Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie Bowl

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A jar of Nutella that won’t make you sick

The chocolate hazelnut smoothie bowl is my alternative to eating an entire jar of chocolate hazelnut butter. In the past, when I would eat the whole entire jar, it would always leave me feeling too full and fatigued. My journey with my eating response (aka ‘eating disorder’) and binge eating has made me become more clever about what I eat. I want to make sure that I get all of my cravings but not in a way that makes me feel bad. I really do believe that you can have the best of both worlds: staying nourished and healthy while allowing yourself to have what you intuitively crave.

A Craving Meditation

There is a fine line between cravings and intuition though. I talk about this in my post: What is intuitive eating? The mind-body relationship. Whenever a craving arises, I check in with myself instead of impulsively giving into it. Cravings can sometimes be rooted in addiction, but they don’t have to be. That’s where the intuition needs to take over. The intuition allows us to listen to our feelings from the perspective of the observer. Whenever I find myself craving something that I KNOW has made me feel terrible in the past, I begin to breathe and ask myself why I want something that makes me feel bad? When I cultivate this awareness, I breathe more and listen more.

My next thought that arises is restriction. But Hannah, how could you be thinking like this? Aren’t you just restricting yourself? Why are you so unhealthy?!?! It’s important to also observe these thoughts. I honor the angry thoughts now because I know that they are just trying to keep me safe. Whenever you feel angry at yourself for “being a certain way” it’s important to listen, breathe, and notice. Don’t turn to anything just yet but yourself.

Just remember that cravings do go away. Think about it, have you ever craved the same food consistently throughout the same month? Cravings are like clouds and they come and go. What happens when you sit and watch the clouds? When you answer these questions to yourself, more realizations about yourself may arise. You can give yourself the permission to not keep doing things the same (harmful) way you have been doing them. This is an act of love. At the same time, acknowledging the craving is important. There are ways to have a healthy relationship with the craving.

This is exactly why I developed the chocolate hazelnut smoothie bowl recipe. This recipe is so much more to me than just flavors, but rather it’s a representation of my evolution as a person. It reminds me that I once was an out of control, vodka drinking, 105 pound model in Japan who would binge and starve and then hate herself for it. I was very lost (and it’s okay to be lost). Being lost led me to these moments of creativity – allowing myself to indulge in a way that I know my body will thank me for it. Turning my internal battles into something beautiful brings me so much joy.

Meditation Questions

Inhale/exhale slowly at least 5 times between each question-

What have your cravings taught you about who you are in this moment?

Will this craving nourish you or is it a coping mechanism to keep you safe?

What thoughts arise when you think of this craving?

If the craving makes you feel comfortable, how can you change it into something that you know will make you thrive?

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If you liked the chocolate hazelnut smoothie bowl, try the pumpkin pie superfood latte.