So many options and opportunities

It seems like when I break away from the way most people eat (or as many say, the Standard American Diet or SAD way of eating), I hear people comment on the foods that they would miss or what I "don't get to eat."  People on diets talk about feeling deprived or having cravings for what they love most and miss.  I've had similar thoughts.  I've been known (in the past, I might add) to walk around the grocery store thinking of all foods that I can't buy or eat anymore (I should be so grateful -- look at all the money I'm saving and all the health problems I'm avoiding).

It's easy to fall into that trap.  First of all, cravings are real and habitual thoughts are hard to erase from your mind (like ice cream is the best thing to eat when out with friends).  But it is possible.  And the more you fill your mind with helpful and healthful information, the more these old thoughts will subside.

An approach I've loved seeing develop in my mind is seeing how MANY options I have for eating healthy and tasty foods and how blessed I am to have the opportunity to live in a place and situation with such an abundance of foods.  Forget all the stuff I'm passing up!  I don't have enough time in the DAY or space in my stomach for all the yummy healthy foods I could be eating!

If my fridge is filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and I have a variety of nuts and seeds in my cupboards, I can think of all kinds of combinations or simple delicious treats to eat throughout the day.  My mind fills with the choices at my finger tips and then I eat one or two until I'm full and save the rest until later.  I never get to them all in a day.  It's a great way to eat!

This only really works when I'm eating a high raw or all raw diet.  When I add in cooked grains/starches (or especially processed foods), I end up craving more than I should eat and get off track with identifying my body's needs.  It's not always easy to get my body away from them, but once I am, it's quite liberating. 

Life is good!  TTFN!