Hannah Sweetman Nutrition

Logical Dose of Enjoyment

My goal as a nutrition coach is to educate all my clients to the point where they can make mindful decisions around highly palatable foods (foods that we find easy to overconsume) or on social occasions without feeling deprived or guilty. Using a logical dose of enjoyment approach to these eating occasions allows the client to feel in control and enjoy the experience. 

The logical dose of enjoyment refers to an ability to know how much of a particular type of food you need to enjoy it. For example, can you share a slice of cake and seek the same enjoyment as having a whole slice? Can you have one glass of wine instead of three and still enjoy the occasion?

Approaching food with a logical dose of enjoyment requires you to slow down and be aware. To tune into the taste of your foods or beverages, and find the point at which the food or beverage loses its pleasure. At this stage, you can decide to stop and finish your meal/drink or to take the rest home for a later time or day.

By learning and understanding, what a logical dose of enjoyment of particular foods is to you, removes the power food has over you. You become less likely to overconsume high-calorie food because of social pressure or to finish the whole packet of biscuits because you were distracted watching television.

By teaching yourself to slow down and be present while eating we become aware of our bodies cues for fullness or taste. This can in turn support the removal of a common dieting tendency of rigid restraint. The rigid restraint mindset refers to an all-or-nothing approach to food and weight loss. It is the dieting tendency to fluctuate between periods of strict dieting and periods in which high-calorie foods are freely consumed. This is also known as the on the diet or off the diet approach. 

By applying the concept of a logical dose of enjoyment you can look at social meals out as an important part of your overall wellbeing. Giving you the freedom of choice. The decision is yours if you want to consume something and in what amount. As long as you are comfortable with the choices you make then nothing else or anyone else’s opinion matters.  

Pairing a logical dose of enjoyment mindset alongside unconditional permission to eat means that we can eat whatever, whenever and however we wish as long as we are aware, responsive and at peace with our decisions. 

Next time you are tucking into your favourite meal out, slow down and take a moment. Put that fork down and think about the tastes, textures and enjoyment you get from the foods you love. I can guarantee you will learn to love your favourite foods even more and in logical doses.