Weighty Wednesday -- Mindful Eating

A month or so ago, I heard some weight-loss 'name' (can't remember who!) talk about mindful eating . . . as if this was a new concept.

It isn't.

Basically, this concept is the backbone of the Weight Watchers ideals.

Think about it.

When you are a WW and in the process of losing weight or at goal and focused on keeping the weight off you practice mindful eating all the time, through weighing, measuring, and tracking your food.

In other words, being aware of what you eat . . . every single time you put something in your mouth.

How many times have you found yourself sitting on the sofa with an empty bag of chips?

Or a spoon and a jar of peanut butter in your hand and not realize you even got it out of the pantry?
This happened to me just last night!

Or you were at a restaurant with the intention of taking home half your meal only to discover that it somehow 'disappeared'?

The whole premise of mindful eating is to be aware of what you put in your mouth, and to make certain the stuff you put in your mouth is healthy, or if you opt for the unhealthy then not too much of it.

Look, losing weight isn't easy. Throughout life we find that the 'hard choices' are usually the right ones. The easy way out is almost never the right way.

I have a friend--actually numerous friends over the course of years--who've tried numerous weight loss regimens, from cabbage soup, to Adkins, to South Beach, to Nutrisystem, to . . .you get the picture.

Failing at all of them. Oh, there might be a little weight loss, but then the old habits slip back in and the weight is regained.

I've suggested WW, but they don't want to have to 'think about food all the time'.

Well, my friends, NOT thinking about food all the time got you into this pickle and the only way out is to be aware of what you're sticking in your pie hole.

The beauty of mindful eating is that you become aware of portion sizes (double, triple or even quadrupled in the US!), healthy options, and an awareness of how the foods effect you.

I had another friend who I suggested this concept to and it scared her.

This is because many of us tend to gorge on certain foods through emotional eating--happiness, sadness, stress, boredom . . . yes, boredom is emotional eating.
Boredom is my eating downfall. It took awhile before I figured it out, but I did.

So to round this topic off--I need to get dressed and drive the kidlet to swim practice and then walk while she's swimming--do me a favor and think about everything you put in your mouth today.

Yes, even that pizza, or cake, or salad, or whatever.

This is the first step in the process of mindful eating. Let me know if it helps you make better food choices or stop eating when you aren't hungry any longer--don't eat until full, because you've already eaten too much! 

Later, Peeps!