Full vs satisfied emojis

Eating is not just about feeling FULL.

It’s about feeling SATISFIED! 😄

🌟There’s a difference.

Full = a physical sensation.
Your belly could feel full but you may not be satisfied.

Satisfied = a mental sensation.
It’s about feeling GOOD after eating! You feel nourished. You may or may not feel full, but you do feel satisfied and are not feeling like you still need something more.

💫 Shooting for satisfaction means you’re less likely to overeat or be preoccupied with food between meals.

👇Tips for feeling satisfaction after eating:

🍽️ Eat a combo of protein, carbs and fat…
Not necessarily all the time, but it does promote satiety and satisfaction.

🍽️ Ask yourself what would really taste good to you…
Maybe you have a “balanced” meal that would fill you up but to make it more satisfying you decide to add some flavors like goat cheese, salsa, guacamole, fresh herbs or butter.
Or you decide some chocolate or a brownie would really round out the meal. Have it! 😋

🙂 Allowing pleasure with food = Satisfaction = Nourishment =
A healthy relationship with eating!

We need both NUTRIENTS AND PLEASURE with our food choices…
Aim for a combo/balance of BOTH! ⚖️

sign in fridge that says You're not hungry. You're bored. Shut the door.

😂 It’s not a bad idea.

But you don’t need a sign in your fridge–

Instead, get in the habit of asking yourself if you’re truly hungry every time you wander into the kitchen looking for a distraction.

🤔 Is grabbing something to eat really what you’re looking for?

🤔 Or is it just an urge that you can either sit with or deal with through an alternate action?

🥱 Can you eat when you’re feeling bored? Of course you can!
But make it a mindful, conscious decision that you feel good about.

🔑 The key to stopping any mindless behavior is mindfulness (aka paying attention).

Mindfulness is the opposite of autopilot. It generates self-awareness and autonomy. You always have a choice. Insert a pause right before automatically reaching for food. This pause is what gives you the power to act or not act in response to your thoughts and feelings.

Mindfulness comes up a lot in nutrition counseling.

(Balance too!) 🙂

🥺 Many of my clients struggle with unwanted eating behaviors like grazing between meals when not hungry or eating after dinner out of habit.

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with doing these things…

➡️ But for a lot of people, they don’t feel like they are in control, these habits are getting in the way of their health and/or weight loss goals– And that doesn’t feel good to them.

💫 When it comes to changing eating habits, introducing mindfulness is essential.

It is the first step towards behavior change.

👁️ All mindfulness really means is: PAYING ATTENTION.

Behavior changes can’t happen without this.

You can’t change what you’re not noticing.

⏸️ Pause before automatically reaching for food.

Check in with your body.
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Am I hungry? 🤔
What am I feeling right now? 🥱
Do I really want to eat this? 🤨
What sounds good to my body right now? 🧐
How much of it do I need to feel the way I want to feel? 🥰
If I’m not hungry, what is it that my body is calling for? 🤯

💫 You’re interrupting a habitual behavior by bringing in awareness and creating an opening for a different response.

The PAUSE is where mindfulness happens. 👀

And mindfulness is how change happens. 🪄

Your tiredness could be because of this. ⬆️

Or the obvious– not enough sleep. 💤

👉🏻 But you could also be tired due to ✨NUTRITIONAL✨ reasons like:

💧 Inadequate hydration: Water helps circulate oxygen and nutrients in your body as well as helps in waste removal.

⚡ Not eating enough calories: Calories, by definition, are units of energy.

☀️ Vitamin or mineral deficiencies: Certain ones like iron, B12 or D can cause fatigue.

⌚ Poor meal/snack timing: Going too long without eating can cause a drop in energy.

😢 Eating too low-carb: Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy. Glucose can be used for immediate energy as well as be stored in the liver and muscles for later use.

🍪 Eating too many highly processed carbs: These can put you on a blood sugar roller coaster. Choose carbs with fiber and eat them with protein.

🥱 Excessive portions: Overeating can temporarily zap your energy as your body needs to put its focus on digesting a large meal.

🍳 Skipping breakfast: A balanced breakfast helps set the tone for the day, providing your body with nutrients and fuel to feel alert and energetic.

 

💗 An RD can look at your meal/snack quality & timing and make suggestions for how to optimize your energy levels…
So that you have the energy to do more of whatever sparks a light in you! 🎇