Food Rules: Not Too Much

For most of us, eating is a pleasurable experience. We eat for a variety or reasons- sometimes for hunger, sometimes happiness, celebration, sadness, or even boredom. I would like to give you my insights that have helped me to develop and sustain a healthy relationship with food over the years.

A recent topic I have been thinking about is the Hunger and Fullness Scale below:

0	Starving, ravenous for food, feel completely drained
1	Moderate headache, highly irritable, loss of motivation or energy
2	Slight headache, irritability, weakness, dizziness, or shaking
3	Stomach is empty and may start to growl; eat something as soon as you can
4	Initial satisfaction that is hard to recognize; most people keep eating
5	Satisfied, but food is still appealing (Just one more bite… or two… or three…) Resist the urge to keep eating!
6	Full, but still comfortable. May need to take it easy for a while.
7	Uncomfortable fullness that accompanies eating excessively
8	Bloated, stomach feels stretched
9	Sick feeling including stomach or back pain
10	Bingeing fullness, possible vomiting

Letting yourself get too hungry often leads to you wanting to eat more, quicker, and junkier. Neither starving nor eating past comfort is enjoyable, so why would you put yourself through such a cycle?

By choosing instead to keep yourself between a 3 and a 5 on this scale, you will have more energy throughout the day, enjoy eating your meals slowly, and keep your stomach -and weight- smaller.

Don't listen to your parents at the table.

• Yes. There are starving children in Africa, but is it going to do them any good if you clean your plate for them? Nope.
• Can you mail your leftovers to them? Probably not...and if you can, you need to rethink your diet!

          What we can do:

• Use smaller plates- studies show we are likely to eat less.
• Stick to portion sizes. (1 cup of produce or dairy/ 1 oz. of meat, whole grains, or nuts.)
• Eat a fruit or a lean yogurt if you drop to a 3 before lunch.
• Get a to go box if your food is great and you're at a 5.
• Pick a friend or family member as your meal splitting buddy.

Who knows- with the money you are saving on food, you can donate to help people in other countries who really are starving!

This is me, Taun Bleazard, the newest EMI Health Wellness Coach! I am experienced in health education, coaching, and biometric screenings. I studied exercise science and nutrition at the University of Utah! Go Utes! I enjoy hiking, running, and finding easy ways to eat healthy. I have taken over EMI's Coaching Corner, but if you desire more help, I am only a call or email away. 801-270-2813 tbleazard@emihealth.com