I admit: I have a weakness for salt and butter. As much as I hate what it does for my body (and in most cases, I reject it), I'm secretly satisfied when I can get my hands on popcorn or garlic butter pasta. Of course, I keep my intake minimal, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it when I do eat it.
Now look at this image. Is that not the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? Is it not amazing to think that nature gifts us with such nourishing pieces of beauty? I look at that and want to eat it all. How can anyone want to eat salt, fat, and butter when we have all that? Those colors!
Oh, man. My poor body is shrieking for those lovely, lustrous fruits.
Unfortunately, it was also shrieking last night thanks to me downing the majority of that bag of popcorn. I was trying to fall asleep, but my churning gut kept me awake. For a while, I thought that I might have to get up and dash to the bathroom. But eventually, it calmed down.
Okay. Here's the thing about me and plant-based food: I'm far too used to complex flavors, like many other people. We're raised on them. We get used to pasta dishes with a variety of sauces, meats with a variety of marinades, deserts with a variety of cremes and fruits. Pizza is a fabulous example. Bread mixed with dairy mixed with veggie/fruit mixed with meat.
I already mentioned in my previous food-related post that I like variety in my diet. Complex flavors are a perfect way to satisfy this. So when it comes to plant-based foods, I don't frequently crave the simple flavors. In fact, I don't crave the flavors at all. I just crave the nutrients. Just like last night - after I downed that bag of popcorn, my body was pleading with me for some greens, but we only had a browning salad bag in the fridge, so that request was denied.
So my problem with produce lies in flavor.
Last night, however, really pushed me into wanting a better diet. I'm still practicing mindful eating (although these past couple days I've been a bit lenient due to all the crap I'm doing), so I wonder: if I applied this to a new, better, plant-based diet, would I not need as much to eat?
My mom is currently on a low-calorie diet. I think she only eats something like 1150 calories a day. According to her, the beginning of the diet was tough because it wasn't enough food. Eventually, though, her body got used to the minimal amount of food, and she found she wasn't as hungry. Sometimes, she would even have to force herself to eat when she wasn't hungry, just to fulfill her calorie intake. She has one "splurge" day a week.
I'm guessing the same thing would apply to me. Before mindful eating, I tended to "inhale" my fruits & veggies, too. So they didn't really have the chance to let their fiber satiate me. Maybe... if I just began eating lots of plant-based foods, and really focused on the mindful eating and being grateful for it, I'll be okay. When I think about it, eating natural foods is quite the spiritual experience - essentially, you are eating a piece of your own flesh for nourishment.
I can still eat some complex foods along with this. I'll never give up sushi, that's for sure - and I'll never give up pasta. I can eat rice, fresh and dried fruits, veggies, pasta, fish, bread, nuts, certain types of dairy (yogurt & certain types of cheeses), soups... I just really, really want a better diet. I'm sick of the stomachaches. I don't want to think what all this processed crap has done to my system.
So I think after this final week of school, I'll sit down and make a list of all the good things I want to focus on eating and work on adjusting my diet over winter break - although that may prove to be a challenge with Thanksgiving and Yule around the corner.
This will happen, damn it. In fact, I'll write it in my magic journal. Oh yeah~
Okay. This was a procrastination post, so I REALLY need to get busy now.
Evaah
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