Choosing your meals like you do your clothes.

This weekend I was at a 2-day Conference for the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in South Beach. To kick off this 2,000 people event, the group that I co‐founded and I were asked to welcome the attendees as we took the stage and shared our personal success stories. Since I was going to be on stage, I decided to wear a green MaxStudio skirt, green Gucci shoes a black T‐shirt with our group logo. It was promising to be an invigorating experience and to get the right energy, I decided to start the day with a superfood smoothie made with Maca, Spirulina, Chlorella, RAW Protein powder, fruit and dark greens. The smoothie worked like magic and I was feeling great. 

Sunday, however was going to be a different kind of day and I knew I had to wear more casual clothes, since  I would be sitting and listening to more presentations. As I pondered on what I was going to wear to make myself comfortable (and stylish), I also thought about what I was going to have for breakfast. And then a thought came to me — that our food choices need to be similar to clothes. Our choices in both should be based not only on the immediate feeling we get, but also on the outcome we want from it. Even though the smoothie is delicious, it wasn't the right choice for me on Sunday, as I needed more grounding foods. I think that when we decide on what to eat, we should not only think about how we feel at that moment, but also how we want to feel later on. 

It's not only about a 5 minute taste feast. Whether you like it or not, food will continue to affect you for several hours after you eat it. Food, just like clothes, works in relation to other factors in your environment such the seasons, weather, mood, schedule, overall wellbeing, etc. For example, if you like how your slippers feel on your feet right now and decide to wear them on a freezing January morning, you will be cold for hours to come. Same with food. If it is cold and gloomy outside and you have a big meeting coming up, then perhaps something uplifting and energetic would balance the weather out and give you the long‐lasting boost you need. And just because one breakfast is supposedly "good for you," it may not be good for you at that moment. 

But what about social pressures? What can you do when you are going out with a group and you see your friend eat foods that will make you feel tired later? Well, would you wear the same dress that your friend is wearing, if it doesn't compliment your figure? Same with food — when we shop for clothes, we consider our body shapes and we choose foods, we need look to look at our body types. Your friend maybe a Pitta body‐type and needs cooling foods, while you are a Vata and may need more grounding. (I love Ayurvedic approach to foods and use it with clients that want to balance their energy and mood. If you need help figuring out what foods work for you, email me) Just because a particular food is good for your friend, doesn't mean it is good for you. It is all based on your bio‐individuality, just like your choices in clothes. 

I hope that you become more aware of why you make certain food choices and analyze how they affect your energy and your mood. Even though I love salads, I won't eat them when I feel anxious and need grounding energy from food, such as cooked vegetables. And no matter how much I love my Chanel rainboots, if they are going to make me uncomfortable on a hot sunny day, I will choose my sandals instead. So, next time you are debating on what to eat, think of how you want to feel during AND after the meal.