…Not the kind of title you’d expect on my blog, right?
Well, I’m not talking about the typical food “rule.” You know the ones:
- only low-fat dairy
- no dessert except on weekends
- if I eat that cupcake, then I have to run 30 extra minutes on the treadmill
- just one perfectly-measured TBSP of nut butter, never two
- no margarita at dinner because I’ll be drinking at the wedding this weekend
Food rules of that nature are harmful. They fuel disordered eating habits, and they serve only to make us feel badly about ourselves when we (inevitably) break them.
I’ve luckily never discovered the “rush” of counting calories or using food and exercise as a form of reward/punishment. Still, there was a time when my regular eating habits left MUCH to be desired and I straddled that fine line of skipping meals, feeling guilty after a binge, or avoiding certain foods because they weren’t “healthy enough.”
Luckily, I see food now for what it is: pleasure and fuel. Even though I talk about it and take pictures of it far more often than most normal people, food is not the center of my world.
Below are 5 food “rules” that I follow every day.
1) Eat breakfast
These days, I must eat breakfast or else I’m a hangry beast. Whether it’s the whole nine yards (eggs, bacon, pancakes, etc.) on the weekend or just a quick English muffin or smoothie all other days, I must have something to eat to begin my day.
breakfast: oatmeal with cinnamon, Nektar Honey Crystals, dried cranberries, and pecans + a mug of coffee
2) Include healthy fats
A good dose of healthy fat, for me, is absolutely necessary for satiety. If I don’t add a heaping spoonful of peanut butter or handful of nuts to my oatmeal or a few slices of avocado or some cheese to my salad, I can guarantee I will be starving 30 minutes later.
snack: key lime Greek yogurt (2% milk fat) + chia seeds
3) At least one veggie in every meal
…Ok, this one is more of a goal than a rule. Unless breakfast is a green smoothie or leftover frittata, it usually doesn’t contain a vegetable. However, I do try to include them in lunch/dinner. Sometimes I go above and beyond (veggie stir-fry, vegetable soup, etc.), and other times, I’m lacking ambition (a few leaves of spinach on a sandwich or a carrot cake muffin). In the end, though, it all balances.
lunch: turkey sandwich on honey wheat with Dijon and mixed greens with a side of baby carrots + hummus
4) Fruit first
Fruit is almost always part of my breakfast, and I’ll often snack on it during the day or include it in my lunch. In fact, when I’m feeling snacky, I try to reach for fruit first: an apple, banana, or handful of grapes. Sometimes, though, my fruit stash may be empty or the calls of that chunky chocolate chip cookie are too strong to resist. It happens.
snack: an orange + 2 unphotographed caramels (the sweet tooth beckoned)
5) Eat when hungry
For simplicity’s sake, I try to eat at regular meal times (breakfast, lunch, and dinner—with a morning or afternoon snack when necessary), but if I’m super-hungry, I won’t hold back. I believe that skipping meals or snacks when hungry is just a way to slow your metabolism or overeat later. It should be easy: eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full.
dinner: a few unphotographed crackers + hummus while dinner was cooking; meatloaf (this was a really good one!) with roasted Brussels sprouts, potatoes, and crescent rolls; unphotographed wine (x 2); later followed by an unphotographed slice of Publix cheesecake (which was too big and left me feeling sick)
We make food and eating so much more complicated than they need to be! While I strive to eat a “balanced” diet (which is different to each of us), I don’t beat myself up if one day I can’t stop snacking or I go an entire 48 hours without consuming a vegetable.
In the end, food is simply food.
[included are Monday’s eats for What I Ate Wednesday]
- What are your healthy food “rules?”
- Do you think our society places too much emphasis on food?
- Tell me one thing you ate today.
These are good rules to live by!
I just remembered that I have chia seeds and that makes planning my meals for today a little easier. I always want some fat too!
I eat dark chocolate everyday. I’m convinced it’s preventing something terrible for happening to me. 😉
Haha, even if it wasn’t, eating dark chocolate every day is a good “rule” to have.
I definitely eat chia seeds in spurts; sometimes they sit in the pantry forever, other times I’m on an overnight oats kick for a week. Regardless, I love using them!
These are great rules to live by! I always try and eat breakfast every morning, include fats throughout the day, eat what I’m craving, get in some fruit and veggies, and drink a lot of water! 🙂 and I do feel like society places too much of an emphasis on food for sure. Loved this post! Xoxo
Drink lots of water – I should’ve included that one, too, because I keep a bottle filled at my desk and make sure to drink it all day. Yeah, society definitely places too much emphasis on food and dieting, in particular. I like your rules, too!
These are great rules!! I’m definietly on board all of them, but more specifically the breakfast and healhty fat train. Those are two things I never go without in my day!!
Thanks! Yep, breakfast and healthy fats are non-negotiable!
I love your approach to fueling through pleasurable foods, and overall advice on balance. Not to mention those crescent rules look heavenly.
Thanks so much. Sadly the rolls were just OK; lesson learned – it’s better to buy the name brand than generic. Oh well! 🙂
I definitely don’t eat enough fruit- I need to start putting fruit first. And I love the veggies with every meal rule!
I have an easier time with fruit but sometimes struggle with veggies. Which I guess that’s why it’s more of a “goal” than a “rule.”
Thanks for reading; I love your blog name 🙂
I love your rules! I try to follow all of those as well, especially the breakfast one!
Thanks! Yes, breakfast ALWAYS! 🙂
Hi Catherine. I just found your blog and am so glad I did! I’m also a southern, new(ish) mom! I’ve recently started a blog about trying to get my health on track and am finding that intuitive eating is the way to go. I couldn’t agree more with this post. I can’t wait to read more :).
Thanks so much, Jessie. Yay for southern bloggers (& moms)! I definitely try to eat whatever I’m craving and listen to my body. Sometimes it’s easier said than done though. 😉
Looking forward to checking out your blog!
My food rules include to eat for myself rather than to perform for others. If I don’t feel like eating a ton, I don’t even if people usually expect me to (I usually do and have a big appetite). I also try to include a fruit or veggie at each meal. I noticed that I just feel better when I do that. It’s also not hard because I like eating them (as long as there’s some dip for those veggies 😉
Hi Ellie! Those are great rules! Eating should never be a show for others. And yes for dip! Being honest here – I hate plain baby carrots but love them with hummus or ranch dressing! 🙂