When imagining a “healthy meal,” it likely contains an array of fresh and colorful produce topped with a handful of grains and palm-sized serving of protein. This version of “healthy” is common among dancers— “clean” eating and minimally processed being the goal. There’s nothing inherently wrong here— it checks the boxes for nutrient density— but, it misses a component often overlooked.
Satisfaction is what I call the fourth macronutrient of a balanced plate. It’s that essential piece ensuring you fuel and nourish your body in a way that supports your relationship with food. This blog post dives into why satisfaction matters, how it plays a role in your performance, and how you can identify more satisfying options at meals.
Why Satisfaction Matters
Satisfaction with food isn’t just about feeling full. It’s about feeling content and fulfilled after eating. Ever find yourself staring at the bottom of the salad bowl wondering where it went? Perhaps you wanted pizza, but chose the salad for “health.”
Though a meal’s satisfaction factor isn’t directly “enhancing energy,” “increasing muscle tone,” or “building immunity,” it’s helping to cultivate a connection between you and food. When we give ourselves unconditional permission to eat the foods we prefer, we’re more inclined to eat any and all foods— mindfully. From here, we can work to lessen learned feelings of guilt, stress, and anxiety, all of which have no place in our eating experiences (you can read more about food guilt here).
What Is Healthy Food?
In regard to food, a “healthy” choice looks different for every individual and is largely impacted by cultural norms along with your environmental and financial predisposition. As a dietitian and licensed expert in nutrition, I can confidently say that a crisp green salad topped with a source of protein might not be the “healthiest” choice for every dancer. Sure, a bowl of freshly sautéed veggies is a nutrient-packed choice, but if the only option available is a value meal from a fast-food establishment, then that is the healthiest choice— needed to supply your body with energy to function. This concept is controversial, with diet culture contributing to much of the fear surrounding convenience foods (here’s an article that discusses more as it pertains to the dance industry).
One aspect, however, of a “healthy” meal all can agree upon is the concept of balance — including all macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) in your meals and snacks. To learn more about the role of each macronutrient in a healthy (and balanced) meal, check out these articles:
Incorporating More Satisfying Options In Your Meals
Satisfaction starts with listening to your body. When you sit down to a meal, take a moment to check in with yourself:
- Are you hungry? Or are you eating for another reason?
- What textures, flavors, or foods sound appealing to you right now?
- Do you feel content after the meal? Or do you keep eating despite hitting a point of physical fullness?
Physical fullness is important, but so is contentment. Ask yourself: Does the meal make you feel nourished inside? Are you enjoying the experience of eating, or are you rushing through it because you feel like you “should”? If practicing food neutrality and removing the labels of “good” and “bad” foods, you’ll find it easier to incorporate foods that bring you joy.
Experience the tastes and textures of your meals. If done without judgment, you’re better equipped to listen to your body. You may feel full sooner and as a result, be more likely to go home with leftovers. Including satisfaction as part of your balanced plate will help you to find an intuitive “moderation…” not a forced one! Eating mindfully also helps you choose foods that bring more satisfaction, rather than simply filling your stomach.
Variety Helps
One of the reasons we don’t feel satisfied with a meal is because it lacks variety. A balanced meal with a variety of flavors, textures, and colors is more likely to be satisfying. For example:
- Crunchy textures (like nuts or vegetables) provide sensory satisfaction.
- Creamy textures (like avocado or yogurt) are comforting and rich.
- Savory and sweet flavors (like a peanut butter and banana combo) offer a satisfying contrast and balance.
Is Mealtime Satisfaction A Privilege?
The ability to prioritize satisfaction is indeed a privilege, and arguably, not always a necessity. If food preferences are inaccessible or limited (ie. time, financial, or environmental constraints) your “healthy” will be to prioritize biological energy replenishment— calories!
We’ve previously discussed biological hunger and what to do when you want to eat simply because you enjoy the taste of a particular food or because food is available. To learn more, consider these helpful articles:
Understanding Enoughness
Though it seems like a simple task, understanding what enough feels like can be challenging for those with a history of micromanaging their intake. In regard to food, diet culture sets the bar low for what is considered “enough.” External rules like “portion control” override one’s ability to listen and trust internal wisdom (fullness and satisfaction— enoughness).
If accustomed to strict food limits (ie. rigid portion control, food measuring, or food weighing), you’re likely far from identifying what feels like enough through fullness. Discover personal enoughness by creating a mindset of abundance, not scarcity. You’ll also need to start practicing unconditional permission (a topic I break down here) and challenging the concept of “moderation” (read more about this here).
Key Takeaways: How Do I Choose Satisfying Foods?
Food is more than fuel—it’s also part of our emotional experience. Denying yourself the satisfaction of eating foods that bring joy and comfort can lead to feelings of guilt and frustration. A well-rounded meal that hits all the physical and emotional cues leaves you feeling less distracted by hunger and indirectly, more focused in the studio. A few key takeaways?
- Make food choices, not food rules. Click here to learn more.
- Include a source of fat in your meals and snacks. The mouthfeel of fat directly promotes satisfaction. Click here to learn more.
- Aim for a healthy body weight (read more about it here). If your body fat is too low, you’ll risk hormonal imbalances specifically relating to leptin, your “feel full” hormone. Leptin deficiency is known to result in chronic and insatiable hunger.
