Trust yourself & listen to your body

Image via www.kidspartyworks.com

Ok, first things first: What's Princess Elsa doing here?

I got to hang out with some pretty cool kiddos this weekend, including a two-year-old Princess Elsa who happened to inspire this email.

We were eating a meal and Elsa set her fork down, slid her plate to the side, and said "I'm done now."

There were only a few bites left, and one of the grownups encouraged her to finish her plate, but the princess stood her ground.

She shook her head vigorously and explained that she could not eat more because it would make her tummy hurt.

It didn't matter to her that there were only a few bites left; she knew what her body was telling her and she honored that.

THAT is what eating mindfully and stopping at 80% full -- two of the cornerstones of my nutrition coaching -- is all about.

(Note: If you're a parent fighting with mealtime battles with your kiddos, I highly recommend checking out Kids Eat in Color)

Eating mindfully and stopping when satisfied -- not stuffed -- are two of the most basic nutrition skills, and they're things our bodies have known how to do since a very, very young age.

Unfortunately, many of us have learned to tune out our physical hunger and fullness cues after a lifetime of being told to clean our plates, finish our meal to "earn" dessert, or never to waste food, and we continue to drown out those cues when we eat in front of the tv, on our phones, or at our desks.

One of the most common struggles my clients identify is portion control, because they feel like they can't stop eating or they feel out of control when it comes to certain foods.

The way we address that depends on the individual, but for most of those clients, the feeling of not knowing when to stop or not being able to stop stems from years of overriding their bodies' messages.

Each of us has the ability to know exactly what our own incredible and unique bodies needs. We just need to listen, re-learn what those cues feel like, and honor them.

If eating healthier is one of your goals, this week try focusing more on HOW you're eating -- shoot for slowly and mindfully, and stop at 80% full -- than what you're eating. It's a small shift that can have a huge impact.