Play More Eat Less

Article written by Daniel Max, Holistic Health Counselor, Yoga Instructor, Shiatsu Practitioner, owner of Sense of Self

Do you remember being a child and getting so wrapped up in creative play that you didn't want to stop when it was time to eat or left your meal half-finished to get back to your game? Children innately understand that food is secondary to what is most nutritious and primary in life: fun and play.

As adults we seem to have lost our instinct to prioritize play. In our busy world, with its emphasis on work and responsibility, in order to be healthy and balanced we must work on more than just our bodies; we must feed our hearts, minds and spirits.

When our body, mind and spirit are engaged in a creative project or happy relationships, our reliance on food may appear to decrease. Likewise, when unsatisfied with relationships, job or other areas of our life, we often depend on food to cheer, soothe or numb us. When our life is out of balance, no amount of food can feed us where we truly need nourishment. The food that we eat is very important for health and balance, but what really feeds us—a full and fulfilling life—doesn't come on a plate.

Putting things that excite us on hold for the sake of responsibilities may at times be good logic yet we often make these decisions from a place of fear rather than good sense. "If I'll lose weight, then I'll start swimming/ buy new clothes/ start yoga...."   Let's do the things we want to do NOW. Any statement containing "if I achieve _________ then I'd be happy” never holds truth and brings nothing but dissatisfaction. While our future goals are a motivation to better ourselves, they do not hold back our happiness. Finding a peaceful pleasure in our current state of being will motivate us to progress from a sense of ease. We stop working away from what we don't want and work towards moving towards what we do want.

Create a positive attitude and wonderful environment around you and enjoy the process of becoming healthier and happier every step of the way!

Have fun. If going to the gym is a "chore” then try a yoga or dance class instead. Find a way to play while moving your body. If by deciding to eat healthy you are mostly focused on what to restrict, shift your focus to all the new foods and flavors you get to incorporate and explore.

What is fun for you? What makes you light up and excites you? Make time for it this week. Even if you don't have much time for fun, try approaching a "serious” activity with an attitude of play. This can greatly reduce stress and anxiety and bring more pleasure to your day. Take your focus off food, try adding more fun into your life and watch the magic unfold.

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Food Focus
While holiday indulgence can be fun, heavy meals and sugary foods can leave us with unhealthy cravings, mood swings, and low energy. Often the "winter blues" are the result of poor nutrition.

During the cold and dry winter we can nutritionally create balance through warming and lubricating foods. Enjoy hearty stews, soups and baked foods. Make sure to have some healthy fats in the form of unrefined oils such as extra virgin cold pressed olive oil. Create meals from beans, whole grains, winter squashes and root vegetables. If eating animal proteins, be sure to balance them out with an abundance of vegetables. Warming foods and healthy oils are especially important if you have a difficulty staying warm. If you are prone to suffer from dry skin, minimize your intake of dry foods such as breads and crackers.

Be prepared. This is not the time of year to come home and whip up a salad or have a bowl of cereal because you haven't had time to go shopping. Store canned beans, frozen vegetables, and quick cooking grains (like quinoa)  to be able to quickly create a warming meal within minutes.