Eating to feel good.

Ever have an experience where you've  given into a junk food craving?  For me, the culprit is usually crunchy, salty snacks.  And, as of this moment, I've been weak for Popeye's Shrimp basket.  It's a promotion that only comes around a couple times a year so when it's available, I take full advantage.  The other day a craving came on and I listened.  Just as I was finishing off my last shrimp, a sensation came over me.

Suddenly, I became aware of how I was feeling.  Simply put, I didn't feel good.  And I'm not talking about the "I feel guilty for eating deep fried foods" feeling.  It was more of, "this doesn't actually make me feel good."  Then I asked myself, "why am I eating this?"  After a moment of thought, I realized that it was a simple craving that led me to this meal.

Yesterday, I stopped by Chik fil A for a small fry.  While in the drive through, my eyes caught a glimpse of the mini sundae and I thought "why not?"  After three or four spoonfuls I was overtaken by that same feeling.  Suddenly, I was confronted with the voice that asked said, "this tastes good but how do you feel?"   "How does this food make your body feel?"  When I searched inward, I noticed that after the food passed my taste buds, there was no additional reward. For the first time I truly understood what they meant by empty calories.  Left with no other choice, I put the spoon down

and  tossed the sundae.

source

Other times during the same week, I had ate salads, drank smoothies. Each time I realized,  that even though it may not have stimulated my taste buds like "junk foods,"  these foods impacted my body in a different way.  At the end of the meal, I felt fulfilled, not just full.  More and more, I'm becoming aware of this.  Literally, as I'm snacking on my favorite treat, I notice that the moment the food is swallowed, the pleasure I received in consuming it is gone.  Not to mention the long term affects of eating this way.   I'm going to explore this a little more.  With every meal I eat, I will pay close attention to how I feel my body responds to what I'm eating.  Not just my taste buds, but my entire being. I'm tired of feeling sluggish, heavy, unfulfilled after eating something that was supposed to be so pleasurable.  It's time to try something new for a change.  I'm sure my body has been trying to tell me this all along.  But now, I'm ready to listen.