Welcome back to the 'Finding Balance' blog series! Last time we discussed finding balance within our lives from a broad, overarching perspective. Today, I'd like to discuss balance as it relates to nutrition.
Nutrition is an ever-evolving field. Trends seem to come and go as often as the weather changes. It can be challenging to keep up with and to know what advice to follow. Should you eat Superfoods or try to Paleo diet? What's with all the Ketogenic food products on the supermarket shelves? Should you give up meat all together or eat only grass-fed, free range meat? The list of nutrition questions goes on and on. And, as I tell my college students, the list will continue to grow and change. As we continue to learn more about food quality and how food impacts our physical, mental/emotional and behavioral health, nutrition fads and recommendations will continue to evolve.
So how do you know what advice to follow and what eating plan will deliver the best results? How do you find the balance between following the perfect eating plan and maintaining your sanity and your savings account? I'm about to type words that might make some of my dietician friends cringe.
Eat the cake. That's right...I am recommending dessert.
Over the years, foods have been demonized, often to extremes. Sugar, salt, fat and others have all been given a 'bad rap' for their negative impact on health. I remember the fat-free trend in the late 90's and early 2000's. We had a fat-free butter replacement food spray in our college apartment and my roommates used it on just about everything. It was not delicious...and it certainly wasn't natural. Every ingredient on the label was a chemical we could hardly pronounce.
Here is something to consider. Is it the foods themselves that are so bad for our health? Or is it the amount of those foods that we consume? Is sugar that terrible if we consume it within reason? Sodium (salt) actually offers numerous health benefits, when consumed in recommended amounts. And fat is necessary for nutrient absorption. Fat cushions our internal organs, provides insulation for our bodies and is an important energy source for our brains and bodies.
The foods themselves are not the problem. Our human condition is the issue. Our ability (or inability) to practice self-control determines how much food and what types of food we eat. Food has become very much an emotional experience for many of us. We turn to food for comfort. Food takes center stage at many of our celebrations. We eat when we are hungry, anxious, sad, stressed, happy, bored...you name it! Often times we need to change WHY we eat more so than WHAT we eat. The battle with food is a behavioral issue.
Most of us have tried to diet at some point in our lives. How many of us have started a diet that lasted more than 6 months? What about 6 years? There is a reason that diets fail. They are not sustainable. Diets are restrictive. While temporary restriction of foods and/or calories may lead to weight loss, we eventually return to a state of normal. More often than n0t, that return to normal results in a return to our previous body weight as well.
So let's go back to my 'eat the cake' statement. I simply mean this: Eat the cake WITHIN REASON. Cake is a metaphor. Maybe you love sweets. Maybe you're more of a salty snack person. Maybe you enjoy a certain adult beverage. It's all 'cake.' Enjoy your indulgence, but do so within reason. What gets us into trouble is the amount of the indulgent foods we allow ourselves. We validate our indulgences by telling ourselves we deserve it. We work hard. We deal with stress at work. We have earned the indulgent meal, drink, dessert. But really, what do we DESERVE? We deserve to treat ourselves to a healthy body. We deserve to teach those we love about self-control and discipline. We deserve to honor God with the food and drink we put in our bodies.
Nutrition is all about balance. Calories in vs. calories out. If our consumption is equivalent to our expenditure, we are in balance. If we consume more than we burn, we are out of balance. Likewise, if we deny ourselves the nutrients and calories we need to function, we are out of balance. My husband will tell you that he works out more so that he can enjoy the foods he loves. That is discipline and that is balance. He knows if he wants to eat grilled bread or extra ounces of steak, he needs to log a few more miles.
I challenge you to find your own balance. Nutrition is not a one-size-fits-all program. You are unique and you have your own unique nutritional needs. What a beautiful thing - that even our nutritional needs are as one-of-a-kind as we are. There is no perfect nutrition plan or diet for everyone. When people ask me which diet is the best diet, my answer to them is, "The diet that works for you." The best diet for any given individual is the diet that the individual will stick with, and thus provides the desired result. You will never reach your nutritional goals (and weight loss goals) if you are trying to stick to an eating plan that you hate. Balance is key.
So, enjoy your 'cake.' But enjoy a slice (not the entire cake). Enjoy a glass of wine (not the whole bottle). Appreciate a great cut of steak (but limit your ounces). We have the ability, and the responsibility, to make healthy choices every single day. Let's nourish the bodies we have been given with nutritious, whole foods. But let's also give ourselves a little grace as we work through the process. A little treat here and there will not throw you off course unless you allow that little treat to become an unhealthy habit.
I'd love to hear from you. Let me know what your challenges and victories are as you find your nutritional balance.
Cheers friends!
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