I just celebrated my 9th year of opening Happy Food. The main lesson I learned over the years is perception. If I can help people create a different perception and believe it, then their reality changes. The mind is so powerful! Let’s list the barriers that stop you from eating well. As you change your perception of these barriers, you might be surprised by your success.
- Time. Most people tell me they don’t have time to shop or cook. Is it really time, though? Is something else getting in the way? Because when we want something, we make time for it. Maybe you just need to feel more confident in the kitchen. Maybe we waste more time than we’d like to admit. Maybe it’s about being more organized. Let’s get to the root of it.
- Perfection. Why is it that we are so set on perfection? If we can’t do it perfectly, then we don’t want to try at all. There’s never a need to aim for perfection. It doesn’t exist. You don’t need to make all meals from scratch. Start with baby steps until you reach your goals. Let me help you create a plan that is more realistic and that is sustainable.
- Culture. In many countries, people cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner from scratch. Feeding one’s family is the top priority. In our country, it seems perfectly acceptable to say I’m too busy to shop or I don’t have time to cook. This is not optional. Feeding oneself is the essence of life. We can’t make these statements anymore. We must prioritize feeding ourselves well versus being OK feeding our family poorly.
- Crazy schedule. Some of us don’t have any consistency in our schedule. True, that makes it a little more challenging but it shouldn’t stop us. If we learn how to plan, we can work with any schedule. Again, aim for baby step changes and not for perfection.
- They won’t eat it. If you cook to feed others especially children, it sure can be frustrating when they don’t eat what you have cooked. One thing to remember specifically with kids but with adults too is that they are learning how to eat “right.” The dinner table is a place for kids to learn. They won’t like everything during the first try. But with more exposure and calmness around the table, they will learn what a balanced meal looks like. Give them (and you) the chance to learn. You or your family may have been picky eaters or not raised with healthy meals and need to learn this now as adults. Give yourselves a break! Let’s learn to enjoy delicious food without judgment and pressure.
Perception is everything. What’s just ONE perception you can change?
If you need help understanding nutrition and all the mixed messages out there, give us a call. We will address your stress level, eating habits, exercise, cravings, emotional eating, and overall health and happiness. Start with a free health consultation at www.HappyFoodHealth.com or (619) 876-2655. See if this is the right match for you. I do things very differently to make health a natural lifestyle and this is not for everyone. Check out Yelp for other people’s opinion of Happy Food.
~ Samantha Hua, Nutrition & Holistic Health Coach, San Diego, CA
