Food for Thought

By Amber Zuckswert

Waltzing through the grocery isles, basket in hand, you pick up an apple. Quick, what are you thinking? Equally significant, what made you pick up a juicy piece of goodness instead of a bag of Doritos? Digging into your subconscious thoughts about food can reveal a wealth of information about what fuels your cravings and poor eating habits.
By examining the thought patterns of a healthier eater in comparison to that of a junk food lover, we can unravel what changes to make in our own psyche when confronted with the slew of food available. Below are some of my findings over the last several years coaching clients, groups and studying clinical research.

Taste/Addiction vs. Nutrition: When asked what drew them to certain isles or food items in the grocery store junk food lovers described a draw for taste at the moment. Did they feel like something salty, sweet, crunchy, warm? Whatever craving they felt at the time would dictate what types of food landed in their carts. Thoughts about calories might pop up, but weren’t a huge concern. They may or may not know it’s bad for them, but don’t care. Emotional eating over stress, anxiety, fear and low self esteem are often the root of these cravings. Junk food is also processed in a lab to make our body chemically addicted to the food. So often times, it’s not our lack of willpower, or binging over a break up, its the food itself that lures us back to buy.

Meanwhile in the health nuts brain, their thoughts pertained to how a chosen food item would benefit their body and make them feel during and after the fact. How would the broccoli effect their body? Positively or negatively? “Will this food make me feel energized and light or bloated and weighed down?” Those with this mind set check labels for a multitude of different things; ingredients and calories from protein, fat, sugars and excessive salt scrutinized. They think about their longevity and day to day happiness, choosing to treat their food like medicine and their body like a temple.

Our thoughts become actions and ultimately our habits. To switch any self- destructive thoughts and habits start by asking yourself these questions when browsing the market or selecting off a menu.

1.  What are the ingredients? Try your best to avoid anything in a box, bag or can by shopping at your local farmers market and the outer edge of the grocery store. But, if you find yourself with something processed in hand, be sure to read the label. If there are any words you can›t pronounce or a list of 20 ingredients put it down pronto. Only buy a product with 1-8 whole food ingredients listed. Avoid artificial colors &  flavors,
2.  How is this food going to fuel my workout, energy for the day, and mental clarity? Veggies, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and lean organic meats all come from the planet which means they carry all the necessary nutrients for you to THRIVE. No processing means no loss of nutrients. Stable energy throughout the day is essential for a fast metabolism, which leads me to…
3. Where does this food fit into my day? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks or all the above? Eating like a king in the morning and a pauper at night is the golden rule. Higher glycemic foods like whole grain bread and fruit smoothies are ideally consumed earlier in the day, or before workout, so you have time to burn them off before bed. Eating lighter savory dishes like veggies, salads and soups are perfect dinner dishes that will digest easily before you hit the sheets. Digesting while you sleep saps a lot of energy that should be utilized to restore the body. I highly recommend my clients make lunch their largest meal of the day and exercise in the afternoon/evening before bed.
4.  How can I make this food more tasty? Eating whole foods doesn’t mean you miss out on taste. Spices and other goodies like onion, garlic, ginger, and herbs satisfy the taste buds without the artery clogging and highly addictive chemical slew in junk food.
5. How will I feel after eating this food? Think back to how you felt last time you consumed this food. Where you super tired and lethargic afterward? Did you have any digestive issues? For example, salty foods and certain veggies cause me to retain water and feel bloated. Diary, sugar, and fried foods cause breakouts. I›ve experimented with food for over 10 years in order to find what digests easily, and gives me stable energy all day. The portion of food you munch and your eating environment also play a huge roll in how you feel after a meal. Tune into all of these factors and then decide if you really want that bag of cookies.

Treat your body like a temple with care and concern, like you would with your children or pets. If you treat your body like a trash can and only give it garbage it will reward you with the same functionality and energy. Pay attention to what’s going on upstairs. Ask yourself some of the questions above and see what you pull out of the cart at the checkout stand. Stay away from heavily processed foods that are designed to make you chemically addicted. Once you avoid the addictive junk foods your taste buds and brain chemistry will shift to support a more healthful lifestyle. Our bodies know what REAL food is, but our brains have another thing in mind.

Want to learn more about the psychology of food? Grab my free 25 page ebook available on my website www.epicself.com. Or better yet, learn about the power of a whole food plant based diet in person during the center’s Epic Nutrition donation based class every Monday night at 7:30 pm. I break down all 12 of my guidelines and open up the floor for Q&A. We also offer local organic superfood smoothies and produce boxes at the center and the Quepos feria at conventional prices.

Amber Zuckswert is the founder of The Center for Epic Living in Manuel Antonio. She’s an internationally recognized pilates and yoga instructor, professional contemporary dancer, and holistic nutritionist from San Francisco, CA. Amber love nothing more than empowering others to create their most epic self and lifestyle through mindful movement and peak performance nutrition. Check out her daily schedule of classes, online programs, upcoming workshops, and wellness retreats with experts from all over the world here: www.epiclivingcenter.com and www.epicself.com.