As a Type 4 woman, you take an all-or-nothing approach to healthy food:
If you can’t do it 100% at all times, you fall off the track completely.
Today you’ll discover how to balance those extreme tendencies and create a positive experience with food. Food can be a vibrant, nourishing way to take care of yourself—and my 3 tips in this video will help you do just that.
Resources to support your health journey:
Wow, this described my 21 yo T4 son perfectly. When he is focused on his diet – he is absolutely focused and makes out his meal plans, tracks every bite. But when other things in life get overwhelmed – he is completely off. He actually loves to cook – and wants it to be gourmet! He will season things just perfectly, make his own bread crumbs and homemade marinara, etc. Absolutely mouth-watering but time intensive. He also loves loves spices, nothing bland for him.
Me too on the spices—I have always liked extremely bold flavors. I have a huge spice collection and enjoy searching for exotic spices and new spice combinations. I guess that could go with a t4 desire to be unique and have everything fit together perfectly.
Thank you Carol. I was really looking forward to the tips for Type 4. But the T4 eating tendencies do not resonate with me. My eating habits are consistent with my S1. This is me. 🙂
Wow! It was like Carol got right inside my head. As I was listening I kept thinking how does she know that about me. The thought process she described is one I use for everything, not just food. I was diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia back in 1983 and I have not touched sugar ever since and I weigh and measure everything that goes into my mouth. I eat to live and not live to eat. Eating is something I have to do to stay alive and I can easily eat the same exact thing every single day.
This is so me. When I lived alone before moving back in with my parents I had the best relationship with food. I focused on nourishing myself so I ate healthy and exercised daily (I walked and biked everywhere). Here are my list of foods:
-Smoothies (with avocado to make it velvety)
-Soups and stews (love hot meals, I live in a colder climate)
-hot drinks (tea, coffee, hot water)
-prefer lean meats or plant sources of protein
-Oatmeal (IS NOT BORING!) with fruit and flax seeds
-Berries (especially blackberries and blue berries)
-Curries, mild-med spicy
-everything home-made
-pickles
– roasted veggies (e.g. beets, parsnips, squash)
My downfalls
-chocolate (especially creamy and velvety types)
-gummy candies, especially sour ones
-ice cream with chocolate and peanut butter
This is really close to my list 🙂
This is almost identical to my favorite foods! I love green smoothies, salads, soups and stews, spicy foods and curry, roasted veggies of all kinds. I’ve been moving to a more plant based diet as well. My downfall is rich desserts like brownies or cake.
What a great segment! This is so me with food. I am 100% on, and then when I have a treat or an off day, I am off the track completely. It happened this weekend — and today I have to be really mindful of what I put in my body. Probably romorrrow too – until I’m back on track. I do the weekday food shopping and meal prep for my family – so most of the time I can stay on track. My husband does more of the weekend or we eat out, so it’s easy for me to fall off and have that roll into the week, and beyond. I love the idea of breaking healthy food eating into segments. I will be more successful with that approach rather than the all or nothing with the entirety of my diet. Thank you! Type 1/4 or 4/1
I’m a 4/3, and I have loved this series and learned a lot from each one. To be honest, during the first few minutes of this video I thought “this is so not me” but then after thinking about it, it was dead on! I have been following a paleo diet since 2011, keto off and on, and I’m doing a Whole30 right now which is extremely restrictive but it’s really not a problem for me because I want to do it. Heathy vs. not healthy is black and white for me. The “everything in moderation” feels like a total cheat—it doesn’t exist in my world. I can have a healthy meal but even with a little dessert, the meal swings to unhealthy in my book. It’s ruined. But when I am stressed out, I always gravitate to unhealthy and have a hard time digging myself out.
One trick that has helped me was to separate each day (approx. 16 hours) into quarters, and to eat well in each quarter. Sometimes things come up and you are on the go and have to make less-than-ideal choices, so one quarter may not be totally healthy, but that’s ok because you have several more for the day! Once that quarter is over, it’s done and you can begin again! I also write out a list of my approved foods to keep on the fridge and I refer to it when I make my shopping lists. I am a huge meal planner and write out a shopping list divided by food category and use a grid to fill out my meals for the week.
My favorite foods are:
-lots and lots of spices
-leafy greens/cruciferous veggies
-roasted root veggies and squash
-nuts without processed oils
-pickled vegetables
-coconut oil, avocado oil, ghee, olive oil
-avocados
-nut butters without added sugar
-90% dark chocolate on occasion
-black and green tea
-good-quality coffee
-apples, berries, lemons from my own tree
-coconut cream and coconut milk
-homemade bone broth
Wow! I am a 4/3 too and we have so similar preferences (except for the bone broth, I am plant based).
I love those root veggies, too, and pickles! Home-made stuff is the best! Also kudos to you for liking 90% dark chocolate, I can only take 70% 😛
Interesting content. Food has always been somewhat of a nuisance to me. I have told my husband more than once that the food replicators on the older Star Trek television series were created with Type 4s in mind; Perfect nutritional content without the hassle of dealing with the food myself. I do live by the adage “Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food”, in that my food choices have always been based on nutritional content, even as a teen. I don’t do it purposely. It’s truly how I approach food ( not for weight loss, etc. it’s how I actually think). I honestly wish that I could answer the question “ what is your favorite food?”. My favorite food is whatever my body seems to require at any given time. Lately, I have been fixing a lot of cabbage dishes. I have never had a penchant for cabbage before, but am apparently needing some of the nutrients that cabbage contains. Also, I have always eaten seasonally ( traditional Chinese Medicine). Colder foods, such as salads and seasonal berries in the warmer months, “warming” foods in the colder seasons ( spicier foods, more robust vegetables, etc). I seem to feel better eating that way. Thanks for the great videos! They never cease to amaze me in how on target they are for who I am. Quite affirming!
I often ask what my body wants when making food choices. I like foods that make my body feel good afterwards. I love the replicator comment lol
I’ve been doing Keto since summer and have had great success with it. The problem I’m having now is that Keto cannot be my sole focus. I am a teacher, so during the summer I have time to plan, write lists, search out meals, etc, but during the school year, I’m trying to be a teacher, be a coach, be a mom, and be healthy–it goes out the window, especially on those nights when I have 30 minutes to cook something for the little kids. And then the guilt, because Mac N Cheese AGAIN is certainly not teaching my kids healthy habits. I really don’t know how to conquer this. And I fear I’ve turned my kids of to healthy foods because it’s been so NOTHING for a long time. I guess I’m carrying a lot of food guilt for me and my family and the first step is letting that go.
Anyway, food I like:
All kinds of meats (beef, chicken, pork, fish)
Cabbage (NOT lettuce)
Seafood
squash
brussel sprouts
spinach
tart foods (pickles, olives,)
creamy foods (cheese, avocado)
foods with depth (I don’t know how to describe that–soy sauce, worchestershire, molassas–those types of flavors)
Umami foods, perhaps? I love those too! Do you use the crockpot or Instant Pot much? That helps a lot with meal prep. I combine the ingredients in the crock part of the crockpot the night before, place it in the fridge, then first thing in the morning I pull it out to let it warm so when I finally place it in the crockpot the pottery part doesn’t crack. You could also just set things up in a bowl or plastic bag the night before then dump them into the crock pot.There are lots of keto and kid friendly recipes for the crock pot. Pot roasts, chilies, stews, etc…
I think most people put pickles as a liked food, along with those creamy, smooth textures. Interesting!
4/1. This was a good one, help me seeing my eating and food relationship. When I was little I hated chewing my food, I had to chew it a lot till it was “perfect” to swallow. I had wanted a door to my stomach so I could skip the whole chewing part. I also have this short excitement time with food that it is good in the beginning but then the excitement for it goes a way. If I don’t like it, it will take FOREVER to finish it. When I am stress and overwhelmed I am eating, meal planing not happening. I am avoiding the issue with it, I can’t come up with a plan and follow it. Frustrating that I am going to have to sit down with myself and write it out.
I love the hard ice cream: it’s the coldness and cream that I love. I do at times eating it all day! It is also good with some teas or if you drink coffee. My first job was at a ice cream parlor.
Do love tea, drinking the herbal stuff. Love red tea for the richness/ bolder then others. Been adding coconut creamer to it. So Good!
Cream, creamy soups, cream cheese. Creamy dips. Cream
Asparagus -home grown is so sweet like candy
Strawberries/berries/ watermelon
Cucumber always taste like summer
Avocado only when they are perfectly ripe
Potatoes
Sweets
Bread and butter bread and butter
Chocolate dark and milk
Homemade and home grown
Pies over cakes, I feel like I always need milk to eat with cake. Cookies are in the same boat. Need milk but milk doesn’t like me lol.
I have become such a great cook that eating out is disappointing. “I can cook better then this” and ”They use instance” is just upsetting.
I like home-made foods, too. Us T4s appreciate quality.
Ha! So so true. Over the last eight years, I’ve really honed my cooking and going out, unless it’s a cuisine I don’t cook at home (like Indian or Pho), is boring to me. I have the same “I can cook better than this” thought.
Of all the videos I have watched on this site, this is the first time I have been able to say, “Yes! This is me!” For the last three years I have been focusing exclusively on maintaining my weight. With five children and a husband, who sees food as fun and entertainment, it is no easy task to prepare food that will honor me. Before this video, I viewed my disinterest in loosing weight as not being motivated because I can’t do it the way I want. I went completely off the track; I left the station. I couldn’t stand having to grocery shop and even wondered why we need food at all. I hated thinking about food, I hated planning meals. Somehow I made my way back to the station. I am making healthier choices by adding more fruits and vegetables to my intake. I allow myself to enjoy the foods I love. When the time is right, I’ll hop back on the train. Until then, one day at a time.
Thanks for sharing Sarah. Great comment.
4/1 – OH Carol…!!! This is GOLD for me! I have been anxiously awaiting the type 4 food tips and all three tips resonated so much with me and helped me feel EXCITED to improve my current relationship with food! I especially loved the thought to think of the things I CAN be perfect in; a concept I can also implement in other areas of my life that feel out of control, like raising my little troop! Housekeeping comes to mind, first. I CAN do at least ONE thing perfect, then build from there, instead of just throwing in the towel when I can’t do so many things “perfect.”
Some foods that came to mind that excited me were meals that use lots of rich spices, like curries. I love to experience different layers of flavors and textures in my food. I like to experiment and create my own “concoctions.” 🙂 Thanks again for this!!
I definitely view food as a begrudging necessity most of the time, something I have to do so I don’t emaciate and die! I find that I am really out of touch with my body’s own hunger cues, and often forget or ignore that I should stop and sit and eat. I am currently raising children who all have different preferences and I think that has overridden any joy I personally find in cooking things for myself. It seems too impractical to cook multiple dinners each evening. So I am often not cooking the things I like for myself, because my food is culturally different than my American husband’s and kids’ preferences (I am originally from South Korea, and didn’t grow up with a lot of the foods that the rest of my family enjoys). I find that what I find nourishing to me are things like a hot cup of almond tea or matcha. I do make it a point to carve out some time to for a cup of tea in the evening. I am particular about tea and like them to be authentically Asian, and go out of my way to find the specialty stores that carry those. This video has helped me not view that as some overly-indulgent snobbery (a judgment I do have in my head sometimes, since those are often not cheap things to buy) but rather, the one small way I still manage to care for myself with food, even if it’s something I drink instead of eat. One of my favorite things is to get a hot cup of tea and watch Lifestyle videos after the kids are in bed! That is definitely MY time.
I really enjoyed this video! For many many years I always viewed food as a means to an end, I need calories and nutrients so I guess I better eat something. I never really enjoyed cooking and grocery shopping was like Groundhogs Day. Same store, same aisles, same food. But recently I decided to try a plant based diet for health reasons and I’m actually enjoying preparing and eating new foods! The biggest surprise has been enjoying not following recipes. I like to make a big pot of soup at the beginning of the week and a huge bowl of salad that I can portion out, but I have been intuitively buying and using whatever my eye is drawn to. Of course when I tell people that I stopped eating meat, dairy, and eggs most see it as an extreme change but it wasn’t hard for me. (Type 4 all or nothing) I’ve been enjoying a lot of whole starch foods like lentils, quinoa, and oatmeal, and I love using herbs and spices in soup and roasted vegetables. Maybe I need the extra connection to the earth and extra grounding so I’m drawn to earthy food lol.
Lentils, quinoa and oatmeal are some of my favorite foods too along with root veggies. I never thought about the earth/grounding connection!
I am hovering between 2 and 4. Mostly 4 right now (I know…I need to watch more videos). Anyway, I have had experiences in the past with the “all or nothing” mentality that really gets me into trouble with food choices. Either I go wayyy too extreme or I don’t try at all. I have science-based food recommendations based on blood/urine/stool tests, but it is too hard for me to follow in real life! Recently, I’ve taken up keto and I’m enjoying how easy it is. I admit, though, I do eat a lot of bologna and cheese! 🙂
Kudos to all of you parents out there trying to serve healthy foods to children. I wish I had done a better job with that when I had my kids with me……
My favorite foods at this time in my life are (all whole foods, very few ingredients):
-Leafy greens, especially swiss chard
-Crunchy foods
-Foods with lots of flavor, and spicy, or bland and can accept spices well (like avocado)
-Hot (as in temperature) foods
-Juicy foods
-Salty foods
-Coffee
-Fat bombs
Not real specific, but it doesn’t have to be!
Thinking back to my best times with food, they’ve always been when I was eating predominantly vegetables and drinking a ton of water/herbal tea, and to me, that plays out my 4/2 exactly — I love the structure and crunch of veggies, and I feel fantastic when I drink a lot of water. I think both preferences keep away that “muddy river” syndrome that can happen with Two-ness, and I feel energetic, agile, clearheaded, optimistic. I’ve been doing Bright Line (wonderful words for a Four! 😉 since Thanksgiving, and I love it — I lost 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas — a very unusual feat or what? 😉 — and have dropped two sizes. I’m ecstatic!
I also related to the thing with extremes — I like DEFINITE flavors the way I like definite colors haha — very salty or very spicy especially. And though I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, when I do, I like extremely sweet, like butterscotch or caramel.
I can pretty much relate to everything in your post, Deborah. I’m 4/2 and have been doing BLE since Jan. Works very well with our 4-ness. I like the combo of DYT and BLE.
Both so wonderfully life-changing!
I know Bright Line, too!
My T4 hubby is saying he likes steamed salmon, canned sardines with horseradish, fresh steamed veggies, salads, fresh fruit, good black coffee and tea, granola cereal with warm milk.
I’m not a meat eater by inclination, rather than choice, and I’m lactose and gluten intolerant, so I prepare 99% of my own food. My favourites are
Tart foods – lemons, vinegar, apples
Salads
Crunchy vegetables
Root vegetables
Lentils and beans
Curries and chiles
Homemade breads – oat bread, cornbread, buckwheat pancakes and wraps
I also am fond of cheese, particularly feta, which is unfortunate. Hard cheeses are no problem (no lactose).
Type 4 perfectionism with Type 1 connect/disconnect has driven me crazy with food over the years. I go from caring immensely to not caring at all what goes into my body! I swing from loving and enjoying food to feeling like it’s a complete nuisance that I wish I didn’t have to think about! These tips are so helpful. I realized that my best relationship with food and my healthiest are when I am just living life and eating what appeals to me. If I’m not forcing myself, I normally choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy with an occasional treat like ice cream or dark chocolate. It’s when I’m obsessing that I find myself craving the worst foods for me!
Im a type 1 but I relate to this ALOT. Perhaps it might be my secondary? I recently did a Whole 30 and now that Im done…it has been very hard for me to make it my own afterwards. Once I eat something “unhealthy” it just keeps going like that for the rest of the day. It’s so frustrating sometimes not being able to feel like a normal person with food.
This is some of the most spot-on advice I’ve received in terms of food. I had an eating disorder for years (the all-or-nothing quality), and I’ve been better for well over a decade, but I still go to extremes in terms of either planning everything or completely winging it.
My preferences tend toward cool foods, temperature-wise. And I usually like dry foods. The only exception to these 2 qualities is that I really like oatmeal.
Favorite foods: Everything dairy, salads, Mexican food (but nothing covered with sauces, I like open, dry tacos), seafood, sushi, protein shakes, berries, cucumbers with dip, and turkey sandwiches. A lot of my favorite foods are things I can eat with my hands. My favorite treat is to go out for a glass of wine and a cheese plate with fruit, nuts, crackers, and jelly.
My least favorite foods are Indian and Thai, because they tend to be hot and wet, and they’re not finger-friendly.
When she said we prefer to do something well when we have the opportunity to do it without interference. That 100% describes me. I was cooking on a very regular basis while my son was away at college, but I was thrown completely off when he returned home after graduation. He cooks and he doesn’t leave the kitchen clean when he finishes. Walking into the kitchen and realizing I have to clean it before I can cook has taken all the desire of cooking away. I love my son, but something I’ve found myself saying over the past few months is, I’ll be so glad to get my kitchen to myself again. 2 more weeks and he’s off to his next step in life, my kitchen will be my own again.
I’ve been on a ketogenic diet for two years. For health reasons, I chose this diet. Before I got involved, I did some research for a few months. I wanted to feel safe and good with my decision. I feel very comfortable with this diet, although it is quite expensive. Most of what I buy is organic. I spend a lot of time planning, shopping and preparing food. This has given me the figure of my dreams and I feel fit and comfortable in my body. Many people admire that I have so much discipline. Yes, it’s surprisingly easy for me because it gives me structure. The secondary type 1 comes with me when looking for recipes more to carry. I keep trying out new ketogenic recipes. That’s the fun factor.
I am a type 4/3. I have found that if I look at approaching food and health from a big picture perspective, it makes each day so much easier. I think, if I just make one thing better with my diet or my family’s diet this week, this month, or even this year, it will add up to (nearly) perfect in the long run. Thinking this way, I’m proud of myself for that one thing at a time that I can do, instead of feeling like a failure for not getting everything right all at once.
Great approach! I agree.