I kind of despise the wave of "New Year Resolutions"? Why can't we just start with goals when we need them? Why wait until the new year? And if we don't meet those goals... we tend to think we failed, but we don't know how to pick up. What if we didn't set the right goal? What if the goal wasn't attainable? What if there was a simple way to tweak that goal so that we could have succeeded? That is what the year should be about- constantly learning about yourself and iterating on what you can do to be your best self. So here we go...
You've probably found yourself overwhelmed by the endless list of diets and nutritional plans, ads, and marketing gigs- especially this time of year. Now is 100% the time to try something new, something different. Open Eating combines the philosophy of balance, variety, and flexibility, Open Eating is all about creating an individualized roadmap to the best you and personalized nutrition that suits your unique needs.
At first glance, you might think that Open Eating lacks structure or that it grants you license to devour every guilty pleasure in sight. But don't worry. It's not like that at all. But yet, it's also not rigid and limiting either. So how do we accomplish THAT miracle? How do we build in the ability to enjoy ALL foods, with the discipline required to create consistent health? We train you to use conscious decision-making, guided by a profound understanding of your body's hunger and satiety cues. The short easy way of saying that? YOU are your expert. We teach you how to embrace that expertise and turn it into results. It's about liberating yourself from restrictive diets and cultivating a harmonious relationship with food. With Open Eating, you can truly understand what works best for you.
The beauty of Open Eating lies in its adaptability - it can easily be tailored according to any nutrition goals you may have. Whether your aim is weight loss, increased energy levels, or improving overall well-being, utilizing this approach will lead you on a path toward sustainable change rooted in self-love.
So how does one embark on their journey with Open Eating? Let me offer some insights from my own experience as both a health practitioner and a fervent believer in the power of personalized nutrition:
1. Create Your Nutritional GPS:
Open Eating requires an awareness of dietary preferences combined with an understanding of what makes your body thrive. Refrain from blindly adhering to one-size-fits-all diets – instead, become attuned to what truly fuels and energizes you on your unique voyage toward wellness.
2. Balancing Nutrients with Mindful Choices:
Harness the wisdom in balancing foods of all kinds (vegetables, carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats) while permitting yourself to enjoy nourishing foods that honor cravings. Practice mindful eating as it connects you to your body's innate hunger and satiety signals.
3. Embrace Whole Foods and Enhance Variety:
Your nutritional imperative extends beyond simply satisfying hunger. Open Eating calls for exploring whole foods in their natural state—a kaleidoscope of colors and flavors to awaken your palate while infusing a wide range of nutrients that are essential for vibrant health.
4. Listen to Your Body's Wisely Whispered Wisdom:
Your body possesses infinite wisdom, sharing with you its unique language of signals. Harmonize your intuitive eating skills by paying attention to how different foods make you feel - be it bloated or energetic. Engaging in Oh-so-Smart conversations with your body completely debunks societal fads that ruin your relationship with food.
5. Celebrate Imperfection and Be Kind:
Set sustainable goals. They're much easier to stick to if they are built using your innate talents and are fun! Don't let "Perfection" ruin trying. There isn't a true definition of perfection, so you won't get there. Aim for something better than today- something specific. Explore forgiveness within yourself during setbacks or worrying about what others may think. Every meal offers a fresh opportunity to build positive habits capable of transforming your relationship with food.
6. Conduct Self-Experiments Instead of Chronological Drudgery:
One fascinating aspect of Open Eating is the opportunity to embark on self-experiments. Explore different ways to do the same thing and see what sticks. Learn about what makes you tick... you'll gain valuable insights into what works best for you.
Rather than following a rigid timeline or predefined rules, try approaching your nutrition goals with an open mind (hence "open" eating). Start by experimenting with specific focus areas that hold significance for you - be it portion control, meal timing, or incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet. This iterative process allows you to personalize your journey and make more informed decisions moving forward.
As you venture forth in this terrain of self-discovery, remember that listening to your body's responses is vital. Pay attention to how different foods make you feel after consuming them - some may leave you feeling energized while others may cause discomfort or fatigue. This mindfulness empowers you with awareness and the ability to fine-tune your eating habits based on what truly serves your well-being.
Engaging in self-experiments enables a deeper connection with your body's intricate wisdom, encouraging a dance between intuition and an evidence-based understanding of nutrition principles. Each mini-experiment provides an opportunity to gather valuable data on how particular foods or eating patterns affect your unique physiology.
By deploying the principles of Open Eating and conducting self-experiments targeted towards enhancing specific aspects of wellness, such as improving digestion, optimizing energy levels throughout the day, or supporting mental clarity, you can begin cultivating personal practices that ignite lasting transformation.
This year, unshackle yourself from the chains of strict dietary programs that simply fail. They don't even acknowledge the fact that you're unique. They just don't work... because YOU are specially designed with your path to success.
Remember, fewer smart animals don't eat chia seeds every day nor do they follow overly regimented meal plans; yet they remain capable of maintaining optimal health through intuitive nourishment aligning with seasonal cycles – a testament to us to return to our physiological roots and reconnect with our innate wisdom.
This year, You have the power to redefine your relationship with food and unleash freedom in your choices without sacrificing health goals. Together, let's transform the way we nourish ourselves — one Open-Eating bite at a time!
Happy New Year!