“Eating clean,” a friend told me recently. “I am tired of my jelly belly! 

“Clean?” Clean as in that shaved-headed man with his cleaning products for cleaning my home? Clean as in the spray claiming to clean off the stubborn stains from my shirt? Not quite. He was speaking about making better food choices to eat or “clean eating”.

This buzzword phrase of clean eating refers to healthier food choices, leaving the processed foods and extra helpings on the plate. I continued, “Does your clean eating include the full meter concept?” He gave me a quirky smile and said, “Full meter as you are full of it? Meter as in the metric system?”

Now I had the quirky smile. I define the full meter concept as not eating another bite when your body says full. The gas tank is not topped off but full. Full meter as in listening when your gut and brain interpret the food intake as enough! It takes about 20 minutes for your body to send out the full meter signal, the better stop now before you get that stuffed turkey signal.  A massive number of calories, good, bad, and evil can be consumed at this time. He responded, “Oh, that full meter!”

We explored these concepts over time with a thought here, a comment there, quirky smiles, and laughter. The intersection of clean eating and full meter were everywhere. Ignoring and losing awareness of the full meter is common.

Distraction for the full meter signal abound. Binge on your favorite series while binging on mouthfuls of food.  Vocalizing support for that sports team with fast food bites. The restaurant and dessert buffet drown out the full meter signal. Our hurry up to eat culture, consuming whatever, whenever, buries the full meter.

Independently, we came to the same conclusion.  Slow down and enjoy eating. We rediscovered the value of clean eating, undistracted by the technological pulls of our world. The social aspect of eating at a table while enjoying the company of another is invaluable.

Quiet conversation, savoring the food, undistracted, enjoying feeding our bodies and soul.  Let the clean eating and full meter concepts flourish. What are your secrets to clean eating and staying in touch with your full meter? Share and connect with me at DrMarleneMD.com.

*No content in this article and any article on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or healthcare provider.*

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, (2021), Clean Eating, the Nutrition Source,
Reference: [https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/clean-eating/]