5 Nutritious Habits

I was pleased (and perhaps a bit relieved) to see that in the recent Cooking Light article entitled "5 Nutritious Habits of the Planet's Healthiest Countries" I actually scored a solid 3-4 out of 5. My solid three habits: #2 - Savor Leisurely Dining, #4 - Eat a Variety of Unprocessed, Fresh Foods, and #5 - Spice Up Your Plate. Really I should get 2 points for #2, because several people have commented that I'm the slowest eater they've ever encountered (what I call "leisurely dining," my friends and loved ones call "damn slow").

The partial credit habit for me is #1 - Eat Plenty of Produce and Whole Grains. While I generally do a good job of loading up on produce (particularly in the summer, given the bounty of favorites such as heirloom tomatoes, stone fruits, berries, and corn), I don't really get enough whole grains. Also, I can't get behind the "meat as a garnish" concept described in the article. Hello! Parsley is a garnish, but meat is where the rubber hits the road at meal time.

As far as habit #3 - Practice Portion Control...yeah, not so much. Definitely a zero for me. In fact, one could argue that my piggish tendencies undermines the value of my Leisurely Dining, which is supposed to carry the benefit of "discouraging overeating." In my case, leisurely means more time to really pack it in -- there's a gastronomic Tetris going on inside my tummy and it takes time to arrange all the pieces!

Comments

[Senia.com Positive Psychology Coaching]

Tom, speaking of fresh food like heirloom tomatoes... you have soooo turned me onto heirloom tomatoes from your last summer's article. I've probably made heirloom tomatoes for at least ten people since then, slices on a broad plate with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

It is by far one of my favorite summer foods now. I go searching for them at the farmer's market on the weekends. Thank you!

S.

[Tom Cole]

Senia, don't you love it that something so enjoyable is actually good for you? A rare thing in life!