Have you ever eaten so much it hurts? Or you feel super uncomfortable? I have, many times. I remember being so grateful that babydoll dresses were in style: the ones where you couldn’t tell if someone was pregnant or hiding a food baby!

Overeating is something most all of us deal with and not just on Thanksgiving. There are many different reasons and triggers why we overindulge to the point of being uncomfortable; however, I want to talk about just one that can make a huge difference in how you eat.

Quality.

What does that mean to you? Does quality mean expensive, luxury, fine living, long lasting, excellence….?   Now, think of things that you prefer to purchase high quality, maybe it’s your cars, clothes, furniture, beauty products, coffee…. How do those higher-quality products make you feel?

There are a few reasons why quality matters when we’re talking about overeating.

One is food design.

We live in a world where most companies make profits using the cheapest ingredients that will yield the most return. These food products were designed to get you “hooked” and to keep eating. Remember the “Once you pop you can’t stop” slogan from Pringles? A lot of these “foods” are designed by scientist that have a deep understanding of brain chemistry.

Next is nutrition.

Your body is a beautiful intelligence and needs proper nutrition to run optimally. If you’re not getting the nutrition your body needs with what you’re feeding it, it’s going to send the signal, “Hey! Keep eating, I still haven’t found what I need!”

Third is energy.

Food is energy and contains different messages from where it came from, how it was made and its intent. For example, consider the difference between your Grandma’s famous homemade cherry pie that she is so proud of and Little Debbie’s Pie you buy at Walmart. A bag of packaged plain bagels or your local bakery’s artisan, freshly made with organic wheat bagels. Do you see what I mean?

Whatever you decide to eat, eat the highest quality you can.

Your challenge: Do a quality swap-out. How can you upgrade your food? If you have chips in the house can you get the kind that are organic, non-GMO and made with avocado oil? Can you switch your margarine or butter for grass-fed butter? Your meats to pasture-raised without hormones? White rice and breads to wild and whole grain? Produce from conventional to organic and non-GMO?

Yes, it’s more expensive but so is your health insurance. Remember when you are buying higher quality, you’re buying a different product. Purchasing more nutrient-dense food means you’ll likely eat less. If it seems a little overwhelming, start with one section like meats or produce and work your way up. Make it a swap-out game.

As a gift, I’ve created this awesome swap out guide for you:

Tags: Diet, Paleo, Healthy eating, whole foods, health, Healthy Hub Massage and Wellness, weight, overeat, weightloss, eating, quality, food quality