In part one, I encouraged you to be kind to yourself through identifying your preferences, your limits, so you can begin to set (or strengthen) your boundaries as one way of improving how you feel. In part two, I wrote about how sleep improves your mental and physically well-being and encouraged you to focus on a different Act of Wellness if improving your sleep was out of reach. Before I get to this week’s act, a quick reminder about what influences how we feel and a run-down of Acts of Wellness.
How we feel is directly influenced by our beliefs about ourselves, our life experiences (see A.D.A.P.T if your life experiences have left you feeling ‘broken’ or extremely critical about your choices or abilities), the amount of support and connection we have with others, the quality and quantity of our sleep, how often and what we eat, and how well our body moves.
This guide is designed to be picked up and put down as life happens and it emphasizes wellness. Wellness encompasses how you think about yourself and view your ability to make intentional choices to make changes to your life. Our wellness is influenced by our mental and physical health.
Health involves more than achieving and maintaining a certain weight or appearance. Health is about recognizing when our actions are improving our well-being (wellness) and when they are harming our well-being.
I have organized this guide into four acts: Self-Kindness, Sleep, Nourish (food), and Move (physical activity). Within each act, there are three wellness-focused tasks to choose from. These four acts had the greatest positive impact on my mental and physical well-being. Self-kindness helped me build resilience and shift my negative views of myself. Improving my sleep brought clarity and more energy. Nourishment (eating habits) increased my stamina and improved my mood. Overtime, those factors supported moving my body more often and in more challenging ways.
I encourage you to choose an act of wellness; daily, weekly, or whenever you think of it and see how it improves your mental or physical well-being. You can start with kindness or start with a different area. You could hyperfocus in one area or dabble in several areas. Another option is to practice 2 to 4 acts each week over several months.
Engage in acts that are appropriate for you and your life. Appropriate for you acts are something that will make you feel good now and in the future. You may experience a sudden sensation of excitement, a burst of motivation to take action, or an “ah-ha” moment. Or it may include an attitude of let’s see what happens.
Keep in mind, each person has different resources and support as their disposal. Further, bodies respond to food, movement, and sleep differently. Use common sense when applying information from this guide and do not disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical advice because of information you read in this post. I do not make any guarantees about the results of the information applied in this post. I share educational and informational resources that are intended to help you improve your mental and physical well-being.
With that out of the way, let’s look at this week’s act – nourish.
Nourish – To Improve Wellness
I became a nutrition coach after having kids. Gaining knowledge did not make me automatically choose “better” foods, nor did it change my family’s preferences and cravings.
Food choices play an important part in our physical health – recovery from stress, illness, stamina for workouts and daily activities, reducing body fat, and maintaining muscle mass. And that’s not the only reason we choose the foods that we do. We eat because food tastes good, we eat to remember loved ones, we prepare food to show love, and sometimes, we eat out of boredom or because we’re stressed.
Further, there are many different, often conflicting schools of thought about healthy eating. Researchers in various fields are just beginning to discover how food choices influence and interact with our cells, affect our mental health, affect how our bodies move, what foods support or hinder our fitness or aesthetic goals, and how food choices may increase or decrease our longevity.
What looks good on paper (research findings from a controlled environment), may not translate to practical actions for daily life. Keep in mind, some finding somewhere will have something negative to say about a specific food or a specific style of eating.
Every person has different nutritional needs and taste preferences. Nutritional needs change based on health or body goals, age, health conditions (diabetic, high blood pressure) and life stage (pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause). Remember to be kind to yourself as you put the information in this section into action; progress, not perfection.
Nourish – Discovering Foods you Enjoy
The following is an over-simplified way to reframe how you talk about food and how you view your food choices. These terms are inspired from the book called Fearless Feeding by Jill Castle and Maryann Jacobsen (links are to each author’s website where you can purchase the book and/or view their other resources).
FREQUENT FOODS
Foods that provide our bodies with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, fiber, protein, etc. that help to support bodily functions as well as overall health. Work to include some of these foods in every meal.
- Fresh Fruit
- Fresh Vegetables
- Dried Beans, Legumes
- Canned Beans, Legumes
- Whole Grain bread, pasta
- Brown rice, quinoa, steel cut oats, buckwheat, bulgur, barley, rye, millet
- Frozen Fruit
- Frozen Vegetables
- White Meat – Chicken, Turkey, Pork Loin, Pork Chop, Fish
- Canned Tomatoes
- Yogurt
SOMETIMES FOODS
Think of these foods as flavor enhancers. These foods also provide our bodies with vitamins, minerals, etc.; consuming too much of these foods may be detrimental to our health. Pair these foods with frequent foods or limit these foods to 1-2 meals per day.
- Lean cuts of beef
- Chicken thighs, legs, wings
- Turkey thighs, legs, wings
- Sausage breakfast, brats
- Bacon
- Cheese
- Dried Fruits
- Seeds – Sunflower, Pepitas
- Nuts – Walnuts, Cashews, etc.
- Oils – Butter, Olive, Avocado, Coconut
- Dressing & Sauces
- Protein bars & Shakes
- Dried Vegetables
FUN FOODS
These foods do not provide our bodies with as many vitamins and minerals as frequent foods and sometimes foods. Think of these foods as treat items, something you eat on special occasions (aka NOT with every meal or daily).
Note: Some kids or adults view these foods as safe food (aka samefood); meaning these foods look the same and taste the same, and this provides a sense of control or comfort in their day/life. If you get a big reaction – refusal to eat, strong emotions, or harmful behaviors when reducing or eliminating these foods, stop and seek help from a Registered Dietician or Occupational Therapist.
- Cookies, Cake, Cheesecake
- Ice Cream
- Candy, Candy Bars
- Fruit Snacks
- Alcohol, Soda, Juice
- Ring Sausage, Hot Dogs
- Crackers
- Chips
- Artificial Cheese
- Frozen Pizza or Entrees/Meals
- Pancakes, Waffles
Note: Every person has different nutritional needs. Some people need meals that are higher in fat and protein (sometimes foods), others do better with more whole grains, fruit, and vegetables (frequent foods). Nutritional needs vary with age, physical activity level, health goals, and fitness goals. What we choose to eat may also be heavily influenced by who we are feeding, our cooking ability, our budgets, and so on. If this approach is not helpful for reframing how you think about and talk about food, below is another strategy to try.
Nourish – Discovering Foods you Enjoy
Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats are called macronutrients (aka macros). Macronutrients are needed by the body to survive and thrive. Most foods are a mix of macronutrients and food is categorized by the dominate macronutrient contained.
PROTEIN
Proteins control everything that goes on in our cells. Our bodies are always building and breaking down proteins. A constant supply of protein aids in reducing body fat, maintaining a healthy immune system, and increases appetite satisfaction. Listed below are sources of protein.
- Beef
- Pork
- Chicken, Turkey
- Lamb
- Wild Game
- Fish
- Seafood
- Eggs & Egg Whites
- Cottage Cheese, Greek Yogurt
- Tofu, Tempeh
- Protein Powder
- Protein Bars
CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy, essential vitamins, and mineral for our bodies. Carbohydrate foods vary in their nutrient, water, and fiber content, which effects how they behave in the body. Listed below are sources of carbohydrates.
- Brown, Red, Wild, White Rice
- Oats
- Quinoa, Millet
- Amaranth, Sorghum
- Buckwheat, Spelt, Teff
- Potatoes – Red, Yellow, Russet, Purple
- Sweet potatoes, Taro, Cassava
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Winter & Summer Squash
- Dried, Canned Beans
- Dried, Canned Lentils
FAT
Fats are important for many functions in our bodies. Fats make up tissues in the eyes, brain, and all cell membranes. Fats make up our hormones, they help regulate our fluid balance, keep skin soft, provide energy, and help the body absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K. Listed below are sources of fat.
- Meats, Oily Fish
- Nuts, Seeds
- Cheese, Butter
- Olives, Olive Oil
- Avocado
- Natural processed Nut Butters
- Cold-Pressed Seed Oils (flaxseed oil, hemp seed oil)
- Egg Yolks
- Extra virgin Coconut Oil
- Coconut
Meals that are made up of all macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates (vegetables and whole grains), and fat tend to promote greater satiety than a meal made up of 1 or 2 macronutrients.
Note: Every person has different nutritional needs. Some people need smaller meals more frequently, others do better with larger meals less frequently. How often we choose to eat may also be heavily influenced by who we are feeding, what foods are available in our environments, our cooking ability, our work schedules, how physically demanding our job/profession, our hormones, our stress levels, how often we want to clean up, and so on.
The next strategy to improving food choices is to determine if we want to eat or if it’s a need to eat.
Identifying Hunger or Appetite
Many of us have learned to ignore our body’s cues. We eat when we’re not hungry and we keep eating when we are full. Listening, interpreting, and responding to our body’s hunger and fullness cues takes practice.
HUNGER
Hunger is a feeling of “I NEED to eat.” Our body usually gives us a few different signals:
- Empty, uncomfortable feeling in stomach or “growling” of stomach
- Shift in mood – easily annoyed, frustrated, or angry.
- Feeling low energy, weakness, or mild fatigue
- Shakiness
APPETITE
Appetite is a feeling of “I WANT to eat” and is triggered by external cues and by our thoughts and feelings. Here are a few examples:
Hearing or seeing commercials or advertisements of food
Seeing food sitting out or knowing it is hidden
Smell of food
Emotional trigger – want to distract or comfort ourselves with food
Feel obligated to eat
OTHER FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HUNGER & APPETITE
Hunger and appetite can fluctuate and change. Hunger and appetite may vary day to day, week to week, seasonally, or year to year. Hunger and appetite may increase or decrease with the amount and intensity of exercise, the amount and intensity of physical labor, the amount and quality of sleep, how well your body digests food, and with hormone fluctuations.
Tuning into your body’s cues is a powerful and intuitive process. Regular meals and snacks (eating consistently), enjoyment of healthy options and cravings, can help you regulate how much you eat more than following strict rules.
It’s worth repeating, meals that contain all macronutrients tend to promote greater satiety than a meal with 1-2 macronutrients. Check out the next page for another way to determine if you need to eat, want to eat, or are eating enough satisfying foods.
Determining Hunger & Appetite
If you are unsure if it’s a NEED (hunger) to eat or if it’s a WANT (appetite) to eat, think about how long it’s been since your last meal. This can also help you determine if you are eating foods that keep you feeling satisfied.
TUNING-IN*
45 minutes or less after eating. Chances are it’s a WANT to eat. If you had a few servings of fruit, a small amount of food, or fun foods; it may be a NEED to eat. You may need to eat more protein or vegetables, or include more frequent or sometimes foods into your meals.
1-1.75 hours after eating, you should feel satisfied with no desire to snack. Chances are it’s a WANT to eat. Or you may not have eaten enough volume of food or you did not eat enough frequent foods, or not enough protein or fat was included with your meal.
2-2.75 hours after eating, you may start to think about your next meal. If food is sitting out, you may find yourself eating it. This timeframe might also be a good time to plan what foods you will prepare for your next meal or prepare a snack (fruit, vegetables, frequent or sometimes food).
3-3.75 hours after eating, your body may start sending hunger signals. This is a sign to start preparing a meal or eating a snack if you will not be able to eat a meal in the next 1-2 hours.
4 hours after eating, NEED. FOOD. NOW. This is the stage where you could eat anything and everything in sight or where you are grabbing whatever can be eaten right now. If you get to this level of hunger, you may find yourself eating too quickly or eating too much. or choosing foods that work against your goals.
*It will take several attempts and/or weeks for your body to adjust to new ways of eating.
Next week, I will post about the last Act of Wellness – Move.
If you don’t want to wait, you can purchase Acts of Wellness here or click on the image below. If you decide to purchase, I provided several visual meal guides to help you transition from fun foods to frequent foods as a way to figure out what foods taste good and what foods leave you feeling satisfied and energized.