Make it Whole * Feel Whole

Raspberries, Greek Yogurt, and Walnuts. Yum!

I just had one of my favorite lunches, yogurt with rasperries and walnuts.  I love raspberries and walnuts, but if I was only allowed a few of each I would not be satisfied and this could lead to snacking later.  So, I buy the Driscoll’s raspberries and eat the whole  box with one of my favorite yogurts, Fage (Greek yogurt is so good and thick and rich and it will leave you feeling full, which is a good thing!) and I pile it high with walnuts. Yum!  I love the texture and taste of walnuts, but would not feel satisfied with only a few, so I have found a way to have my walnuts and eat them too! – with low fat plain yogurt and raspberries, which are low in calories, high in fiber, and completely non-fat.  The key is in “making it whole”.  I don’t eat the yogurt out of the container.  Nothing wrong with this, but taking the time to put the yogurt in a pretty bowl and filling  it high with the berries and walnuts gives me the feeling of completeness.

You can use this same principle of “making it whole” with any food that you love.  Maybe you crave potato chips everyday.  Don’t try and deprive yourself, you will only end up overeating them at some point and most likely out of a family size bag!  Give yourself permission to eat whatever you want by incorporating it into a meal.  With potato chips, have them with a lower fat lunch, maybe with chicken salad or tuna salad or even a vegetable salad, just leave off the bread and have your chips.  You will feel whole if you give yourself a whole portion of chips.  If at home, put them in a nice bowl to give yourself some limits.  The cute bowl will add to the specialness of the meal.  If this sounds too cute or like too much work, then go back to sneaking a few chips and feeling deprived which leads to eating the whole bag of chips and more overeating followed by the seemingly endless cycle of “I will start on a diet tomorrow….”