Most Foods Can Fit

There is a common phrase among nutrition professionals that “All Foods Fit”. It means you do not have to give up your favorite foods in order to be healthy, lose weight, or manage a chronic illness. I say “Most Foods Fit” because truly, you may have a medical restriction - an allergy, intolerance or illness that necessitates avoiding certain foods, like wheat bread or butter.
 
If you don’t have a medical restriction, then yes, all foods can fit. This is a cornerstone of intuitive eating, the practice of making peace with food so that it does not control you; rather, you are in control and get to make choices related to what you do and do not want to eat.
 
Here’s how it works. If you like cookies, you eat cookies. If you like tortilla chips, you eat tortilla chips. Because who doesn’t crave what they can’t have? If you tell me that I can’t have chocolate, the one thing I want is chocolate. Why even go there?
 
But it isn’t a free-for-all, either. It is in your best interest, the best interest of your health, to eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, legumes, good fats, and dairy/dairy substitutes. If you eat six cookies for lunch, you won’t leave room for those beneficial food groups. You won’t feel or look well either, if you choose to eat unlimited amounts of processed foods – think constipation, acne, headaches, sluggishness, etc. So, you decide to take care of yourself by choosing a variety of food groups that give you nutrients, including fiber, vitamins and minerals.
 
All Foods Fit means not labeling foods as good or bad - so no patting yourself on the back for eating carrots and no feeling guilty about eating fries - AND this philosophy means loving yourself enough to eat a variety of foods. For example, if you are craving fries, plate up a portion of grilled chicken and fresh fruit along with a small serving of fries. Your body will thank you.
 
Best of health.