Food: It's Feel-Good Fuel!

This past weekend I had a terrible bout of food poisoning.  I've had it three times; each was increasingly bad (perhaps because the first time I didn't realize exactly what was happening...but I digress).  In the midst of all the sickness, I had a thought:

I will never again berate myself for eating food.

Have you ever considered the sheer pleasure of eating?  The idea that what we put into our mouths can fuel the magical machine that is our body?  If you've had food poisoning, you know what it feels like to succumb to total weakness due to lack of fuel, lack of hydration, and the persistent worry that you may never be able to hold down food again.

However, up until the very moment I fell ill, I guilted myself over the fuel I chose to put in my mouth.  Sure, some choices are better than others - an apple a day is a better choice than a Snickers a day, no doubt - but because bene-fit promotes healthy eating for total body wellness, it is hypocritical to tell myself (as a personal trainer!) that I don't "deserve" a treat or indulgence or I'll have to "work off" something I ate earlier in the day.

When I was finally recovered enough to maintain and feed an appetite, I was overjoyed.  I felt gratitude for my digestive system, my food, my ability to feel good during and after eating.  I had no desire to weigh myself, resist any sort of food (it helped that I was at my parents' house recovering with home cooking!), or turn down a cookie or two.  It was like eating without "rules" - and it was glorious.

I recently came across a fabulous blog post about being a "scale slave" - and finally freeing oneself of the daily weigh-in by getting to a place where you can confidently say, I feel good.  When's the last time you were able to tell yourself, I feel good, regardless of a number on a scale or a number in bank account?  When you finish eating a healthy and nutritious meal, do you remind yourself, I feel good?  When you get up early in the morning to attend a bene-fit boot camp or work out with a bene-fit personal trainer, do you make sure that the reason you do so is because you want to shout from the rooftops - I feel good?

At bene-fit, everything we do is to help you reach your health and fitness potential and feel good every day.  Make sure you are making good choices with your fitness and nutrition - and tell yourself today, I feel good!