Do You Have Food Envy?

Most of the time when my husband and I go out to eat, he prefers whatever I order. I am pretty much always happy with what I get. Until the other night.

I was out with my three best friends from high school, (we did a whole 'weekend away reunion thing), and while at this restaurant, I found myself in the position my husband usually is in: "I like your food better!"

Leaving the dance profession allowed me to skip Monday mornings at the ballet barre in unforgiving tights and leotard at the mirror. I allowed myself to start eating what my body told me, not my head. I didn't have to worry about fitting into a costume, or how the choreographer would perceive my lumps and bumps. Very liberating.

Amazing actually. Going 'inside' my body to figure out what I 'felt' like eating. It took some time to train myself that the food wasn't going away, I didn't have to start a diet in preparation for the show or audition, but it gradually took hold and has worked ever since. Not only to manage weight, but actually to eat what I love and rarely envy what others are eating!

These days they call it 'intuitive eating.' There are books written on it. I write about it in my book and give parents an exercise to do with kids that I call the 'Ouija Board Exercise'. Now anyone out there old enough to know what a Ouija Board is will not have a clue probably what I mean either. But this is how it works:

When at a restaurant, you peruse the options. You metaphorically 'pass your hands' over the dishes and vividly imagine them in your mouth and belly. You can train yourself to listen and begin to get a readout of what you 'feel' like eating: Something light, like fish, something heavy, like steak frites. Something warm and mushy, or cold and crispy. Believe me, as much as you may think you 'shouldn't' eat what you want, it will help prevent you from what I call: "Eating Around The Bush", basically eating everything but the snickers bar and 1800 calories later, having the snickers bar!

But it didn't work the other night. I didn't listen to the waitress and my friend who took us to this restaurant, rave about the meatballs. How great could meatballs be? Not to mention that I was in the mood for something light, like fish.

Silly me. Sometimes you really do need to listen to the waiting staff or your friends yelling over and over: "The meatballs are amazing; The meatballs are amazing."

They were right. The meatballs were amazing. The restaurant is Rendezvous in Central Square in Boston. Don't miss them. Did my friend want some of the fish I kept offering her as I was sticking my fork in her meatballs? No thank you. She did not have Food Envy.

Visit me at: www.donnafish.com