"Nothing tastes as good as thin feels"

This week I would like to offer you a little saying that will help keep you motivated to make healthy food choices.  The saying goes “Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.”  This was said to me over ten years ago by two Phys. Ed. teachers I was working with.  And while I didn’t quite fully understand what they meant by it then, I can see more clearly now how this small statement can make an impact on your everyday food choices.

At the time, Kevin and Joe had been teaching Phys. Ed. for a long time.  While they were both fitness minded, they had gained a few unwanted, extra pounds that often come trying to meet life’s demands.  When we would go to lunch in the faculty cafeteria and were deciding what to eat that day, they would recite this saying to one another, “Nothing tastes as good as thin feels” and the other

would agree.  I found the whole routine a bit humorous at the time, and would question in my head, what they meant by it.  Fast forward to today, when now I truly get what they were saying, and I know better how to use this saying.

The saying should be used as a motivational tool.  If you understand, that no matter how good something looks and/or tastes, it would not be as good as the feeling you would have by being in the shape and reaching your fitness goals.  How many times have you looked at a menu, and made a selection based on the picture, only to be a bit disappointed with how the dish looked and/or tasted when you got it?  The food industry pays a lot of money to make their food look appealing.   We are constantly making food choices, and those decisions often hinge on what we think tastes “good.”  But if we allow ourselves to be motivated simply by the taste rather than what will lead us to our nutrition goals, there is a good chance we will make unhealthy choices.  The taste of the meal is important, but you should often consider how you will feel about that decision when you are done.  Another commonly heard phrase is “that tasted a lot better going down.”   Eating is a necessity for life, and it should be enjoyable.  But healthy choices can also be very delicious as well.  And more to the point, you should keep in mind that the time we spend eating is very short (too short sometimes) and whatever we put in our bodies will affect us for a longer amount of time. 

Nothing tastes as good as thin feels should be a saying to remind you that you will be much happier with what you are eating if it is contributing to your fitness goals.  It isn’t worth making a poor food choice just because something looks good.  On the other hand, think about how you will look through following a healthy food plan.  Making food choices that will help you reach your fitness goals, and that encourage a positive self-image is the best way to achieve a fit new you!