My son recently spent a week in the Dominican Republic with his high school Spanish class. It was a great trip and I was especially intrigued by our conversations about the food he ate!
Now, you might have the impression that children of Health and Nutrition Coaches eat copious amounts of broccoli and never eat sugar. I am here to tell you that this isn’t true. :) Yes, one of my children recently added broccoli sprouts to their meal. On their own. With no prompting from me. (Win!!) I also know that my teenagers love pizza, burgers, chips, candy, and ice cream. All that to say, my kids know what it feels like to eat junk food.
In the Dominican Republic, my son was eating a large midday meal, consisting of rice, beans, and meat, every day. Breakfast and dinner were smaller meals. Fascinating!! Why? Our digestion is strongest midday and eating our largest meal of the day sometime between 11 am and 3pm can make total sense.
We were talking about the food and he commented that he felt energized after eating! What?! He noted that the calories are listed on food packages as energy, a far more accurate description of what calories actually are, right?! He also said that he didn’t feel tired after eating and didn’t need to snack. Yes, they ate ice cream and fruit smoothies here and there, but he didn’t have the desire to snack like he does at home. He felt good after eating.
Now, was the food magic? No. It provided a proper amount of protein and fiber, both very important components of feeling satisfied after a meal. The food fueled his body in a healthy way, which is the goal of eating, right?!!
He also spent a lot of time in the sunshine. He was super active surfing, zip-lining, and hiking through waterfalls. He was with friends and had opportunities to explore. There was laughter and connection. My words, not his. :)
This story illustrates the importance of looking at health and well-being from a holistic perspective. Food is important. What we eat every single day matters. But just as important is, how we eat.
Are we constantly rushed and stressed during meals?
Are we looking at our phones while we eat?
Do we sit down at a table or palm stuff food at the counter needing to get onto the next? (I’ve been there.)
Do we prepare our meals at home or eat out? How often? Where?
How do we feel after we eat? Immediately after? Two hours later? The next morning?
Many of us are so busy or distracted that we don’t notice how we feel. Or we don’t realize that there even is a connection between what and how we eat and how we feel. We are so used to feeling tired, bloated, and stressed that we don’t know what it feels like to NOT feel that way. Or we know we don’t feel good but are not sure how to change this.
Learning to connect the dots and pay attention is the first step in creating lasting change. Learning to ask good questions and seek the answers is important.
If you are struggling with feeling tired and overwhelmed, with not being able to lose that extra weight, with sugar and carb cravings, I can help! You don’t have to do this alone.
Reach out NOW for a complimentary 60 minute conversation to learn more! I would love to hear from you.
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