You're getting ready to head off to work - and you're running late... AGAIN. You fill your mug with coffee, slather some cream cheese on a bagel, and run out the door.
Now it's lunchtime, and you're starving. You have to finish that report before you leave today, so it looks like you're not going to be able to join the rest of the staff at Olive Garden. You head to the breakroom and grab an egg salad sandwich, and a package of Oreos, from the vending machine, and head back to your cubicle.
It's 3:20 and you just picked up the kids from school. Johnny's got ball practice at 4:00 and Susie needs to be at gymnastics, all the way across town, by 4:30. It'll be well after dinnertime by the time ya'll get back home, so you drive thru a fast food restaurant and everyone shovels down a burger and fries, while barely speaking to one another.
It's 10:00 and you've finally got a moment to yourself. You fill a bowl with your favorite ice cream and turn on the television, to catch the nightly news, before finally retiring for the night.
Any of this sound familiar? In the busyness of today's world, these scenarios have become commonplace. They are prime examples of "mindless" eating. We eat while getting ready, while driving, at the computer, or in front of the television. Rarely do we all gather around the dinner table anymore. All too often we eat not because we're hungry, but for comfort and distraction, and out of boredom and habit. Mindless eating can lead to a host of problems; not the least of which is unhealthy weight gain.
Contrarily, mindful eating is an approach that helps create an awareness of why we eat the way we do. It helps us pay attention to the cues our bodies give us. It can bring to light the habitual thoughts, attitudes, and moods that stimulate us to turn to food even when we're not really hungry.
Mindful eating is NOT intended to be a "diet", but it has been known to help with:
overeating and binge eating
weight loss and reducing BMI (Body Mass Index)
chronic eating problems such as bulimia or anorexia
improving symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
First, and foremost, we need to learn to - SLOW DOWN.
Before you grab that food, slow down for a moment and ask yourself a few questions. Am I really physically hungry or is it another hunger I'm trying to fill? Am I just bored? Am I trying to distract myself from something else? If you're not sure, give yourself a minute or two to figure it out. Drink a glass of water. Take a walk. Call a friend. If it wasn't truly hunger driving you to grab that food, it will subside rather quickly if you preoccupy yourself with another task.
Make a conscious effort to slow down while you are eating. Sit down for starters. At a table preferably. Turn off all electronic distractions. Yes - that includes your cell phone. Take a moment and appreciate the food in front of you. It doesn't have to be filet mignon in order for us to be grateful. Stop the shoveling. Your food isn't going anywhere. In between each mouthful, put down your utensil (or your hands, if it's finger food). And for heaven's sake, let's learn to CHEW our food. Chewing can significantly impact your health, in ways you likely never knew. I'll go into that in a later blog piece, but here are just a few helpful hints on chewing:
Take smaller bites of food to begin with (it’s easier to chew smaller morsels)
Chew slowly and steadily
Chew until your mouthful of food is liquefied or lost all of its texture
Finish chewing and swallowing completely before taking another bite of food
Wait to drink fluids until you’ve swallowed
It takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message, from your stomach, that you're full. When you eat more slowly, you allow your brain to receive that message before you have "mindlessly" stuffed yourself past the point of fullness.
Are you ready to change the way you interact with food? Then I challenge you, today, to begin a Mindful Eating regimen. Start with just one of the suggestions listed. Start with just one meal. Do whatever you have to. But ..... JUST START!!!
If you need further help - get in touch with me. I will be more than happy to help.
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