The whole idea of our tag line here at Eating Enchanted, “The Magic is in the Mindset” is to help you break free of the negative terms that currently surround eating and replace them with vocabulary that will foster a positive and healthy mindset toward eating. Here is some important Eating Enchanted vocabulary to help you experience the magic of a sustainable healthy lifestyle.
1. Healthy Spectrum – please replace the word Diet with Healthy Spectrum. The word diet implies deprivation. In contrast, your Healthy Spectrum is the abundant group of real foods that make up the bulk of your daily calorie intake. Your Healthy Spectrum will be unique to you in some ways, but will consist of fruits and vegetables, healthy lean proteins, certain whole grains and healthy fats. Your Healthy Spectrum creates the gift of healthy eating for you.
2. Give Yourself Permission – please replace “cheat day” and instead “Give Yourself Permission” to eat the foods that you wish when you are on a date, at a party or special occasion. Also, please Give Yourself Permission to eat foods that are offered when you are at an event where the foods from your normal Healthy Spectrum are not available. Further, make peace and accept the food choices you are making when you Give Yourself Permission. This will help you create a positive and conscious connection with your food. When you Give Yourself Permission you free yourself from the guilt and self loathing that can occur from eating foods that are less than ideal. If you accept this “permission moment” as a temporary departure from your Healthy Spectrum, you know you can confidently return to eating from your Healthy Spectrum at your next meal.
3. Permission Moment – please use Permission Moment rather than “being bad” when you are faced with a temporary departure from your Healthy Spectrum. You are giving yourself the gift of healthy eating on a daily basis because the bulk of your calories are coming from foods within your Healthy Spectrum therefore you can confidently have a Permission Moment and feel good and at peace with your choice.