The day is filled with questions! Shall we have lunch at that snazzy new restaurant? What's your secret for that delectable salmon on the grill? Who made that wonderful carrot cake? Do you think I can I get the recipe?
Just picture it-succulent crab cakes, fresh asparagus with hollandaise and a piece of chocolate swirl cheesecake. Food is so wonderful! In our society, it's the king of entertaining, celebrating and connecting. It gives you a way to display your fabulous kitchen or to show off your culinary skills. But what about your diet? Somehow, you need a way to enjoy and appreciate food without sabotaging your weight or your health. And you can, by simply putting food in its proper place.
Let food be unimportant
When you get into your car, you don't expect every trip to be inspiring or memorable. Sometimes you just need to go to the store or visit your mother. In the same way, eating doesn't always have to be fun or exciting. Lots of times, food will be quite mundane, but since it's providing fuel, you eat it anyway. Instead of fretting about boring food, just label it as "unimportant."
Now picture a vacation where you catch a phenomenal sunset or discover a new road with beautiful mountain scenery. On this kind of trip, your drive takes on more status and importance. In the same way, a surprise birthday party or an exotic new restaurant can suddenly change your view of food. When this happens, you simply choose to let food be "important."
Just like the drive where you slow down and appreciate the scenery, you can do the same thing with food. Go ahead and give it your full attention and allow yourself to enjoy it. Appreciate the taste, delight in the eating experience and ask for the recipe.
Get picky about when it's important
You can't make food special all the time, so before you label it as important, think carefully about your goals. Are you enjoying the exquisite creations of a new chef? Or are you hoping to connect and communicate better with someone? In that case, focus on having a meaningful conversation and on showing love and appreciation.
In your day-to-day life, food doesn't always have to be the center of attention. So just like getting into your car, decide when you want to make food important and when to let it be routine.
About the Authors: Linda Spangle, RN, MA is a weight-loss coach specializing in emotional eating, and the author of
100 Days of Weight Loss, a book of daily lessons that helps people stay committed to their diet and exercise plans.
Her website is www.www.weightlossjoy.com.com.
Recommended Reading 100 Days of Weight Loss: The Secret to Being Successful on ANY Diet Plan
by Linda Spangle
"If you have ever struggled with erratic weight gain, inability to stay on track, no willpower, then this book is for you. It gives you
100 days of easy to read, easy to understand tips for success and help with all those problem areas. I suffer from depression and very
low self-esteem and this book helped me tremendously. I use it in conjunction with Linda Spangle's other book, "Life is Hard, Food is Easy".
Both these books have changed my life and my outlook on food. Food is no longer my enemy and I no longer fear the stronghold it once had on
me. Do yourself a favor, invest in both these books. You won't be sorry." (courtesy of Amazon.com)
While there are many reasons for teaching kids to cook -- less expensive than eating out, preserves family heritage, etc, the most important
reason is that by teaching your child to cook, you're giving him a better chance to be a healthy grown-up. Enabling your child with the ability
to appreciate freshness and to transform ingredients into tasty foods opens their eyes to making wiser choices about what to eat...
by Linda Spangle, RN, MA, of 
About the Authors:
Recommended Reading
Let's Get Cooking!
