Honor Your Lighter Spring Appetite

In the spring, food seems to lose its taste and appeal. As winter melts into spring, your body naturally prepares for warmer weather by metabolizing winter fats. These fats kept you warm all winter long but now must be cleansed from your body. The sign of nature's 'spring cleaning' is losing your appetite for the heavy, rich foods of winter. Instead, your body gets the calories it needs from the stored fat in your body.

Nobody likes to get the food-blahs. Instead of aligning with nature's rhythm many people resist their disappointment with food this time of year. People tend to pick at food and snack all day long looking for satisfaction. The more food fails to bring delight, the more they keep eating. You might find yourself drifting from the fridge to the pantry, and back again. Yet nothing seems to relieve the vague aversion to food you might be feeling.

Many of my clients worry when they lose their appetite in Spring. They fear they have lost their zest for life, and mildly depressed without their appetite. Recently, I hosted a weight loss support group. Halfway through the program, one of our clients posted on facebook that she had lost her appetite for over a week. Moved by compassion, other members of the group responded to her post. Among the responses we counted 7 suggestions to see a doctor, 5 warnings of dehydration, fears of a parasite or virus, and 1 recommendation to try eating a lollipop. What a great irony in a weight loss workshop that losing one's appetite seems to have raised so much alarm and concern? Personally, I thought it was the success of the program that she lost her appetite. Most likely she was simply metabolizing stored fats and needed less food.

Instead of fighting your tastebuds, allow your appetite to wane with warmer weather. Many cultures honor this time of year with traditional fasting (such as in Lent). This will stimulate a natural release of insulating fats that kept you so warm this winter. As you begin your spring fast, your mind will feel clear. Eating a light diet in early spring will prevent spring hay fever later. You'll enjoy losing some winter weight as well. Rest assured, the food's promise delight will return soon.

When you eat, the best foods to satisfy your appetite in Spring are naturally crunchy foods. Try celery, bean sprouts, and raw carrots for example. Spring is a naturally damp time of year when the ground feels soggy and wet. Crunchy foods oppose the sogginess of early spring. Enjoy bitter greens and salads which will stimulate fat metabolism and natural detox. You might enjoy adding a bit of spice to food in the spring, such as chipotle & cumin, which help you feel warm and dry.

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