Healthy Plate

We all know that what's on your plate and what you put in your body directly affects your health but did you know that what you eat can also affect your mind, body, and your wallet in a positive or negative way.  We have such a better understanding in this generation of how food affects us. There are even tests you can take at home to determine your sensitivity to food but even when we know something is not healthy for us we may continue to include it on our plate.   I know that if I eat ice cream I will bloat and have excess gasses.  This leads to being very uncomfortable and affecting my sleep, not to mention it is very embarrassing.  Even knowing that this food causes a negative reaction to my Body and Mind I would still eat it.   I did not want to eliminate this food so I had to find ways that it being part of my plate did not affect my body or mind.   The solution was simple if I want Ice cream I make my own or choose a Low Carb, NonDairy Option, like Halo.   

For most of us, we were raised to treat our plates as a form of reward or punishment instead of a source of nutrition necessary to fuel our mind and body.  Phrases like "Clean your plate", "No dessert unless you eat all your vegetables.", "Behave or you can go to bed without dinner".  and a common favorite of parents that is probably the most damaging,  "No, you cannot have a Snack before bed next time you should have eaten more dinner."  What we thought was teaching healthy eating habits actually taught us to eat even when we are full and not eat when our body is telling us it needs food.  

So when you choose what you may need to change to make your Plate Healthy, keep in mind that we are trying to form new habits during this challenge. Do not try to change everything at once. Pick a few easy changes that can become habits and make them stick.  Remember, our eating habits did not just develop overnight but through years of conditioning so they cannot be expected to change to healthy overnight.   

What kind of eater do you think you are? 

✔ Cleaner - Keeps eating till the plate is all clear - even if the stomach is full.  A lot of times a cleaner comes from a background where they were told to clear their plate so if it's on the plate they will eat it even if they are full.  

✔ Grazer -  You keep "nibbling" on the food on the table -even after finishing your plate.  Sometimes you may find yourself finishing the contents of the serving bowl during clean up. Grazing can come from multiple reasons.  Some graze and do not even notice they are doing it.  Others just see well it's only a few more bites and I hate to throw it away.  

✔ Speeder - You tend to eat fast and it leads to eating more than 1 plate. When you eat fast you tend to overeat because it takes a while for your stomach to get the message to stop.