The Value in Eating Satisfying Food
One of the many things that diet culture takes away from us is satisfaction with eating. With the heavy focus on external factors, like points, calories, and food rules, it leaves little room for a focus on eating foods that will satisfy us.
But there is a lot of value in eating satisfying food. This is recognized in the framework of Intuitive Eating, where the fifth principle is “Discover the Satisfaction Factor”. Let’s take a closer look at how eating satisfying food can be powerful for our health and wellbeing.
Eating satisfying food moves you out of a deprivation mindset
Have you ever played the “avoid eating what I actually want in order to be healthy” game? For example, have you ever eaten a fruit when what you really wanted to eat was a cookie? Did you end up eating several other foods afterwards, only to eventually eat the cookie too?
If you’ve been there before, you are not alone. This is a normal response to deprivation. When you repeatedly deprive yourself of the food(s) you want to eat, it prevents you from feeling satisfied. You might be able to stick with the restriction for a while, but eventually, the feelings of deprivation become too strong.
It’s important for us to feel satisfied with eating to have a healthy and happy relationship with food. Think about the role of satisfaction in other areas of your life. If you’re unsatisfied with your job or your relationships, you’ll likely continue to be unhappy until you make a change in those areas.
We feel satiety from both physical fullness AND mental satisfaction.
When we allow ourselves to eat the food that will satisfy us, we can eat it, enjoy it and move on with our day. It ultimately helps us to think about food less and results in less out-of-control-feeling eating experiences.
What does the research say?
Now you might be thinking to yourself “okay, this all makes sense”. But you may still be skeptical as to whether focusing on eating satisfying foods can truly be good for your health. The answer is yes!
Finding satisfaction with eating is the driving force behind the framework of Intuitive Eating. Intuitive Eating has been associated with many benefits, including improved eating behaviours, lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure, and improved cholesterol, among others.
Epicurean eating pleasure is the pleasure that comes from an appreciation of the sensory qualities and symbolic value of food. Studies show that it is associated with smaller food portions and higher wellbeing, and is not associated with a higher BMI.
In Canada, even our new dietary guidelines recognize the importance of enjoying your food. Japan, a country known for its long life expectancy, has had the recommendation to “enjoy your meals” in their dietary guidelines for many years.
Satisfaction with eating goes beyond your food choices
It’s important to mention that there is more to satisfaction with eating than the foods we choose. Our level of hunger when we begin eating influences how satisfying the eating experience will be. If we eat when we are ravenously hungry or already full, it can make for a less pleasant eating experience.
Satisfaction with eating can also be affected by our environment. Have you ever sat down for a meal after an argument with your loved one? This can make for a less than pleasant experience, thus lowering the level of satisfaction you feel from it. Alternatively, eating in a pleasant, and relaxing environment can help to enhance satisfaction with eating.
I hope that this article leaves you with a renewed motivation to choose satisfying foods. With satisfaction in mind, what would you choose to eat at your next meal?
Are you ready to take the next step in breaking up with diet culture and pursuing your own authentic health and wellbeing? Book a complimentary consultation call here.
