With a lot of my clients, I hear all too often that nutrition means learning the idea that certain foods are “healthy and good,” while others are “unhealthy and bad.”
All of this with an emphasis on avoiding the foods labeled “unhealthy” and sticking to strict nutrition food rules in an effort to live a “healthy” lifestyle.
*Cue eye roll*
Instead of focusing on what foods to eat, what about highlighting the importance of personalizing your own plate by filling it with some of your favorite foods that will nourish your body? Now, this is something we can get on board with!
Instead of following cookie-cutter guidelines, what if we ate foods that sounded good to us in the moment and provided our body with all the macronutrients it needed? Instead of eating olives and turkey slices, you may have had a bowl of chicken broccoli alfredo pasta that left you feeling mentally satisfied and physically full. Or maybe you tuned into your hunger cues earlier instead of “saving up” for later in the day.
You are not going to be able to build a satisfying plate with a cookie cutter set of rules.
Everybody’s body is so uniquely different from each other and we all have different nutritional needs and taste preferences.
How do you build a more satisfying plate?
Well, we’re about to let you in on a little secret because we know that diet culture has a way of creeping in to tell you that in order to build a satisfying plate, you need to follow its rules.
WRONG.
The secret to building a satisfying plate is to honor both YOUR satisfaction and fullness cues!
This means creating a plate of foods that will “hit the spot” in the moment, while providing you energy with all the macronutrients it needs to feel full.
Our blog post, How to Build a Satisfying Plate, will give you a few pointers to follow for your next meal or snack, to ensure you are building a plate that satisfies your taste buds and your body’s energy needs.
Try it out and let us know what foods satisfy you!
Always know you have a team of iLivewell Nutrition dietitians to lean on for support.
Adrien Paczosa is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian practicing in Austin, Texas and the surrounding counties.
She is the owner and founder of I Live Well Nutrition her Dietitian practice which started in 2007 and serves clients in the Austin, Texas area in two locations. Fearless Practitioners, the division of her business that offers training to dietitians and wellness professionals.