How to Eat Normal

Yesterday I made a huge mistake. I purchased a 32 ounce bag of Cadbury mini eggs!  I have this problem when I find something at a great price...and this HUGE bag of delicious goodness was a super price (under $5), I buy and proceed to partake.

It would not be a problem if I had the control to eat a few per day. Unfortunately, I open the secret drawer in which they are kept, grab enough to barely keep in my hand and eat.  This process happens a few too many times per day.

And it is not normal.  Well...actually, I think for many of us, it has become the norm.  We buy a goodie and eat it until it is gone.  Others of us don't eat enough, or  we eat too much.  We forget to eat the right things at the right time. Or are we simply thinking too hard and setting ourselves up for failure? 

With summer right around the corner (and our swimsuits awaiting their debut), I thought it was time for me to worry less and focus on "normal eating."

I found an excellent article in my Running Report magazine written by Ellyn Satter, RD, author of Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family, entitled, "What is Normal Eating?"

I loved her "checklist."  I thought you would too!

Her definition of normal eating:

Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it-not just stop eating because you think you should.

Normal eating is being able to give some thought to our food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.

Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored-or just because if feels good. Normal eating is three meals a day, or four or five-or it can be choosing  to munch along the way.

Normal eating is leaving some cookies on the plate now because you know you can have some again tomorrow or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.

Normal eating is overeating at times; feeling stuffed and uncomfortable-or it can be under eating at times wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting you body to make up for your mistakes in eating.

In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food, and you feelings. Isn't it time to start learning how to eat normally?

Isn't that GREAT!?  She gives us permission to be NORMAL!  We know fad diets don't work.  We do know that eating right and exercising will work.

So this week, let's all start being normal.

My first goal is to give myself permission to eat the entire bag of Cadbury eggs tonight so I won't have them tempting me all week! Just kidding...that isn't normal. 

Here is what I am committing to do:

Eat out only three times this week (that is truly realistic for me since I love my lunch dates).  Exercise five times (and lift twice).
Make my proportion sizes a little less.
Don't eat after dinner.
Drink more water.
Enjoy what I eat!
Enjoy exercise!

and...

Be normal!