Episode 27: Wait what? Satisfying my sweet tooth with candy can reduce stress?
Crazy but true. Of course, you could replace candy with any other food like chips, cookies, or ice cream sandwiches…any and all of these foods have helped my clients feel less stressed and calmer in their bodies.
I know it sounds wild so before you click away, hear me out on this – literally.
Listen to this week’s Savor Food and Body Podcast to hear the full and very personal story of how satisfying your sweet tooth can reduce stress and anxiety.
It all relates to finding satisfaction with food and unpacking why certain foods are more satisfying than others.
But first, a word about hunger and fullness, because they play a big role in finding satisfaction with food.
If you’re mildly hungry when you’re deciding what to eat, you’re more likely to figure out what food sounds good based on the sensory cues…taste, temperature, and texture.
If you aren’t hungry and decide to eat anyway, as a way to cope with stress or other difficult emotions, you’re less likely to notice whether or not the food is satisfying. Your mind will be more focused on the emotions or what’s causing them than what sensations the food is giving you.
NOTE: there are times when your hunger signals are off-line – stress, illness, travel, emotional turmoil. It’s still important to eat regularly even if it’s not the most satisfying experience. Consistently nourishing your body is how you maintain a trusting relationship with your body.
If for whatever reason, you start eating when you’re ravenously hungry, your primal drive for survival will overshadow your ability to objectively figure out what food sounds good. At that point, your body is in a primal state of, “Feed me now, anything and everything!”
This is exactly what’s happening when you’ve been eating based on food rules and then find yourself bingeing on foods that have been off-limits. It’s a physiological primal response for survival. Frustrating to go through, but 100% normal, expected, and necessary to eventually find satisfaction with food and your body.
Becoming aware of and honoring your hunger cues is a fundamental practice of intuitive eating, and so is finding satisfaction with food whenever possible. Learning to find satisfaction with food from an anti-diet perspective is a critical part of recovering from years of chronic dieting and body shame.
How do you even define satisfaction with eating when you’ve been told that pleasure and satisfaction with food are “indulgent, sinful, or decedent?”
Start by identifying your sensory desires. Such as…
- Tastes – sweet, savory, salty, spicy, buttery, rich, bitter, tangy or tart, smoky, mild, bold, bland, etc.
- Textures – smooth, crunchy, crispy, dense, flaky, mushy, sticky, dry, moist, light, gooey, greasy, etc.
- Smell – sweet, savory, toasted, pungent like stinky cheese, fresh like spring grass or herbs, etc.
- Temperature – cold, cool, warm, hot, room temp, etc.
- Plating – how is the food presented either on your plate or at the deli counter you’re making your selection from? This includes the volume of food. Seeing a little food or a lot of food can trigger desire or rejection in your mind’s eye.
CAUTION: be on the lookout for diet mentality or diet rebellion trying to convince you what volume of food you need to be satisfied.
Your eating environment also has an impact on whether or not you’ll feel satisfied with your eating experience. Are you distracted by desktop or dashboard dining? Are you able to eat in a calm atmosphere such as in nature or with gentle music on?
When you’re trying to figure out what type of food sounds satisfying to you at any given moment, also bring awareness to any food policing or diet mentality thoughts that may come to mind.
Notice the thoughts without judgment, just curiosity…
” Hun, that’s interesting. Why am I judging this desire for something…(sweet, salty, creamy, rich, etc)?”
If you’re like many of my clients, you may have already worked through making peace with food, honoring full permission with all foods, and are working on transitioning from the fuckit eating phase (i.e. eating all your previously forbidden foods, all the time, feeling out of control at times and euphoric at others)…to the body respecting, gentle nutrition phase.
Is my sweet tooth helping me or hurting me?
You may experience the Diet Rebel voice trying to convince you to override your satisfaction by continuing to eat beyond fullness because, “Hey, you’re not dieting anymore, you can have as much candy as you want to satisfy that sweet tooth!”
However, while taste satisfaction is essential, it’s also satisfying to not feel sickly full after eating. It’s satisfying to be in the moment with your food, your environment, and your body. It’s satisfying to make food choices based on your unique body’s needs.
If finding satisfaction seems like a shot in the dark, go slow. Learning to find satisfaction with food or even figuring out what foods sound desirable and satisfying takes time.
Remember, you’ve been in a manipulative relationship with the Food Police and Diet Rebel for a VERY LONG TIME. Those judgy or rebellious thoughts about food aren’t going to go away overnight. This is a practice that evolves over time with plenty of compassionate curiosity and trial and error.
Want extra support finding satisfaction with food and honoring your body’s unique needs?
Download the SAVOR Journal. You’ll get 5 action-packed steps to start healing your relationship with food and your body. You’ll also receive the weekly Alpine Nutrition Insider Newsletter with additional tips, resources, and recipes to support your Intuitive Eating practice.
If you like what you heard on the Savor Food and Body Podcast, don’t forget to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode. I’d love it if you also left a rating and review so other folks can find the show too!
