Food For Your Soul: Dawn McGee
Do you consider yourself a ‘foodie’? Have you put off a healthy lifestyle because you don’t want to give up the things that bring you joy? You’ve come to the right place. Let’s talk about it!
5 Healthy Lifestyle Tips For Foodies:
I love food!! Some of you might be surprised to hear that. A Wellness Strategist and Nutrition Evangelist who calls herself a foodie? Yes, it’s true!
I revel in the joys of a delicious meal. I love trying new foods, especially in my travels. And I am a firm believer that you don’t have to give up your foodie lifestyle to embrace health and nutrition! So here are 5 tips to help you live a healthy lifestyle as a foodie.
1: Start Your Day Right:
Breakfast is so important. It gets your fueling for the day ahead started on the right foot and ensures you aren’t going about your activities on an empty stomach.
When you eat a nourishing breakfast (think PFC: a balance of Proteins, Fats, and Carbs), that keeps your blood sugar stable, you can enjoy the foods you love without worrying that you’ll overindulge.
2: Snack Mindfully:
Eating throughout the day is a good thing. It keeps your blood sugar stable and will help you to maintain your energy levels all day long! And snacking can serve another purpose: satiating your emotional cravings. This isn’t a bad thing.
“Eating throughout the day is a good thing.”
Wanting a particular favorite food is a normal part of life! And if you’ve already planned for small meals during the day, you can satisfy those cravings then. Just think about how you can pair the thing you’re craving with something nutritious.
Have the chocolate, and since it’s a sugary carb, add some lean protein, and a healthy fat to balance your protein, fats and carbs. If your focus is a carnivore diet include a healthy fat like a handful of nuts to balance your protein, fats, and carbs.
3: Rethink Your Approach to Indulgent Meals:
One approach that’s been helpful for me and my clients is thinking in terms of the PFC3 philosophy of red light, yellow light, and green light meals. This is especially helpful if you travel often, or like to go out (like I do). Here’s how it works:
Green Light Meals:
These are the cleanest, healthiest, and most balanced. These meals are what I focus on as much as possible in my day-to-day life, ensuring that I’m fueling my body with a good PFC balance.
Yellow Light Meals:
Not as clean, but still balanced. I have these in moderation. If you like to go out to eat, these meals will help you enjoy your foodie lifestyle while still keeping your body fueled.
Red Light Meals:
All-out celebrations! When I’m traveling, I certainly indulge in these, enjoying the local cuisine and treats. These are your special occasion meals.
And it’s not just about balancing red-light meals with yellow- and green-light meals. It’s also about balancing your eating habits with other healthy habits, like exercise. Here’s how it looks when it all fits together:
“When I’m traveling, I certainly indulge in these, enjoying the local cuisine and treats.”
While in Sicily, I decided I was going to enjoy the cannoli, the pasta, and the wine. In fact, we did a cannoli cooking class on our last day! Earlier in the week, we visited Marsala for a wine tasting with delicious food pairings.
And yes, I savored it all—without guilt. But I didn’t throw all of my habits out the window all week. I made sure to balance it out by staying active and mindful of my choices, and incorporating green-light and yellow-light meals when I could.
4: Read the Menu in Advance:
One small thing you can do to ensure you maintain balance while exploring your love of food is to read the menu ahead of your restaurant outing.
This ensures you don’t get overwhelmed by the menu in the moment–you can weigh your choices in the comfort of your own home (or hotel room, or car), and take as long as you need. You can even write down the menu items you’re considering so that you don’t forget what you decided when it’s time to order!
5: Embrace Leftovers:
Sometimes it can feel like there’s a lot of pressure to finish your meal when you’re eating out. In the US, it’s generally acceptable to ask for a to-go container for your leftovers.
So don’t be afraid to say, “I’m full, can you pack up the rest for me please?” Keep in mind that some cultures may consider it impolite to ask for a doggy bag. If you are traveling internationally, be sure to find out what local customs dictate before planning your meals.
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About The Author:
Dawn McGee is a Nutrition Evangelist and Lazy Cook. She is super passionate about putting the fun back into being healthy and does that by teaching women how to eat to serve their body, brain, and soul so that they can get off the sidelines and back to doing all of the things that bring them joy. She works with women who are ready to make their health a priority and just need someone to help them get started and guide them through the process.
Dawn has been coaching clients in person, online, in groups, and in a 1:1 capacity for more than a dozen years. Prior to becoming a nutrition and fitness coach, she spent over 25 years in the high-tech industry, so she truly understands the life of busy professional women.
Join her free group www.facebook.com/groups/NeverDiet and follow her on IG @dmnutrition and on FB @dmnutritioncoach to hear about all the other fun stuff she has (and get a ton of free + valuable info) If you’re ready to cut through the noise, grab her free guide to 7 Nutrition Lies here –> Free Guide: 7 Nutrition Lies We’ve All Been Fed
