Satisfaction Or Maybe Not.........

This past weekend, hubby and I went to dinner while my son was at a friends birthday party. We decided to get Thai food, which I have not really had a really good Thai meal since leaving New Jersey. We had a favorite place in Somerset that was very authentic and no you would never see Pad Thai on their menu. Sitting down and going through the menu, I realized how hard it is for me to order off a menu these days. I am always looking at what the dish includes, wondering what ingredients are in it, how is it prepared, how is it going to look and most of all is it going to meet all of the flavor profiles and textures that a meal should.  Through my learning process of cooking and trying to grow more, I try with every meal to be sure it is satisfying and meets the basic flavor profiles and textures. I have figured it out, when I do this, I am not over indulging in anything, because I have met what I was looking for in that meal. When there is something is lacking whether sweet, savory or even crunchy, I may eat a little more or have desert or something else because again I am craving something that is not there.

In life, think about it......when we are not satisfied emotionally, spiritually, physically and in other areas of our lives, we often indulge in other things until we feel like we have reached that level of satisfaction that we thought we needed or wanted. When its not meant, many times we go through the same things and repeat the same cycles over and over again. I have struggled with my weight for a long time for various reasons, many times turning to food for comfort for something that I was lacking. I would say I was an emotional eater. I ate when I was sad, happy or just because I was bored. I ate in social gatherings, alone but used food as my friend. I was not necessarily eating because I was hungry, but because I was in a situation that I needed satisfaction or comfort. As I began to grow, and well I am still growing and learning on a daily basis I am ensuring that my needs are met emotionally, spiritually, physically, and other areas of my life so there is no need for over indulgence. Each thing I do leads to something else. It should set me up for the next thing.

Think about this. When you have a coursed meal, lets go with 5. The courses are prepared in small portions, each course cleanses your pallet for the next and between all of the courses every texture and flavor profile will be met. At the beginning of your meal you may think there is no way this is going to fill be up but by the end you will realize you will be, because of the course settings and what was in each course. In your every day think about it like this are my task or goals for the day preparing me for the next thing. Am I over indulging for no reason at all. Small steps can be measured better than big steps. We all are working towards something. Take time to think about those small courses and how they can be better the next time. Don't do things out of emotion, do the things that you believe in and are satisfying.

Over the past few months I have lost almost 20 pounds. I have been asked with the food I cook, etc. how is that possible. Its as simple as this. I don't over indulge.  I prepare meals that are satisfying so we don't need a lot.  I prepare things in a healthier manner, use as less processed products as I can and other things like that. I am not a gourmet chef by far but I can prepare a meal for some of the best chef's out there that would leave them satisfied.

Just like my life these days, I am exactly where I want to be today and am working toward who I am going to be tomorrow and that simply is a better Arione every day. I don't have to out do anyone else, or try to be someone else to be great. All I have to do is be me. When it comes to this new endeavor, I just have to keep doing it. A fellow blogger had on her blog would she be okay if no one ever read her blog another day. I asked myself the same question. My answer is yes. Why because this is something that I have wanted to do, I am doing it, its satisfying and its helping me to grow. Its meeting those basic things in my life.

If you are not satisfied, what are you missing? What's that secret ingredient? How do you find it? How do you accomplish it?