#63, Be the Boss of What You Eat, (How to Make a Plate that Supports You)

Hold out your hand and let me hand you back control over your eating. I know how that feels, you can be working so hard and really gaining ground and then one evening leaves you feeling completely defeated. 

So, I’m going to break this down for you in three simple steps and you can arrive at the next get together feeling much more put together. 

1. Work on the Mind
One of the most common problems is that our mind has already decided that we can’t eat in a way that will support our bodies. I’m serious. We just shrug our shoulders and think that we can either starve or fall off our healthy wagon. When I work with ladies, I like to teach them the concept of eating with a grade average instead of playing dodgeball. Let me break this down really quickly. When you are in school you can get a 73 on a paper but you know that if you have enough 80s or 90s then you can easily bring that grade average up and feel really good about your semester. However, when you play dodgeball, if you get hit by a ball you are out. Many ladies play dodgeball with their eating choices. Either they are in or they are “out” and when they are “out” they aren’t playing the game anymore, as if what they do doesn’t count until they start a new game the next day. That isn’t the way our health works. Our eating choices and how they affect our bodies are mainly on a grade average system. So, when you go to a gathering and eat off plan, every bit is still counting toward that average. There is no “in” or “out” so you can choose to eat in a way that will help that GPA. 

2. Scout out Your Options
This is probably the mistake I’ve made too many times to count. I will get in line and start filling my plate without even knowing what the options are. Then, I’ll realize there was something that would have been both tasty and supportive, but, I have no room to eat it. In fact, I am recording this episode just a few days after a church potluck. I had Micaela and Adela in line and was fixated on getting all our plates filled. I like to eat about half of my plate full of fruits and veggies and when I got to the end of the line I found this big bowl full of one of my favorite salads. It was a leafy green salad with that sweet poppy seed dressing. It would have been perfect, but I had no idea it was there. 
If you aren’t scouting out your options, be aware that they could stem from your mindset. If you believe that you can’t eat in a way to support yourself, you won’t be looking for a way to do it, so, be aware that you have to believe in order to help yourself in this way. 
Please note, you need to know the foods that support your body and goals. This isn’t the same for everyone. With the ladies I work with, I teach them to become very intentional as they listen to their bodies and figure out what supports their energy and health. 

3. Stick to Your Guns
When you make your plate, stick to your guns. Don’t be swayed by the fear that if you don’t eat a ton of everything then you will miss out. For more on this listen to the last episode, #62, on FOMO. You are winning! You are eating food that makes you feel good and keeps you moving forward. You will have energy that night and wake up in the morning without the frustration we feel when we can’t take back the poor choices from the night before. Enjoy your food. All of it. Don’t eat like you’re in a race or it is going to disappear. Food is pleasurable and the more you soak in that pleasure, the less likely you’ll still feel unsatisfied and be going back for more. 

Many blessings this holiday season! 2023 is just a few short weeks away and I pray you are not just loving your time with family friends, but showing up for yourself, honoring the vessel God gave you as you learn and grow forward. 

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