How many of these situations describe your relationship with food and eating:

€ You restrict a food you love and then end up bingeing on it

€ You eat “bad” foods when no one is watching

€ When you eat a “bad” food, you think that you have “blown it” for that day and then overeat the rest of the day

€ You feel guilty when you eat certain foods

€ You eat all the foods you think will be forbidden before you start on your next diet

€ You think that if you eat foods you like you will overeat

Are you the person at a restaurant or social function who looks at me and says: “I shouldn't be eating this!” My question to you is: “If you don't eat what you want now, what are you going to be eating later when no one is watching?”

Feeling guilty about what you eat reflects the common belief that there are good and bad foods. This way of looking at eating actually makes it harder to eat well without overeating. If you think you are “being bad” you have given up on making good decisions. All foods can fit into a healthy diet. Replace thinking that “I can't have it” with “I can have it when I really want it but I don't have to give in to every impulse.”

To make peace with food and eating:

Step 1: Legalize all foods. Forbidden foods lead to binges.

Step 2: Distinguish food hunger from emotional hunger. If your stomach is not asking for food, you need to meet your needs with something other than food.

Step 3: Give yourself permission to eat what will satisfy your hunger.

Step 4: Take time to savor foods you love (no gobbling or sneak eating).

Step 5: Allow treat foods but don't set yourself up for a binge with large quantities.

Step 6: Honor your body by feeding it well.

Step 7: Recognize that stopping when satisfied but not stuffed feels good.

To quote Ellyn Satter, feeding expert and nondieting proponent: “Permission is the paradox that gives control.” Knowing that you can eat something if you want it makes it easier to decide whether you really want it and what quantity is enough.

If you think totally eliminating certain foods you love will help with long-term weight loss, ask yourself why so many people regain the weight they lost on a restrictive diet plan. Food restriction leads to bingeing. Eating well means planning nutritious meals and snacks, eating what you love, enjoying what you are eating and stopping when you are satisfied.

Above is a fresh recipe to hit the spot and keep you satisfied.

Visit www.cce.cornell.edu/cayuga for more nutrition information and easy and healthy recipes.

Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County.

Apple-Cinnamon Wrap and Roll

2 large apples

1/3 cup vanilla low fat yogurt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 flour tortillas

Wash, core and chop apples. Stir together apples, yogurt and cinnamon. Spoon onto tortillas. Wrap tortillas around apple filling. Spray griddle or fry pan with nonstick spray. Heat griddle, brown filled tortillas on one side and turn over to brown other side.

Serve warm.

- Source “Get-Fresh”