Happy April!
Last week I mentioned that I suddenly went from buying short ribs to greens — this week more greens and more, and even some green juice. Now, I’m not normally a huge proponent of juices, so I actually love that this “craving” has presented itself, because it gives me an opportunity to talk to you about one of my favorite things!
There is so much information out there about what you “should” eat, so many do’s and don’ts, yes’s and no’s, so many plans and diets. And most of them will use some sort of scientific research to back them up. And there’s certainly lots of anecdotal evidence that these plans work —
People have cured cancer with raw food diets, healed autoimmune disease with some form of Paleo, healed autoimmune with a vegan diet, begun walking after years in a wheelchair after just a few weeks of Keto (in fact, I know personally people who have done each of these things).
So, how do you know which to do — which plan is the right one? When I tell people I’m a health coach, they assume that I will craft a nutrition plan for them, tell them WHAT to eat. And, while I do take a look at what they’re currently eating and offer suggestions that will move the needle on their health, I am waaaay more interested in helping them learn HOW to know for themselves.
It’s the whole “give a woman a fish or teach her how to fish” thing.
And, as should be obvious from the above, there is no one right way!
Different foods work well for different people and at different times in the year and in your life. And your body will tell you if you learn to listen. As I’ve been looking at recipes, perusing the produce aisles, and foraging in the fridge, I am being literally drawn to all the vegetables right now, while the denser foods of winter are now causing my stomach to do a little flip-flop when I think about them.
And, as a matter of fact, this week I’m making things to go along with all the veggies using several ingredients that usually aren’t on my plate but are seeming like perfect food for my body during this seasonal transition (green juice, lentils, yogurt, rice, potatoes with lots of nourishing broth – you can peek at a couple of these recipes here: lentil-bacon soup and chicken asparagus and tomato over brown rice).
Our body is always sending yes/no signals — on when and what to eat, opportunities to take or leave, what to say, how and how often to move, even what to wear. It’s so wise! So our job is to learn to listen.
If we’ve never been taught how to listen or we ignore the signals, often (especially with food and movement) it will talk more and more loudly in the form of inefficient or even broken-down function — i.e. illness, fatigue, depression, dis-ease.
I encourage you to play with this this week, so things don’t have to go so far. The key word being play!. Get curious about how your body signals a yes or no in relation to food and movement choices. Talk to your body — indicate your willingness to learn something new, and then ask. Don’t assume it will follow the “rules” you’ve been told. Ask it what it wants when perusing a menu, or making a meal plan, or looking at the produce. Really take your time in the produce section, maybe you’ll be drawn to something new!
I’d love to know how this experiment works for you this week! Please let me know!
And, if you’re interested in getting some deeper guidance into this intuitive way of eating and living, please schedule a call with me and we’ll explore your goals together!
May your days be truly delicious and satisfying!
Hi! I’m Laura Jarrait and I work with women who adore good food but feel like it’s running or ruining their lives. They don’t want to diet or quit socializing around food but are tired of feeling less than their best and guilty, obsessive, or confused about what they eat. I help them keep the pleasure and drop the stressful thinking and extra weight, so they feel confident, light and free — all without ending their love affair with food!
I would be thrilled to help you do the same! Get my free Beautiful You guide that teaches YOU how to eat with pleasure and thrive at your natural weight or learn more about how I can support you in your eating, body love, and weight-loss goals.