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How do you become friends with food?

When I say I used to fight food, I mean it literally. Peanut butter, corn chips, oats, bananas, bread, potatoes, pasta, and chocolate (among many others) were my enemies. If I decided to eat them, they would make me fat (I thought). They were an obstacle to that what I thought was the ideal weight and body shape. They prevented me from achieving what I thought would secure my happiness.

Various things have helped me make peace with food and my body. Getting to know myself well and sticking to whole, unprocessed foods were determinant in my journey towards food freedom. Now I know that I need routines to feel grounded; the specific foods and situations trigger overeating, and exercise and eating plenty of greens ensure I'm in a better mood. Learning how to transform foods I fought into nourishing meals was key! It still is. It is important to stick to whole, unprocessed foods; and think of nourishment, rather than calories. Here's how I've transformed my former enemies into good friends. This has worked for me. Your job is to figure out what works for you. Here are some ideas:


Instead of the sugar/additive/natural flavors-laden instant oats or granolas, I use unsweetened, whole quick oats. I either make them with hot milk (non-dairy works better for me) or soak them overnight with a bit of vanilla. In the morning I add bananas, berries and walnuts. Very important: I also have a spoonful of peanut butter (the one with only one ingredient: peanuts), in order to get good fats and for satiety purposes. As you see, all real food.


When our main focus is calories and weight loss (an obvious, unconscious result of the diet mentality), pasta and bread are our worst enemies. When we switch to seeing food as a source of nourishment, pasta can be on our side. After trial and error, I've discovered I can eat wheat pasta once in a while. Whole wheat pasta is a whole different story. The difference is that wheat pasta is made of refined wheat, which has been removed its fiber and nutrients. This determines how fast the carb becomes sugar in your body. The less fiber, the more aggressive the blood sugar spike. For someone who's brain doesn't react well to sugar, whole wheat pasta is a safe option. I always, always have mine with lots of greens. Similar to pasta, I always go for whole wheat bread (the real thing...not the mushy-forever kind you find in supermarkets).


Again: stick to real food and simple preparations. That's the key. I love cutting thin slices of the little purple potatoes and roasting them in the oven with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and oregano. They get crunchy! The same goes for sweet potatoes. Don't punish. Simply nourish! I love yuca and can't get tired of Swapples. Smash an avocado, add chili flakes and sea salt, and you'll have an satisfying meal. Good fats are a powerful addition to any meal.

These are a few ideas of how to eat foods we often fight. Sticking to real, whole, unprocessed food makes the difference. My intent is not to suggest that you don't eat fries, pizza or regular pasta ever again. What's worked for me is eating those once in a while, and whole, unprocessed most of the time. Keep into account that I've got to this after years experimenting and figuring out what works for me (and there's nutrition science behind it). What do you think would work for you? Are you willing to experiment and find food freedom?

If you want to figure out what works for you and need some guidance, schedule a chat here. I'd love to share my experience.

#Diet #Foodfreedom #healthy