My food motto
My personal food motto, serving as an alternative to Michael Pollan’s food motto.
I’ve been thinking about my own food motto lately, as in what guides my food choices and my approach towards eating. In a similar way to Michael Pollan, an investigative journalist and author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma. His is “eat food, not too much, mostly plants” and always struck me as having an orthorexic slant.
Side note: Orthorexia is defined as the obsession with eating healthy. You can check out more information here.
Let’s break down the parts of my food motto and see if any parts resonate with you.
Eat good food.
What is good? I use this word cautiously, as I do not mean to assign morality to foods as good versus bad, but I mean good in the pure sense of the word - foods that you enjoy, foods that make you feel good (healthy, happy, alive), foods that provide you energy.
Enough of it.
Why is this important? Many of my clients are so confused by diet culture and social media that they are in fact undereating. This leads to a slowed metabolism which can lead to weight gain when undereating is not sustainable. When I talk to my clients, the main thing I look at first is are they eating enough? If not, that’s the first thing we need to fix, before we dive into more gentle nutrition principles. Eating every 3 hours is advised, spacing out meals/snacks longer can lead to digestion problems, energy drops, and increased cravings.
Mostly balanced.
What is balance? This is where we may take a high-level look at macronutrients (carbs, protein, added fats) to ensure that we’re getting enough of each, as well as fiber and micronutrients from foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables. The word “mostly” is key for me - I’m not aiming for 80/20, I’m not having cheat days, I’m not scheduling in treats. Instead I am aiming for balance most of the time and allowing that to happen as it does. Knowing there are natural consequences with overeating or eating unbalanced (e.g. stomach upset, fatigue, bloating) and that those are normal to experience and do not need to induce shame, but that this is not a state I want to exist in perpetually. Balance is something my body deserves.
You decide.
Ah yes, the most important line - this is up to you. Eating well for your body is ultimately your choice and your responsiblity. This can be overwhelming and I am here to help empower you to choose to eat well for your body.