A Nice Reminder
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One of the things I really like to remind myself is that it’s okay to eat.
We’ve been raised in a diet culture. So I forget this sometimes.
If your mama wasn’t on a diet, the lady on the front of the grocery store magazine was. We’ve seen the rise and fall of the lowfat diet (how many Snackwell’s Devil’s Food cookies did I consume in the 90s?), the low-carb diet (bacon + hot bod =WTF), the SlimFast shake (icky), the Master Cleanse (guilty), the Taco Bell Drive Thru Diet, Fen-Phen popping, calorie restricting, calorie combining, big meal, small meal, no meal eating regimes.
It can all get so confusing. Even for me, a food and nutrition loving amateur who spends an absurd number of hours poring over recipe and health books in a polyester covered chair at our local library.
Which is why I love Michael Pollan. He makes eating simple. He cuts through the crap, encourages smart principles, and leaves the rest up to you and your clever brain.
Turn out, when said clever brain isn’t short-circuting from all the nonsense, supressing latent bingeing desires, and attempting to regulate ones body after caffeine and sugar surges, it can actually do a lot of things.
Like think about all the nice things you could be eating.
Like remind you when you’re full so you don’t overeat.
Like tell you how clever you are for taking care of your body.
As we’ve started to make the switch to more plant-based meals on our menu, I’ve noticed an surge in energy, an ability to think more clearly, and a general glowiness which I’m certain comes from not having to fight myself to stay away from all the naughty foods I thought I actually wanted to eat.
I’ve gone through the week, reminding myself of Pollan’s simple mantra, “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Rather than feeling the hefty weight of impossible-to-maintain diet rules, this little quip makes me feel empowered at eating time. It reminds me that I need to eat. That I SHOULD be eating. That it’s my job to fuel and nourish my body.
Nowadays, I feel like every chance to eat is a chance to go on a grand treasure hunt. I love the excitement of opening the fridge and finding ways to fill my soul and cravings with “mostly plants.” I mull over my options. I read all the labels when I shop. I bite my lip in busy anticipation and I look for the vegan or vegetarian options on menu’s. It’s fun, trying to navigate my way as a newbie “mostly plant” eater in a world I’ve always known as meat-eating.
Oh! And my friend, Becki, who’s tummy is as flat as the Sahara desert, mentioned a food tip that I’ve enjoyed all week. She and her husband always drink a huge glass of water before they eat anything. It often satisfies your cravings (sometimes your body will make you feel hungry when you’re actually just thirsty) and encourages that “full” feeling ahead of time so you don’t overeat. I’m not much of a water drinker, so I’ll splash a squeeze of fresh lemon or a few drops of DoTerra Slim & Sassy essential oils into a cup of room temperature water before guzzling. A bit of flavor and an almost-warm temperature make it easy to guzzle.
Allright, your turn. Cough up your best tips. Favorite food quotes. Anything inspiring for the weekend. We’ve got some eating to do!
To download an extra-large version of the quote above, click on over to my SmugMug account.
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Courtney on February 10, 2012 at 11:53 am
I try to live by my own mantra. Food isn’t supposed to be easy. Its supposed to be our life’s work. We are always so unprepared for dinner. Whenever we didn’t have something ready to make we would go out to a restaurant. We would come back feeling yucky, late for bath and bedtime, and stressed trying to get our kids to behave in the restaurant. We came to the realization that it takes the same amount of time to run out to get whatever ingredients we might need to make something at home than go out to eat. We still go out to eat but its because we want to, not because we don’t have a better option. Plus we cook much healthier than we can normally get at a restaurant. We still don’t really meal plan but we try to make better use of all the stuff we do have and make sure we stock up at the farmer’s market every weekend. Its our running joke that we live in the Chopped kitchen. Keeps is interesting I suppose.
Skye on February 10, 2012 at 1:13 pm
I love this philosophy! I went vegan last year for Lent (I am already vegetarian). I didn’t feel better, but I think it’s because I still relied too much on processed foods and still made tons of dessert. I’m still working on increasing the good stuff and decreasing the bad stuff- but when I look back, I am doing so much better than a few years ago! :) I commend you for starting your whole family on a path towards healthier living. LOVE your new plant-based recipes!
Amilia @justeverydayme on February 10, 2012 at 4:29 pm
This is such a good reminder :) I often feel guilty when I spend time looking at foodgawker and other blogs, as if being passionate about food is a bad thing! It’s hard to balance loving food, eating healthy, and not feeling guilty about eating, but it’s super important! Love the quote and thanks for sharing!
Diana on February 10, 2012 at 6:17 pm
Ummm…how about “moderation in all things.”?
anna on February 10, 2012 at 6:54 pm
i have recently gone gluten free and i feel awesome! im excited for you and your new diet!
STH on February 10, 2012 at 9:22 pm
I was just looking at another site that had an article about “pampering yourself for Valentine’s Day” accompanied by a big picture of a huge piece of chocolate cake. I wonder if we all need to think about what “pampering” really means . . . is it “pampering” if it makes you feel bloated and slightly nauseous after you eat it? Shouldn’t “pampering” mean taking care of yourself, nurturing yourself, being good to yourself? And not in a way that feels good for a moment and then lousy afterward?
There’s a lot more than a moment’s pleasure to be had from eating a plant-based diet. As you wrote, Brooke, it’s an intellectual challenge, it’s an opportunity for creativity, and it makes you feel physically good (and saves money, too!)
Jaime {sophistimom} on February 10, 2012 at 11:18 pm
Hey, cutie. LUH-UH-UHV the new look of your website. And love what you just said about food.
Angela @ The Dancer Bakes on February 11, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Smaller portions of quality foods are always better than huge portions of mediocre food! And of course, my aunt’s mantra: “If it doesn’t taste good enough to be worth the calories…don’t eat it!” I love that you’re posting such healthy recipes on your blog – it gives me so much material to work with in my life as a dancer!
Amy on February 12, 2012 at 11:58 pm
The reason you are an inspiration is because you are real and true and speak from your heart. Do you know how easy it would be to just keep blogging the same stuff that you think your readers want instead of sharing your journey with us? It’s what brought me here…cupcake to cauliflower and I’ll never grow tired of feeling uplifted and motivated to be better and live my life with my whole heart.
Jessica on February 14, 2012 at 7:11 pm
I’m reading Pollan’s book In Defense of Food. While I’m struggling to incorporate it more into my diet (I’m a big meat eater!) I have really enjoyed what I’ve read so far! My eyes are being opened!!
Natalie on February 16, 2012 at 3:00 pm
I always find that when I make a small salad to go with dinner, I eat a small portion of the main meal and still get a good serving of veggies. This is always a plus when the main dish is something like pepperoni pizza. :)
Kait on February 22, 2012 at 7:50 pm
So well said! Eating is meant to be a joyful, sensuous experience. We are supposed to enjoy it but at the same time it is something that is supposed to sustain us. When you ask me what I’m eating I don’t just say “a salad” because it is so much more than that (arugula w/ carrots, tabbouleh, sunflower seeds, herbs, olive oil, balsalmic, and s&p to be precise)!
My other foodie crush is Mark Bittman. You might want to check him out…just don’t tell Michael. ;)
Brooke replied: — February 22nd, 2012 @ 11:47 pm
Michael AND Mark?! We might be in foodie crush heaven now. :)
Becky on February 26, 2012 at 5:38 am
Great post! I have definitely found us to be eating less processed foods since we have been feeding our little one solid foods in the last year. More fruits and veggies have made their way into our diets and fresh cut strawberries have replaced sugar laden desserts as we try to emulate good practices for our daughter. Our main hurdle left to attach is increasing our greens and grains, but with recipes like yours, we have some great ways to try to include them more. Thanks for putting some inspiration out there for us!
Aggie on February 26, 2012 at 8:58 pm
I’ve cut back meat for myself tremendously over last two years, Michael Pollans quote is one that always inspires me & puts things in perspective for me. I’ve found myself taking more ‘bites’ of meat lately, not sure what’s happening there. But all in all I would say I follow about 80% veggie diet…and feel my best when I do.
I am absolutely going to drink a huge glass before each meal. Great tip. I love my water.
Brooke replied: — February 29th, 2012 @ 1:19 am
Such a great tip, eh?! Now if only I could remember it before I go chomping at the food!
Betty on June 2, 2012 at 8:26 am
Congratulations on such a helpful & wonderful website. I’ve struggled with drinking water throughout the day (seemed like it took forever to get a glass down). My solution is to drink it using a straw. You can get it down quickly without time to dread the task. My grandkids drink milk & water this way without any fuss. As a former foods/home economics teacher it’s refreshing to see how you can help so many with excellent recipes. Keep up the good work!
jordans for sale on October 20, 2012 at 11:13 am
Looking forward to reading more. Great post. Will read on…