The Go Slow Life and Food Freedom
The topic of Food Freedom (as coined by Melissa Hartwig Urban in her book Food Freedom Forever) is a weighty topic which deserves a lot of time and space, but for today, I'm just going to discuss a nugget (no pun intended) of truth, the way The Go Slow Life sees it.
There is no dieting or deprivation in The Go Slow Life. There is only deliberate action.
There is, however, no mindless noshing in front of the TV or while scrolling Instagram. There is no binge eating because you're avoiding something that's been welling up inside you. There is no overdoing it with alcohol because your friend poured you a shot and you feel pressured to take it.
We all know generally what foods are healthier for us - fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, water, healthy oils. The Go Slow Life is built on a foundation of good nutrition that makes you feel good, sleep well, and manage your hormones through sound nutrition.
But there are foods that are not on the above list that are really special, and there is no reason to unnecessarily restrict those foods. But, that's where the concepts of Food Freedom come in. You get to decide when and where and under what circumstances you enjoy those foods.
In Food Freedom, the question you ask yourself is, "Is it worth it?" And worth it has a specific definition.
“Worth it” is anything you know will likely have negative physical or psychological consequences, but is so special, enjoyable, or significant that you choose to eat it anyway. (source: https://whole30.com/2019/02/worth-it-food-freedom/)
For me, that meant eating schnitzel in Vienna, Austria while on a kid-free vacation with my husband.
For me, that meant eating Thin Mints during this year's Girl Scout cookie drive because it reminded me of my years as a girl scout.
For me, that meant enjoying a small glass of wine but stopping after one while at a Girls Night.
The trick is, unless you go slow in life and make a plan ahead for your nutrition, you will likely be stuck with grabbing something at the last minute that may have negative physical or psychological consequences, AND is not special, enjoyable or significant. Example: hitting the fast food drive through between school and sports practice because there's no other time for family dinner and no other plan. Fast food burgers are neither special, nor significant. (Unless you live somewhere that fast food burgers are not ubiquitous and it IS a special event to have one -- again, only you can decide that.)
But even without a comprehensive plan ahead of time, you know what does and doesn't sit right make you feel good when you eat it. (And if not, I highly recommend doing a Whole30 to learn what does and doesn't make you feel good when you eat it.) Use that self-awareness in the moment to stop, take a beat, think, and make a conscious decision as to what your food choice will be that's aligned with your values. If you find yourself rushing through the decision, or eating hastily, catch it, stop a moment, get your bearings and then continue the process of deciding what to eat.
Reference Materials:
Food Freedom Forever by Melissa Hartwig Urban
The Whole30 Blog on Food Freedom
The Whole30 Program
There is no dieting or deprivation in The Go Slow Life. There is only deliberate action.
There is, however, no mindless noshing in front of the TV or while scrolling Instagram. There is no binge eating because you're avoiding something that's been welling up inside you. There is no overdoing it with alcohol because your friend poured you a shot and you feel pressured to take it.
We all know generally what foods are healthier for us - fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, water, healthy oils. The Go Slow Life is built on a foundation of good nutrition that makes you feel good, sleep well, and manage your hormones through sound nutrition.
But there are foods that are not on the above list that are really special, and there is no reason to unnecessarily restrict those foods. But, that's where the concepts of Food Freedom come in. You get to decide when and where and under what circumstances you enjoy those foods.
In Food Freedom, the question you ask yourself is, "Is it worth it?" And worth it has a specific definition.
“Worth it” is anything you know will likely have negative physical or psychological consequences, but is so special, enjoyable, or significant that you choose to eat it anyway. (source: https://whole30.com/2019/02/worth-it-food-freedom/)
For me, that meant eating schnitzel in Vienna, Austria while on a kid-free vacation with my husband.
For me, that meant eating Thin Mints during this year's Girl Scout cookie drive because it reminded me of my years as a girl scout.
For me, that meant enjoying a small glass of wine but stopping after one while at a Girls Night.
The trick is, unless you go slow in life and make a plan ahead for your nutrition, you will likely be stuck with grabbing something at the last minute that may have negative physical or psychological consequences, AND is not special, enjoyable or significant. Example: hitting the fast food drive through between school and sports practice because there's no other time for family dinner and no other plan. Fast food burgers are neither special, nor significant. (Unless you live somewhere that fast food burgers are not ubiquitous and it IS a special event to have one -- again, only you can decide that.)
But even without a comprehensive plan ahead of time, you know what does and doesn't sit right make you feel good when you eat it. (And if not, I highly recommend doing a Whole30 to learn what does and doesn't make you feel good when you eat it.) Use that self-awareness in the moment to stop, take a beat, think, and make a conscious decision as to what your food choice will be that's aligned with your values. If you find yourself rushing through the decision, or eating hastily, catch it, stop a moment, get your bearings and then continue the process of deciding what to eat.
Reference Materials:
Food Freedom Forever by Melissa Hartwig Urban
The Whole30 Blog on Food Freedom
The Whole30 Program
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