Reclaim Your Right to Enjoy Food

This post was written by Jillian Arizcuren, a recent graduate of UCSD Health's dietetic internship program. She recently obtained her Bachelor's degree in Foods & Nutrition at San Diego State University. Upon passing the RD exam and becoming a registered dietitian, Jillian hopes to work in an outpatient or private practice setting to provide nutrition counseling. She strives to help clients meet their overall health and nutrition goals while promoting a non-diet approach to nutrition.

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Eating is meant to be nourishing and enjoyable. But if you’re struggling with your relationship with food, view it as the enemy or something to avoid, or feel like it’s a constant battle of willpower, learning how to enjoy eating again can feel very challenging.

According to the Intuitive Eating book, satisfaction is best described as “the hub of intuitive eating”. This means that each intuitive eating principle ties into some element of satisfaction. Here are some examples of situations that may lead to an unsatisfying eating experience and the IE principles they relate to:

• Eating a salad when you really want a burger (make peace with food)

• Eating when you are not very hungry or completely starving (honor your hunger)

• Eating in an emotionally charged state (cope with your emotions with kindness)

• Eating while still in the diet mentality (reject the diet mentality)

• Eating with associated body shame/guilt (respect your body)

Have you ever experienced any of these before? Some dissatisfaction with eating on occasion is normal- we’re human and we can’t always get it just right! But if you’re always finding yourself unsatisfied with eating, it might be worth digging deeper.

For some, pleasurable foods trigger feelings of guilt and wrongdoing. There is also a fear that allowing oneself to eat these foods will lead to out-of-control eating. However, we know just the opposite to be true. When we let ourselves enjoy pleasurable foods freely, it takes the power away from the food and puts it back into our own hands.

Fullness vs Satisfaction

Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, fullness and satisfaction are not the same thing. You can be physically full, but if you’re not satisfied, you’ll continue seeking more food.

Our bodies are smarter than we think. If you’ve ever tried fulfilling a craving with a “healthier” alternative, you’ve probably experienced this before. In the process of trying to fill the unsatisfied void, you end up eating way more than just eating the food you were originally craving.

So how can you regain satisfaction in eating?

Let’s walk through a few steps from the Intuitive Eating book.

1. Ask yourself what you really want to eat.

   And then take it a step further: give yourself unconditional permission to eat it. Be willing to challenge your beliefs about food that diet culture has perpetuated. There are no foods “off limits”.    

2. Discover the pleasure of the palate.

   Pay attention to the taste, texture, aroma, appearance, temperature, and volume or filling capacity of food. These factors all contribute to satisfaction. Ask yourself the following questions:

   What food aroma might appeal to me?

   How will the food taste and feel in my mouth?

   Do I want something sweet, salty, savory, sour, or even slightly bitter?

   Do I want something hot, cold, or moderate?

   Do I want something light, airy, heavy, filling , or in between?

3. Make your eating experience more enjoyable.

   Try to devote specific time out of your day for meal times. This will help limit distractions and allow you to pay more attention to your food. Follow the 3 S’s of satisfying eating:

   Eat slowly

   Eat sensually

   Savor every bite

4. Don’t settle

   And don’t feel obligated to finish the food you started eating.

5. Check In: Does it still taste good?

If the food is starting to not taste as good as it did when you started, consider stopping and wait until you’re hungry again. Food will taste better, and you’ll be more satisfied!

Keeping these steps in mind, it will be easier to find what foods are most satisfying to you. The whole eating experience- eating the food you want, appreciating the qualities of food, and being in a pleasing environment should bring pleasure. Remember that this is a practice, and it may take a while before you feel confident in your ability to find satisfaction in eating. You deserve to eat and enjoy pleasurable foods every day!