Mindless Eating

As I sit here on a miserable dark and rainy day. I find myself drawn to the fridge. I peak inside, I don’t see anything I want so I close the door. I turn on the TV and begin flipping through the channels. Again, I find myself standing in front of the fridge. I grab an apple, that I don’t really want but decide to eat. Because lets face it, its good for you.  And I`m on this new year….new you kick right now. Back to the TV I go, very dissatisfied. Have you ever found yourself mindless eating?

Mindless eating is eating food without paying attention to the amount or kind of food being eaten. Why do you think we eat, when we aren’t hungry?

Here are just a few reasons for mindless eating:

Social gatherings……..we tend to be drawn to food and drink in social situations.

Stress…………………………when our lives seem out of control.

Boredom……………………when our lives are unfulfilled with passion and purpose we   gravitate to unhealthy choices.

Portion sizes………………greatly influence the amount of food we consume.

Everyday we are faced with hundreds of choices to satisfy our nutritional needs. So, how do we change our mindless eating habits into more mindful sensible choices that sustain a healthy lifestyle.

We condition our bodies to recognize and listen to our internal signals and to stop eating when full.

Be cautious of emotional triggers such as stress, sadness, loneliness, frustration and boredom. Develop a plan to deal with potential setbacks and environments that may trigger mindless eating.

Be calm, be present and in the moment. Allow yourself to enjoy the company and conversation with family and friends.

Appreciate your food. Come to the table with an appetite – but not when your famished. Start with a modest portion. Perhaps on a smaller plate. Take small bites. Eat slowly. And chew your food thoroughly.

Pay attention to the experience of eating. Set the table, with linens, and candles. Be aware of the flavours, colours and textures of the food on your plate.  Bon Appetite.

Lastly, recognize that each meal you consume you have the opportunity to nourish your body with clean foods that support a healthy lifestyle.

Savoir-Faire.