Making the Match

In my last long post I considered my choice to sometimes eat standing up, rather than seated at a table, whenever I feel hungry. However, I realized another problem with grabbing and eating food while I prepare a meal. If the 'grab and eat' food is exactly what I craved or 'matches' my craving, then I may not need to eat much of what I prepare. However if I grab and eat food that's convenient, but not exactly what my body craved to satisfy hunger, then I may overeat the meal I prepare, if that meal contains the food I craved.

Sometimes I really do crave cold Rainier cherries, rather than a hot meal. However the cherries won't completely satisfy my hunger, or will only keep me hungry for a short while. So I want the meat and starch or vegies from the meal as well as a few cherries. Sometimes I eat a whole meal and realize that I still want something sweet. So I eat my 2 teaspoons of ice cream while standing in the kitchen. Because I only crave a 'taste', I just have enough to satisfy that taste craving after I already satisfied hunger.

One important principle of intuitive eating is 'making the match' or choosing to eat what I crave. Correctly making the match lets me eat exactly what my body craves, what will feel good in my body, not just what my eyes see or my nose smells or what I hear someone else describe. When I consider what I crave, I consider how the food will taste (sweet, salty, sour or bitter), the temperature, the textures (crisp, mushy, chewy, soft, creamy, crunchy), flavors (fruity, spicy, bland, smokey, exotic), AND how the food will feel in my body. If I want chocolate, I try to avoid eating other foods which cause reflux (like tomato products or citrus or onions, etc.) If I'm feeling ill, I want food I can easily digest (like cooked vegies, easily digested protein like chicken or even vegan entrees).

When I consider what foods will feel good in my body, what foods will taste and feel good in my mouth, and what foods will keep me unhungry for awhile (my purpose for eating), I can resist grabbing foods that are merely convenient, while I prepare what I know will feel good in my body and satisfy physical cravings. So making the correct match will help me eat exactly what I want, feel satisfied with less, and stop when I feel no longer hungry, rather than full, because I feel so satisfied that I don't need any more food, after my hunger is gone. Making the correct match insures satisfaction as well as comfortable fullness.