Mindful Eating- A Key to Success
The late, great Judy Maisel, author of THE BEVERLY HILLS DIET in the 1980s and good friend and mentor used to say, “It’s what you eat when you’re NOT eating that makes you fat!” (She was never one to mince words!)
Those of us who struggle with compulsive eating and cravings know that Judy was right! For me, I can’t sit down in front of the TV in the evening without a snack or drink. It’s Pavlovian. When the TV goes on, my desire for snacks kicks in - I would call this mindless eating, and over time, it packs on the calories. So what do we do? Here are some tips for more mindful eating:
1.When you feel the need to snack, ask yourself - am I truly hungry?Or am I bored, frustrated, angry, lonely, depressed or just procrastinating? Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re satisfied - this takes training!!
2. Avoid multitasking while you eat. This may be time efficient but when doing more than one thing at a time, you’re doing nothing well!
3. Eat slowly - put your fork down between bites and chew slowly - it takes several minutes for the brain to appreciate that the stomach is full, so take breaks and eat slowly. Intermittently ask yourself, “Have I had enough. Do I really NEED more food or is something else going on?
4. Remember the nutrients you are taking in are fuel for your body.Stop and think of how those macronutrients - carbs, fats, proteins -are benefitting you, what they are doing in your body - nourishing you to be better, stronger, healthier, more loving. Appreciate eating for the spiritual experience it actually is!
If you have specific questions or issues with cravings or compulsive eating, know that you are NOT ALONE! Give us a call at MONACO Wellness. We can help!
Dr. John Monaco
(813) 541-6440