Food is sexy

mmmmmm

Food and sex are two of the most basic sources of pleasure. It was necesary for our predescors to both eat and reproduce so it's not suprising that we are hardwired to enjoy both immensely. In fact, have you ever noticed how we use similar words to describe both? Appetite, hunger, pleasure, temptation can either describe stomach rumblings or sexual lust. Just as we can fawn upon our loved ones with phrases like "my sweet", & "honey", a brioche can be coy, an chocolate can seduce even the most cold-hearted.

But in today's world, the roles of food and sex are more intertwined than ever. As we all search for the perfect body, we feel like we won't be sexy until we reach that perfect size 2. USA Today conducted a poll of 1000 people and found that half of women would rather go without sex for the summer than gain 10 pounds. A fourth of men feel the same way. About 66% of people say they need to lose weight to feel sexier than they currently do. It would take a loss of an average 23 pounds to feel hotter.

Well, my friends, I strongly believe that the Time is NOW. We need to reshape our relationship with ourselves and our bodies, and feel sexier Today. If we do not start to take care of ourselves, and feel sexy at the point we are at now, even when the weight is shed we will still struggle with self esteem.

Here are three Turn-ons:

Eating healthy is sexy What's good for your heart is good for your "parts". Make sure you include sources of Omega 3 Fatty acids (fish, flax, walnuts), and zinc (leafy greens) everyday, and stay away from saturated fat. A balanced diet, full of whole foods, with limited processed food will give you the most energy to pursue all sorts of adventures

Movement is Sexy Find a type of exercise that you love and stick to it! It doesn't have to be running or cycling, just find something that gets you off the couch and in the gym. Belly Dancing, Zumba, salsa, yoga, all are wonderful ways to reconnect with your body. and, ahem, we all know what a great workout you can get underneath the sheets.

Confidence is Sexy: Being confident and knowing your body is sexy. Confidence is incredibly powerful and alluring. When you are fine with who you are, right here, right now, and trust yourself, people are attracted to you.

There are also some things that will always be a turn-off:

• Sneaking to your fridge is not sexy.
• Moaning over how “fat” you are is not sexy
• Critizing your thighs or hips is definitely not sexy
• Processed foods loaded with transfat, added salt and sugar, and lists of ingredients with more words than a short novel are like the pornography of the food world. Treat yourself right and develop a relationship with real whole foods. Eating a strawberry is a lot sexier than consuming a artificially flavored strawberry go-gurt.

While an amazing foodgasm is something to be appreciated and longed for, food can not replace love, relationships and of course, sex. But the combination of great food, great self-esteem, and positive body image will lead you to feeling your sexiest!

Great food is like great sex. The more you have the more you want. ~Gael Greene

When you do you feel sexiest? What do you see in the relationship between food and sex?

The Perfect Diet

This is the post you've been waiting for. The one that whispers to you from the supermarket checkout aisle, on the cover of Shape and Self- "Lose 10 lbs for the beach this weekend" "How Kim Stays Fit". The one that tells you "eat what you love and still lose weight." The one that shouts that the siren song of perfection, in the form of a perfect diet, is true and attainable.

source: postsecret

PSssst I'm about to tell you a secret. There is no one perfect diet for everyone. Nutrition professionals and fitness gurus may like to disagree, but a glance around the world shows us how varied lifestyles can be. There are people who run ultra-marathons, eating only bananas. There are people who sustain on the foods of our ancestors (raw meat and berries my friends) and look great. The Eskimos eat a diet all fat and protein with not a veggie in sight yet have lived long lives throughout the centuries. And don't even get me started on the French, with their butter-laden pastries, and skinny skinny bodies.

There is however, a perfect diet for YOU. It's not the easiest thing to discover, and requires much experimentation and the willingness to be adventurous in your food choices. The perfect diet is perfect in its imperfections. It full of foods that make you feel GOOD, and never leave you feeling bad or guilty or wanting to purge. It's the diet that gives you the energy you need without having to obsess over calories or fat grams. It's ok to cheat on the perfect diet and not have to restrict afterward to make up for it. This diet will look different for everyone. this diet is about listening to your hunger cues, about eating intuitively, about giving yourself permission to savor and enjoy food. To release yourself from the emotional ties which bind you to food.

For me, the perfect diet is plant-based. By listening to what my body is really craving and judging by my energy levels, this is the perfect diet for me, right now. Almost everyday people ask me if i feel restricted-if i “miss” dairy, eggs, meat, etc. For me, this switch has been the complete opposite of restriction. It is actually through veganism that I was able to reject the diet mentality. By turning away from the staples of my previous “diet” ( slow-churned, sugar-free, ice-cream, coolwhip free, microwaved egg-whites, whey protein up the wahzoo, and spenda-rific lite yogurt, and lots of hungry girl) I have embraced a beautiful new food world that includes exotic, wholesome, exciting, delicious, fresh, REAL food! I swapped Hungry Girl for the Veggie Queen and never looked back. Being Vegan has opened my eyes to the abundance of our earth. Instead of being stuck into food ruts I am constantly trying new fruits and vegetables,grains and beans. I feel more compassion for self, environment and other creatures. Being vegan is much more about health for me, rather than the endless pursuit of being skinny or perfect. Food is now a source of enjoyment. I'm not a militant vegan, and always opted for honey instead of high-fructose corn syrup, and I will let myself enjoy a special-occasion non-vegan treat (i have a serious sweet tooth). I am not about to let myself feel guilty, beat myself up, or restrict to compensate. Everyday is a new day, and one dessert isn't going to kill me. Gena of Choosing Raw wrote a beautiful post on Reconciling Veganism with Intuitive Eating

There are optimal diets, but who am I to tell you that eating a little bit of fish every week is the worst thing in the world? As a future RD I know what my body wants and needs, but my goal is not to impose that diet and lifestyle onto YOU. I want to help you find out what YOUR body wants and needs. Where you don't have to feel caged by good and bad foods, and the grocery store aisle isn't something that you have to treat with caution. The lifestyle that gives you the energy to run the marathon called life, and come out on top. Food is much more than calories in and calories out, and with a better relationship with food and our bodies we can truly discover our perfect diet.

Have you struggled with Restriction? Do you think it is possible to be an intuitive vegan eater? What does your perfect diet look like? How is the siren song of perfection calling out to you today?

Food Is Love

Love is an act of courage, not of fear

-paolo freire.

Love is not toxic or tough. Love does not mean obsession. Love does not mean binging. Love does not mean restriction. Love means balance. Love is respect. Love is beautiful, whole, and free.

There is no sincerer love than the love of food.

George Bernard Shaw

Food Is Love. Food should not be something we are afraid of, that we cringe at, that we must repent and pay penance for. Food and our bodies should be treated with respect, not guarded with guilt over the fear that they cannot make the correct decision. Our body knows what we want, what we need. Be courageous and listen to it guiltlessly. Enjoy your food, 100% guilt-free. Welcome food into your life with open arms, without guarding your heart against it.

What is one food that you Love? Is Food love in your life?