Intuitive eating

I've definitely learned to listen to my body these days, it drives me nuts to hear about crazy diets, magic pills, formulas and packaged low fat foods that are on the market. Finding a balance is different for everybody but for me it starts with what I eat. Intuitive eating; eat when you're hungry, eat what you crave, stop when you're satisfied. But make sure most of the time (scroll to my post on Portland and lunch at Save on Meats if you're sick of this already!) it's clean, whole foods and includes greens galore, healthy fats and protein. Exercise, strength train, sweat, find something you love. My faves are running, crossfit, yoga and snowboarding. That's definitely not for everyone but don't stop searching until you find something that makes you want to get that adrenaline goin and that heart rate up! Portion control, which leads back to intuitive eating and eating just until you feel satisfied. We're not kids anymore, you don't have to finish your plate, save it for later!

Random shots of eating what I crave:

After a hot flow yoga class: Light lunch of toasted Persian flatbread, tomatoes, roasted balsamic asparagus, poached egg w/ truffle salt, Italian olive oil tuna, 6 yr aged cheddar, Nicoise olives. (Not shown, coconut water; hydrate hydrate hydrate, nature's natural source of electrolytes).

After Crossfit: MEAT.

Always:
Vegetables, perfectly cooked and loaded with flavor (shown here, brussels sprouts and swiss chard with leeks, garlic, white wine and bacon). When I cook with bacon I use an organic, nitrate free kind.

Snacky:
I try and prep things ahead of time so I can grab something quick or throw together a salad (shown here, steamed broccoli, swiss chard, roasted butternut squash, caramelized onion and garlic hummus)

On a cold wet, rainy Vancouver day:
Comfort food stews like Coq au Vin (Chicken stewed with carrots, onions, celery, red wine, chicken stock, bacon and mushrooms)

When I'm fighting off a cold:
When I'm sick and can't smell or taste food I get super sad, so I'll eat for texture and to fuel and nourish the body: Chili with spinach, fried egg, pickled red onion, avocado, tomato. My cure all sick concoction: Fresh juiced apple and a TON of fresh ginger, mixed with orange juice, 1 packet of orange emergenC, side of coldfx and sleep sleep sleep!

Often, very often: (Who am I kidding, ALWAYS.)
Cookies, chocolate, DESSERT. Life is not worth living for without this. But make it the best cookie, best chocolate, best dessert you can get your hands on, cheap stuff aint worth it!