Being Satisfied Even Though the Pleasure Center of the Brain is Not Being Stimulated

This morning I had a wonderful breakfast: roasted root vegetables topped with two poached eggs and a cup of coffee. As I drove to work, I noticed how fully nourished I felt, yet something was different. I dug deep and realized what it was. I'm addicted to the particular combination of sugar, fat and carbohydrate in baked goods. When I eat that, the pleasure or reward center of my brain IS stimulated, and this leads me to seek more of the same. This is the nature of addiction. It feels really different when you eat foods that are satisfying, but do not involve the reward center of the brain being stimulated, and which do not raise your blood sugar. The whole idea of eating foods with a low glycemic index is that you are avoiding wild fluctuations of blood sugar. But the way I feel when I eat a meal that does NOT significant increase in my blood sugar is new to me. I see that I am in a process of redefining what being satisfied and full means to me. I am now completely satisfied without a big increase in my blood sugar and without the reward center of my brain being stimulated. When you start eating to nourish your body instead of trying to fill with food some other longing or craving it really feels different! Don't let that alarm you. It's simply a new and exciting experience. You may temporarily miss the way you used to feel. But living the addict's life is never truly satisfying. I encourage others to really explore the new way your body feels when you eat just for nourishment. This doesn't mean eating cannot be very enjoyable. It just means that it is no longer your fix.