Mindful Eating…eating with my mind? How Harry Potter of me!

Ciao nutrinutters!

Did everyone get a chance to read a little about body image? What shape are you? After giving some thought to the shapes, I’ve reached the conclusion that I’m somewhere between a pear and hourglass thanks to my swimmer’s shoulders…swimmers, you get me right? ;)

Today I wanted to discuss something that we are all guilty of, mindless eating. What does this mean? Since I like to keep things in a positive light, I’ll explain mindful eating which is what we should be aiming to do.

Mindful eating is being aware of the Why?  When? What? How? and Where? of the entire eating process.

Why and when we eat may help in exploring and identifying triggers…is it actual physical hunger? Are we eating because of stress or needing comfort? Or is it more of a “I’m extremely bored, let’s eat!” So next time you are picking something up to eat think of “H.A.L.T.!!!”…am I eating because I am Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired?  

What I eat? Am I choosing foods because of taste, convenience, nutrition? Understanding why these choices are being made will help in making better ones. If it is taste, find healthy delicious options to eat. You don’t have to force yourself to eat cucumbers if you strongly dislike them because they are good for you (-clears throat- mom)…there are numerous options of fruits and vegetables and different preparations that you might just enjoy more. If your choices on the other hand are being made based on convenience...understanding and knowing how to read food labels will be your greatest weapon in this battle...and don’t worry, I’ve got ya! I’ll be teaching you guys how to read one and what to look for  ;)

Here’s another big one: How do I eat and how much? Come on, ain’t nobody got time to sit down to just eat…well, I say this FIND THE TIME! Here’s an exercise for us all…I want everyone to think of how many meals they have per day….got it? Now think of how many you actually eat sitting down without doing any other activities at the same time. How about this week we make a pact to have at least one meal per day sitting down and focusing only on eating…challenge yourself…give it a go! When you are having this meal I want you to focus on the food and only this….think on how everything tastes...smells…looks…try a little sensual eating! Eat with your senses. This is an amazing exercise! Not only will you enjoy your food more, but you will notice that recognizing the signs your body sends you on fullness will be a lot easier.

Lastly, where does the energy go? Food is meant to nourish our bodies to help us perform our daily activities…is eating leading to feelings of guilt, shame or are we eating to give our bodies nutrients? The relationship we have with food should be like any other relationship…a happy and healthy one.

So tip number one for not only those that are trying to lose weight but improving health is this: Mindful eating!

-The NUTRINUT-