Do some foods make you feel good by just being there, all senses aside; are you comforted by their very presence? I felt wholly satisfied yesterday as I sat in one of my favorite places, Five Points Bakery and Toast Cafe here in Buffalo, drinking coffee while a frozen loaf of sharp cheddar cheese bread sat wrapped in plastic on the table. I had bought the loaf to bring to a picnic, and I am not certain I'll even have a piece, but it completed my morning to have made the purchase and sip coffee with my pre-sliced companion. There is something emotionally fulfilling to me about baked goods; oftentimes I feel better having seen and smelled an item than I would have after having eaten it. In simple terms, Cheese Bread = Emotional Boost for me. At times, this kind of emotional lift can benefit our metabolisms as a whole. We hear and read that eating for emotional reasons can cause serious weight and health issues, and I agree that it can. I can't depend on a loaf of bread nourish all of my emotional needs. If I did, I'd feel like crap physically and psychologically, as well as accumulate extra weight.
So how do we feed our emotional metabolisms so that we feel and look good without tipping the scales toward food dependency or even addiction?
We can begin to tune in to our dietary needs (which change from day to day) by first paying attention to a single food item. Simply sit quietly for a moment (or do this at the end of a non-meditation) and bring your awareness to your chest or heart center. Think of a food item that you can't stand or that you've been eating way too much of lately while maintaining attention in your heart area. You'll notice a hollowed-out sensation in your chest and maybe a bit of a pushing backward. Release the thought and then concentrate on something you know is good for you or that you would really enjoy right in this moment. You'll feel a fullness in your chest and perhaps a pulling forward.
As you continue to practice this exercise with a variety of foods (and at different times but with the same food), you'll observe various degrees of attraction toward or repulsion from them. Allow this practice to guide your awareness of what you're eating, when, and why, and note how your culinary decisions are made and how they change.
Energetic Eating, as I'm calling it, is asking your mind, body, and energetic field what they holistically need in that moment. A "Yes, m'am!" answer is expressed by your being pulled forward, or toward the energetic signature of that item, while a "No way, man!" is shown be a repulsion from that food's energy.
You might learn that you don't need grains as often as you'd thought, or, if you're exercising heavily, that you need more protein than predicted. If you're a strict dieter, a cupcake could be a perfect ten for you when you least expect it. After a couple of weeks, gauge how you're feeling (the number on your scale is irrelevant, especially if you've upped your protein and built muscle) and see if you can intuit your food desires even more precisely and quickly.
Note: If you have been told that you have any food allergy or intolerance, consult your doctor before consuming anything that has been contraindicated in the past or that your physician has advised you to avoid. I am not a doctor, and this post is not medical advice.
