"Can I get arugula on the pizza instead of artichoke hearts?" Theresa asked

She's not a fan of artichoke heart textures (me neither!) and she knows having more greens helps her digest pizza better, not to mention benefits her cardiovascular health.

Hi Reader!

Can you "think about it (food)" without food rules yet?

Theresa's pizza order is a good example of the lesson in last week's email - finding the sweet spot between what your body needs to eat (more greens = better cardiovascular health) and what you want to eat (pizza on a Friday night out with friends!).

So, how do you do that in real life?

How do you make the conscious choice to ask for more greens or a salad with your pizza - without feeling diet-y?

Say you want to improve your cardiovascular health because, as estrogen declines through the menopause transition, your cholesterol levels increase.

Pair that with a family history of heart disease, and you have a good reason 'why' your body needs more heart-healthy eating.

Adding greens or a salad to dinner is one behavior-based goal to support your body's needs to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Let's look at some other examples:

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See where I'm going with this, NAME?

Now you try. "Thinking about it (food)."

Create 2-3 behavior-based goals to find the sweet spot of satisfaction between what your body needs to eat based on your 'why' (ie, health concerns) and what your body/mouth wants to eat.

Be as specific as possible.

How many times per week (I suggested no more than 3)?

What days of the week?

What's the behavior (food-related)?

Keep it easy. Lower the bar when you need to.

If you don't have the capacity to do 3 goals in a month, do two. If you can't practice 3 times per week, practice the behavior twice.
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I'd love to hear what behavior-based goals you're working on and help troubleshoot where you're getting stuck.

Don't be shy! Hit reply!
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You've got this!

Have a great weekend savoring food and your body!

Amanda

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PS: What did you think of the 4-week online course I created to help you keep gentle nutrition easy, delicious, and doable no matter what your 'why' is?

​Click here for info and enrollment​

You could be "thinking about it (food)" with freedom and ease before the holidays!

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PSS: How to create behavior-based practices that honor what your body needs to eat and what you want to eat. Watch the video! Keep it easy. Lower the bar when you need to. If you don't have the capacity to do 3 goals in a month, do two. If you can't practice 3 times per week, try practicing the behavior twice.