapped up with a pretty bow on top. They're the kind you can touch, feel and smell in the store! What they lack in pretty packaging, they make up in sensory experience!

Do you want the even better news? Because these foods are usually low in fat and calories, you can eat a much larger portion of them. You can eat the whole farm without even coming close to the fat and calories (and lack of nutrients) in that package of Oreos.

So basically I'm here today to give you permission to stuff your face. Just do it the right way!

Happy Monday!

Food Rules: Put A Fork In Me, I'm Done!

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We've all been there. I'm talking about the point of no return - the moment at dinner when you find yourself slipping your hand underneath the table to release the top button of your pants. Phew. Much better. It happens to the best of us. Sometimes the food's just so good (and/or so expensive) that you find yourself in a competition with yourself to wipe that plate clean. Culinary domination complete!

The good news? The food was fantastic and you conquered it... all.
The bad news? You're uncomfortable and beelining for the nearest mattress store with your pants around your ankles.

Drastic times call for drastic measures. I think it's time for some good old fashioned waistline therapy. Let's dive into the next guideline from Michael Pollan's book Food Rules...

STOP EATING BEFORE YOU'RE FULL

It's not our fault that we don't innately know this. We grew up being told, 'clean your plate' or 'eat all your vegetables'. Our mothers and fathers meant well. They wanted us to get our fair share of nutrients AND they believed in the concept of avoiding waste. There are starving children in Africa, Lauren... finish your peas!

Image courtesy of thedailygreen.com

The only problem with this child-rearing technique is that it sets the tone for how we relate to food as adults. Unfortunately, as the portion sizes in restaurants grow larger by the day, so do our waistlines AND our stomachs. Overeating can stretch your stomach up to 20%, and it doesn't just snap right back to business as usual. The next time you sit down to eat, it will take more food to feel full. You can see how this pattern could easily get out of hand.

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The purpose of food is to provide your body with energy. When you overeat, you feel the opposite of energized - you feel lethargic. You crave a nice long nap. Your brain feels fuzzy. It becomes hard to concentrate. You might even feel discomfort or pain. None of these things are natural or good.

The Japanese have a saying - hara hachi bu - which advises people to stop eating when they are 80% full. In India, there's a common belief that you should stop eating when you are 75% full. In China, they say 70%. Moral of the story? No matter what the percentage, you should be so aware of your body that you stop eating when you no longer feel the physical pangs of hunger. You'll know you've reached this point because you'll start to feel content, your food may start to taste less interesting than it did on the first few bites and you might even become distracted, thinking about the next thing on your to-do list. Some people even let out a 'sigh' of satisfaction when they've reached that 80% mark.



Here are a few tips to help you implement this concept...

1) Eat slower - Give your stomach the time it needs to send the message to your brain that you're satisfied. If you scarf down your food, then you will stretch your stomach long before you ever get the message.

2) Concentrate - Turn the TV off and put the computer away. When you take the time to fully focus on your meal, you will be able to savor every bite. When you're distracted by an outside stimulus, you forget to enjoy each bite, and you may end up going back for seconds just to get that feeling of satisfaction.

3) Drink water before a meal - Your mind often mistakes thirst for hunger. Before a meal, drink 1 glass of water to hydrate, then you'll be able to accurately identify when you've reached that 80% mark.

If you can follow these 3 simple steps, you just might be able to wear your skinny pants to dinner without despair, rid your closet of all the muumuu-style dresses and say goodbye to those awful stretchy waistbands!

Now wouldn't that feel therapeutic?