The Next Step to Just Be Authentic: Eat & Enjoy being satisfied with Real Food!

We have to remember that, what is most important about healthy nutrition and eating well, is that we need food in order to survive. Our bodies were made to eat so we can supply it with nourishment and energy. In our modern world, the convenient access to food and water has improved quality of life. It has also been detrimental to the quality of our health, with processed, junk, and fast "food".

This is why we have to choose what we eat wisely, because it's not about the calories in the food, it's about the quality of the food that's essential. Here are some tips to improve your authentic self by feeding yourself authentic food!

• Remember: Real people eat real food! We really are what we eat, so how can we be authentic when we eat manufactured, processed substances, that claim to be food? Go to the local farmer's market, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or just go to the produce section of the grocery store! Even better, plant and grow your own produce or ask friends for their overflow of vegetables and fruit from their gardens.
• Plan your meals & food shopping trips. Having a meal plan and shopping list helps focus your grocery shopping to what is necessary, leaving the chance for spontaneous & random purchases at a minimum.
• Set up an experience. In our distracted, digital society, we often don't experience our food. We miss out on what is going on around us, the socializing while eating, which is often relegated to special occasions. Take time to set the table, even if it's only for yourself, and stage a lovely ambience for your meal.
• Eat with intention. Even without watching TV, reading a book can also be a diversion from the awareness of eating. Being mindful about what you are eating; how it tastes and feels in your mouth, the sights and sounds around you, the feelings you experience while eating. These factors all contribute to the enjoyment of a meal, so don't cheat yourself out of this joy!
• Take time to enjoy and savor food. When we take the time and effort to plan our meals with real food, setting up an experience with intention, the act of eating can become a meditative act. The food tastes better, the moment feels special, and eating becomes more soothing, satisfying instead of a rushed, haphazard activity.

So remember to always---Eat & Enjoy being satisfied with Real Food! This will bring you more fulfillment & gratification, thus avoiding unhealthy overeating, bringing you more joy in your life (and tummy)!

Dinner made by my oldest daughter...Quinoa, roasted vegetable, & tri-tip tacos with freshly-made guacamole and salsa! (Her and my son left out the tri-tip, since they're vegetarians).