In today’s modern diet and nutrition culture, we are focusing on foods that we shouldn’t eat. Some of these foods include alcohol, bread, grains, cheese, and various desserts. These are goods that give us comfort and are very satisfying to our taste buds. These foods are so comforting and satisfying to eat because sometimes they are foreseen as the “forbidden fruit.” After a long day of submitting our time to a full day of work at our jobs, we like to let loose sometimes, the comfort foods enter these times. We are told to stay away from these foods because they will make us overweight, increase our cholesterol, and just be bad for us overall.
These statements are true only when something like these foods that we picture as the “forbidden fruit” are overused in abundance. Just like consuming too much alcohol can cause serious detrimental effects on the body, so can copious amounts of comfort foods. While this is a true, this doesn’t mean that we have to completely avoid all of these foods and treat them like they’re such a devil in our life.
As humans living in this world in which we have delicious tasting amazing food that is created from people who have a great passion for making food that tastes delicious, we should be able to enjoy these foods. But how do we enjoy these foods on a scale that will still leave us healthy and able to thrive for the rest of our lives?
A method that I utilize with my clients and myself is to use the phrase “go out on a dragon.” This can mean something along the same lines if the world was going to end tomorrow, you would want to live your last hours the most exciting and meaningful way possible. If I were to do that I would go out riding on the back of a dragon. So, when I do choose to eat delicious tasting and forbidden food like the ones that were named in the beginning of this article, I make sure to choose the most high-quality and best tasting forbidden fruit. This food may be something that cost a little more and may take a little more time to acquire. For example, if I want to get a cookie, I’m not going to go to the cookie that is on the shelf of a grocery store that comes in a pack of 30. I’m going to go wait in line at my favorite local bakery (Model Bakery in Napa) for 15 minutes to get the best tasting cookie possible that was created by a baker that morning. I know that this cookie has natural ingredients such as real butter, real sugar and good quality flower that is made by someone that I can see behind the counter producing this delightful piece of bliss.
In addition, to looking for the best quality of junk food when I do get to that stage I make sure that I put in my hard work throughout the weekend which I eat clean for 4 to 5 days straight. And as a reward and a meaningful experience, I like to go out to my favorite restaurants that might cost a little more money and they might take a little more time for me to prepare for this. But I am still maintaining 4 to 5 days a week of clean eating. In addition, I am looking forward to this “Dragon Meal” toward the end of the week. Looking forward to something and preparing to ride that dragon gives me focus to stay on track and stay away from foods would disrupt my dragon meal experience.
This may be a good method to try out. I always like to look forward to things and if I do too much of one thing I can’t look forward to it. Therefore, I look forward to my Dragon Meal at the end of the week. If you’re going to choose to drink alcohol, eat sweets, or go out for a decadent dinner… go out on a dragon!
