Nourishment For An Abundant Life | Starting with Food
When I founded Goldie’s in 2020, I wanted it to be a space for the community to fill their cup– both literally and energetically. The food we serve, the energy of the shop, the gathering space of the Backyard, the yoga classes we host, and the information we share here on the blog all have the unified mission of nourishing you so you can live an abundant life.
Since nourishment can mean so many different things (like I shared in this blog post), I know it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out where to start. If you’re feeling this analysis paralysis sink in on what steps to take first, I always recommend starting with the food you choose to nourish your body with! Keep reading for some supportive guidance on how to listen to your body, nourish it well, and start healing your relationship with food.
Be aware of how food makes you feel
The first step is observation. You don’t need to have fast and hard with food rules and diet rules, but instead, look at what you eat and how it makes you feel. A simple way to do this is to put a reminder in your phone for 15 minutes after a meal or snack to check in with yourself and to ask the question, how do I feel right now? The goal is to find out if food fueled you or took energy from you. Energized? Sluggish? Tummy aches? Clear headed? How do you feel? Keeping a food journal with non-judgmental notes about what you ate and how it made you feel is an amazing place to start.
The food we eat has a massive impact on how we feel during the day–if you don’t notice how you’re feeling after different types of meals or ingredients, I’d encourage you to start tuning into your body just a few times a day! It can be so empowering to know something as simple as what foods make you feel energized, and what foods make you feel tired.
Between the ingredients, combinations of foods, order of foods, and oils our food is cooked in restaurants versus at home… I know it can feel overwhelming to try to take stock of how you feel and why. Taking a few moments every day to slow down and think about how you feel in the moment can make a massive difference in how you choose to nourish yourself through food in the future. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Listen to your body
Having self-awareness is one of the best ways to become your brightest and best self! It feels so amazing to take accountability for the choices you make every day. When you have more self-awareness, you’re able to slowly pivot towards more “feel good” food choices that bring you vitality and clarity.
If food is a part of your everyday life, even if it’s been a struggle, I encourage you to simply ask yourself, what sounds good right now? When you make your next food choice, maybe think of textures and sounds food makes and see if you are craving something. An example would be: I am in the mood for something zesty, crunchy, and salty! What can you think of that fits that description!? It puts your palette at the forefront, rather than having to think of specific foods or recipes. This is a beautiful opportunity to practice tuning into what your body needs!
Healing your relationship with food
We know there are so many ways to think about food, but I want to encourage you to follow your truth in the moment. Asking yourself, what food will nourish me right now? is an amazing way to connect to your body and listen to what it’s telling you. Taking charge and tapping into your body’s needs is also a great place to start if you’re working to heal a relationship with food. Oftentimes, your body will show you the way–she’s always speaking to you through tummy signals, aches and pains, ease, comfort, and more.
Your body is a unique road map that knows what kind of nourishment it needs. Listen more carefully, and you might discover foods you want to cut out and avoid, foods you love and adore, things you consume too much of or too little. What I want to discover here is how you feel and how you can start nourishing your body through food for an incredibly abundant life.
Happy eating!
-Jill