The Satisfaction Factor

I love how Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch describe the “satisfaction factor” in their book, Intuitive Eating:

“Satisfaction is derived when you take the time to figure out what you really want to eat, give yourself unconditional permission to eat, and then eat in a relaxing, enjoyable atmosphere.”

I can think of so many times when I denied myself a food I was craving because I thought it was “bad,” but then spent the whole day feeling unsatisfied and on the prowl for something to fill that craving. Spoiler alert: when you are craving a gooey chocolate chip cookie, an apple is just not gonna get the job done. Nothing against apples- I love them, and they are delicious in their own right. They just aren’t chocolate chip cookies.

So often we neglect the joy, satisfaction, and fellowship that can come with eating and instead reduce it to a mind game of numbers and facts.

Eating is not meant to be stressful or anxiety-provoking, but rather an opportunity for enjoyment and thanksgiving. I mean, how lucky are we to have delicious food to eat, day after day?! A huge mindset shift I had to make in my journey to food freedom was considering the satisfaction factor of foods, rather than just a black-and-white “healthy vs unhealthy” list that I had created.

If you are struggling with incorporating satisfying foods into your days, then I would encourage you to adopt this motto from Intuitive Eating:

“If you don’t love it, don’t eat it, and if you love it, savor it.”

Happy eating!