Food Magic

There is no such thing as “the ultimate diet” despite narratives that are pushed. A healthy diet consists of a few basic elements. This list is by no means comprehensive medical advice, rather, it's intended to provide ‘food decision-making mantras’ for stressful moments when each choice you make in the grocery store seems to conflict with another you’d like to adhere to. Forget it all! Food should not be a source of fixation, but rather a source of enjoyment and letting your senses do the talking.

1. Variety, and new ingredients. An emphasis on diversity is the most important quality to a balanced diet. Branch out and try something new; a new grab-and-go option from the grocery store deli, a new recipe, a new planning regimen, a new ingredient!

2. Moderation. Having multiple eating periods a day lessens your risk for binge eating habits! Moderation also refers to branching out and resisting the temptation to add chicken to all 7 of your dinners for the week. Eat all foods in moderation, in terms of portion size, and frequency.

3. Satiating meals and snacks. Rewarding food choices make you come back for more! This is great if you can find an array of meals and foods that make your brain happy at just the thought of them. Your palate will naturally develop different cravings that fit a healthier strata once you branch out from your go-to treats!

4. Familiarity. Knowing the ingredients and cooking process of your food is empowering and lends more agency to your relationship with food. Over time, this aspect can make food choices easier and more flexible.

5. A plan. Food is much more enjoyable when it can be predictably enjoyed! It gets much easier to make stress-less food choices when you’ve already set up options for yourself. Make time in your week for food planning. This can be making a grocery list and shopping for the week, meal prepping, budgeting in your favorite fast food stop for a few of your meals or whatever model of planning works for you.

6. Financially realistic. Food should be energizing, not energy depleting. Balance between take-out and cooking. Grocery shopping tends to be cheaper because you don't have to pay for the cooking labor, but the cost is that it’s time consuming. Take finances into account when you plan for your week so that you don’t buy more food to cook into meals than is realistic for you. This will allow you to budget in more convenient options so they don’t break your wallet.

7. Nothing relating to food should be 'cut and dry'. Setting expectations for your eating patterns and your body in accordance with financial and time management needs may pose challenges related to differences in your body’s needs in a given moment. Restrictive eating behaviors are to be avoided when possible and accounted for. It is easy to force yourself to adhere to rigid expectations relating to food during stressful time periods, but remember your body holds the greatest insight in identifying what you need/want in a given moment.