Today Evita Ochel, a certified holistic nutritionist and biologist, and founder of EvolvingWellness.com, is here to talk about food and how to feel good about what you eat. If you believe that healthy eating equals deprived eating, Evita says it’s not so! Keep reading for Evita’s tips on how you can feel good about the food you eat. Take it away Evita!
Have you been neglecting healthy food choices because you picture a scenario where you will be cranky, deprived, and moody? Do you think you’ll crave everything in sight feeling like everywhere you look, people are eating what they want, and you’re the only one who’s not?
I urge you to think again.
I want you to make food choices from a place of awareness so you feel like you are gaining (in flavor!) and not losing (in enjoyment!). And here are 5 quick tips to help you do just that.
Add in healthy rather than taking away unhealthy.
For example, say that your diet is primarily based on fast food. If you are trying to eat less fast food, avoid saying, “Today I am giving up all fast food.” Your mind will do everything it can to make sure you realize that is a “bad idea.” Instead of taking away, start by adding in new, healthier options. Maybe you tell yourself, “I’m going to eat 1 apple per day” or maybe you agree to make 2 dinners per week at home, rather than eating out. Start with small modifications!
The more you add in healthy options, the more your unhealthy options begin to fade naturally.
Prepare your own meals.
Nothing says quality, pride and creativity like making your own meals. You know exactly what went into them, keeping you in charge of your family’s meals and health. You can maintain personal standards, pick your own quality ingredients and enjoy a feeling of accomplishment by creating meals you and your family will love. Have fun by making it a family affair. That’s something everyone can feel good about.
A great substitution for ice cream. All you need is a blender and fruit. You can make a fruit-based sorbet or add in some milk or yogurt for a creamy taste, and sweeten naturally with something like raw honey. The taste is rich and creamy. The only thing missing? Processed sugar, salt, and modified dairy products.
From Stacey: I don’t know Evita, ice cream – the real deal – has such a rich, smooth creamy texture! How about just once in a while 
Work with, not against, your taste buds.
If you don’t like how food tastes, you probably won’t eat it.
Do you prefer sweet flavors? Incorporate naturally sweetened foods like bell peppers, carrots, buckwheat, mangoes, or melons.
Is sour your thing? Tomatoes, ginger, oranges, raspberries, sauerkraut, or apple cider vinegar may be just what you need to complete a meal.
Educate yourself on herbs and spices, which bring the natural flavors out of any meal. White sugar and salt serve to mask the true taste of our food.
From Stacey: Just had a conversation about salt recently and said, “If I need salt maybe I shouldn’t eat this food to begin with!
Throw out the rules
If you feel like having a salad for breakfast and oatmeal for dinner, go for it!
Get bold, brave and creative with your food! Add in some mango chunks to a vegetable salad or some avocado slices as part of dessert. Make a cold peach soup to cool off with in the summer or have steamed squash as part of a hearty breakfast in the winter.
Pace yourself
Do you often feel tired after a meal because you ate too much? Do you feel guilty because you ate to much and feel stuffed? Overeating is extremely taxing on our digestive system and our entire body. You want to get up from the table feeling energized, not exhausted.
Eating slower, watching portion sizes, and creating awareness about when your body is full, will help you avoid over eating and feel good about meal time. Make sure your plate is never full to the rim with food, practice saying “no thank you” and know your limits to feel great after every meal.
Note from Stacey: And I might add, if you do indulge and overeat, enjoy it instead of judging it! The stress of judging it can have additional negative consequences. Be kind to yourself.
About Evita
Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN – is a certified holistic nutritionist, biologist, educator, writer, researcher and speaker in the areas of health, science and holistic wellness. She is a nutritional science expert and her teaching and writing focus on natural, wholesome, plant-based and organic nutrition to achieve optimal health and longevity. You can find more of her work on EvolvingWellness.com and EvolvingBeings.com.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I used to eat very fast. I thought that the faster I ate the quicker I could move on to my next thing. I never realized how intense food was until I began to slow down and take my time. Now food is an experience that I try not to take for granted. I savor the bites and try to give thanks before and after a meal. This helps me reflect on the food that I am eating.
I should throw out the rules more often. Sometimes I have dessert at the end of my meal because that’s what I was brought up. I’ve cut a big portion of this practice out and I feel so much better.
Hi Karl
Throw out the rules – yes!!! The whole dessert thing is so true! And in fact from a biochemical perspective it makes no sense for our digestion to throw in heavy fat and sugar (which is what most dessert is based on) at the end of a meal.
And slower eating indeed leads to better digestion, absorption and so many other benefits, like weight and portion control.
Thanks for stopping by and to your health always
I love this Evita…again some new ideas to/for me! Then I scroll further and enjoy Stacey’s input. I find balance between the two of you. I will try the sorbet…I hope it’s not to difficult. I can also relate to Karl and eating to quickly. Finally I quit eating unless I was sitting down. That helped;)
Evita, you’re so wise and inspire me to eat healthier and healthier (so I thank you!). I love the idea of “no rules,” because honestly there are mornings when all I want is a cup of tea and some butternut squash for breakfast. A few years ago, I stopped eating dressing on salads ordered from restaurants, since I couldn’t see the ingredients of what I was ingesting. People always ask me (as if they’re shocked), “NO DRESSING?” Nope, not if I can’t see what it’s made from.
Awesome advice here, and definitely aligned with “feel good living.”
Hi Evita and Stacey .. what a good post – sensible .. fortunately I don’t really fall into any of those categories .. I’ve always broken the rules .. I don’t like eating much in the morning or during the day – it’s never suited my system .. so fruit for breakfast and a small salad for lunch .. then supper later on. Very rarely eaten fast food .. and icecream I steer clear of .. I remember when I came to New York in 76 .. I ate a lot of milkshakes because I was with friends who like them! .. did I put on weight .. terrible!
Great recommendations .. it’s being sensible isn’t it .. and exercise .. that’s what I’m missing .. I’ll get there .. thank you – Hilary
Karl – Food is intense. I think if many of us ate slower, we’d probably eat less.
Evita – Thanks for the post and sharing your experience and expertise! After 10 days in Italy, I was not feeling so good about my food intake
Tess – Sitting down is a big deal…I had read once that when we eat sitting down we tend to eat less and slower because we are more aware of what we’re eating. When we eat standing up it’s as if we haven’t eaten at all and we crave more.
Megan – I often just get oil and vinegar or oil and lemon on my salads when I go out for the same reason. I was brought up on home made dressings, not bottled so I’m a bit of a snob in that area!
Hilary – Sensibility with food is key…not too much, not too little! And taking an integrated approach is I think the key to maintaining weight and health.
Hi Tess
Thank you and that is awesome to hear! As for the sorbet, not difficult at all – in fact depending on what you mix and how out of the ingredients I listed, it will most likely taste good no matter what – enjoy
Hi Megan
That is a great step and most people do not realize what actually hides in many common food in restaurants. So unless we see the ingredients, we really don’t know what we are putting into our bodies.
I am glad to hear I can be of help and inspiration to you on your path to eating healthier. It really is worth it, as there is no better way to enjoy life, than in a healthy body
Hi Hilary
Yes, in the end we really have to listen to our bodies. And as long as we are truly conscious about it, and doing it for the right personal reasons, that is what counts the most at the end of the day.
So being sensible is very important – all the best with your continued health journey!
Hi Stacey
You are welcome and thank you so much for the opportunity to share some of my insights with your readers.
Vacations usually introduce us to many new foods, and often we feel that since we are “on vacation” we should just enjoy them, etc… We all approach this differently, but as long as we keep some things in balance, all should be a-okay
Glad you enjoyed your time away!