Satisfaction Factor

Deciding to start eating healthier can conjure up images of bland, tasteless food, accompanied with feelings of restriction and deprivation. We can often feel that in order to become the healthiest version of ourselves, we need to deny ourselves any pleasure in the food we eat. The enjoyment of food is put secondary to our pursuit of what we consider a healthier diet.

However, pleasure and satisfaction are two of the most important elements when it comes to the food we eat. Eating food that you enjoy, while feeling connected to your body and your experience, can be a powerful motivator to keep nourishing your body in a sustainable way. When we neglect this element, it can often lead us to consume more food than we actually want, in pursuit of the satisfaction that we are missing. For example, if you are craving a piece of cake but instead decide to have an apple, you probably will still experience the desire to eat the cake after – and can end up eating more than you actually want. When we focus on what our body is actually asking for, we can eat what we truly want and then move on with our day. Fullness and satisfaction are not the same thing, so we need to consider this satisfaction factor to create a peaceful and enjoyable relationship with food.

Of course, this experience is unique to every individual. What is pleasant and enjoyable for one, is not necessarily the same for another. Treat this as a process of self-discovery, where you can use your curiosity to really connect with what your body wants. Often when we have operated from a place of restriction, we can place foods on a pedestal because we are ‘not allowed’ to have them. We can sometimes find, when we really connect to the eating experience without guilt or judgement, that these foods are not as much to our taste as we previously thought. You might be able to taste a little of a food and feel satisfied, that previously might have felt like you could never have enough.

So how can you put this into practise?

- Take some time to reflect on the flavours, textures, and aromas of the food that you really enjoy. Is it salty and flaky? Sweet and rich? Fresh and crunchy? This can help you to identify which foods create a truly pleasurable experience for you. And remember, this can change – depending on your mood, the weather, what you have eaten for your previous meal, your hormones. It is an individual exercise, that only you can know the answer to.

Salty, sweet, buttery, sour, crispy, rich, fresh, bitter, tart, smoky, green, nutty, hot and spicy, bland, sharp, mild…the list is endless!

- This can also change throughout the meal, so try to check in with yourself a couple of times as you eat. As your body registers feeling full, you may find that your food does not taste quite as good as it did at the beginning of your meal.

- Connect with your body and ask yourself what you would really like in this moment, as opposed to what you feel you ‘should’ have. When you can identify that food, try tasting it without judgment or guilt, simply trying to enjoy the experience for what it is. If you can, try to eat without distractions, really connecting to the moment. Over time, you will begin to build trust with your body and learn what truly feels good. Reflecting on the experiences that did not make your body feel good, in a neutral way, can act as learning points for the future.

- Think about how you want your body to feel. Overall, do you want to feel energised, satisfied, pleasantly full, nourished? Once you know this, you can connect this feeling with certain foods.

Take time to reflect on how you could incorporate more satisfaction into your everyday routine. Of course, not every experience can be perfect, but there are ways to bring this awareness into your days. Does it truly feel good in your body to quickly eat lunch at your desk, or could you create a more satisfying experience by stepping away into a more peaceful and less distracting environment? Could you take some extra time to plan for a dinner that focuses on foods you like, rather than trying to pull something together at the last minute?