Tag Archive for: savor

5 Ways to Be Mindful of Your Eating this Holiday Season

Can you believe that it’s already November and that the holiday season is upon us?

 

For so many of my clients, the holiday season was filled with anxiety, not only because of all the prep work, but they were also concerned about all the weight they would gain. They always worried that there were so many delicious treats and foods during the holidays that they wouldn’t trust themselves and would eat with abandon.

 

They didn’t understand that there was a way that they could enjoy the holidays and respect their body at the same time.

 

Everything changed for them when they decided to work with me on intuitive eating journey. They began eating mindfully and focused on how the food was making them feel rather than the calories they contained. They took the time to savor each bite while maintaining an awareness of their eating habits.

 

Here are 5 ways that you too can stay mindful during the holiday season.

 

  1. Slow Down. 

 

Are you typically the first person at the table to finish your meal? Before you begin eating, think about how you will proceed to eat your meal. Consciously decide that you will slow down and allow at least 20-30 minutes to eat. Take the time to appreciate the food you are eating. And remember, you can always save whatever you don’t eat for leftovers.

 

  1. Sit Down at the Table. 

 

Eating while standing in front of the refrigerator, buffet table, or while walking around will decrease your attention and satisfaction with your meal. You may have a whole plate of food in front of you when you started to make your rounds around the party, and an empty one at the end without consciously taking a single bite. Instead, fill your plate with foods you really want to eat and plan to sit while eating. Friends and family will likely join you and you can enjoy nice conversation while being more mindful of your eating.

 

  1. Savor your Food. 

 

Focus on each bite of food that you put into your mouth. Experience the taste, texture, flavors, and aroma of the food. Try to identify the different flavors of the food. Is it sweet, salty, sour, crunchy, or smooth? Do you like it, dislike it, or it’s just okay? If you aren’t fully satisfied with it, don’t finish it. Try not to feel pressed to finish foods that doesn’t satisfy you.

 

  1. Be in the Moment. 

 

Are you fully present when you are eating or are you eating with a bunch of distractions around you? Be sure to turn off the television and avoid reading or talking on the phone while eating. These activities take away from the mindfulness of eating. You may even need to take a moment to zone out of the conversation around you to fully immerse yourself in the meal.

 

  1. Put Your Fork Down. 

 

Observe what you do with your silverware during the meal. Do you keep it in your hand? Are you preparing the next bite of food on the fork while chewing what’s in your mouth? When you turn your attention to the next bite, you are not being mindful and completely miss the food that you are currently eating. Instead of enjoying the food in your mouth, you are focusing on matters beyond the present. So, this year, put your fork down on the table while you are chewing and give all your attention to the food in your mouth.

 

These mindful eating tips are a start! But pay attention if the sneaky diet mentality turns these tips into rules!

 

If so, it’s time to address your mindset, beliefs, and move away from the diet mentality.

 

Send me a DM on Facebook, Instagram, or simply email me if you want support on your intuitive eating journey.

 

 

5 Tips to Eat Slower

In today’s fast paced society, it’s only natural that we rush around trying to get everything done before the day is over. You rush to work, school, and everywhere else you must go. You probably even rush through lunch to get back to your busy day at work.

 

While moving fast may be a necessity for your work and overall lifestyle, eating fast is not the best for your health and body and can quickly lead to bypassing your comfortable fullness signals.

 

Think back to your last meal… did you inhale it or take the time to enjoy every bite?   How long do you think it took you to finish your meal? If it’s less than 20 minutes, then keep reading.

 

If you feel like you’re the only person who does this, you’re not! Most people devour their meals in about 5 -7 minutes flat. They put a forkful of food in their mouths and, before they even swallow, the next forkful is ready to go. Do you find yourself doing this too?

 

Downside of Eating Fast

When you eat fast, it becomes difficult to savor your meals.  You’re not able to truly listen to your body and engage in mindful eating. Slowing down as you eat will allow you to really taste every bite and get the most satisfaction out of the meal as possible.

 

Eating quickly also prevents you from eating until you are comfortably satisfied because you don’t pay attention to your inner fullness signals. Instead, you’ll eat until the food is gone.

 

It takes your brain 20 minutes to realize that your stomach is full, so if you clean your plate in record time, you likely miss that fullness cue, leading you to reach for more food. By the time the fullness signals kicks in, you are now uncomfortably full, having eaten more than your body physically needed. You are likely also experiencing bloat, heartburn and other uncomfortable GI symptoms (in addition to the emotional side effects of guilt and shame).

 

5 Tips to Help You Slow Down Your Eating:

1. Allocate a certain amount of time to sit down and eat your meal. Allow your body to guide when you begin your meal, but when you do sit down to your meal, make sure you have enough time to sit, eat slowly and savor. This doesn’t only apply to dinner, it applies to breakfast and lunch too!

 

2. Put your fork and knife down between bites. You might be thinking “who does this”? Unfortunately, not too many people, unless you are among the growing number of people who are learning to eat mindfully. This means completely putting the fork down on your plate until you’re done chewing what’s in your mouth. Then pick up the fork and take your next bite. This allows you to focus on the deliciousness of the food in your mouth rather than focusing on the next bite.

 

3. Eat without distractions (meaning no T.V. or phone). We all know how difficult this one can be. I suggest making your kitchen/dining room an electronic-free zone! If your phone is in another room, then you are not tempted to look at it when you hear that notification. Make sure the kids know too that mealtime is not tech time.

 

4. Use your non-dominant hand to hold the fork. This is a simple way to help you slow down. Since your non-dominant hand is usually weaker, you’ll have to pick up smaller forkfuls and really concentrate to keep food from spilling over.

 

5. Eat with someone else. Ask a family member or friend to help you reach your goal of slowing down at meals! You can engage in meaningful conversations between bites and, before you know it, you’ll realize you are engaging in many of the tips stated above.

 

Challenge yourself

Set the timer on your phone and see how long it normally takes you to finish a meal. It might be 5 minutes and you might think that stretching it out to 20 is impossible. It’s not! Continue to use the tips above every time you sit to eat to help lengthen your meal minute-by-minute. Before long, you will be eating slower and using your inner fullness signals to guide you when to stop. And, you’ll enjoy your meal a whole lot better.

 

If you’d like to explore how I can help you on your intuitive eating journey, just reach out to me at www.TalkWithBonnie.com .

 

What’s Holding You Back from Saying YES to a Path of Intuitive Eating?

I’ve just completed launching my program Freedom to Eat Forever and I’ve spoken and emailed with a lot of you. Many of you were ready to jump in and leave dieting behind for good. And some of you were hesitant. That’s fine, I respect that. You just weren’t ready.  Yet, it’s important to explore the reasons why you were hesitant. They likely include time, money, or fear.

 

Let’s start with time. You know the age old saying “there’s never enough time in the day”. Sometimes when there’s an unknown, it’s hard to figure out if you’ll have enough time to commit to it.  But here is another saying I’m sure you’ve heard…you make time for the things you really want to do. So while  you may not be sure what type of time commitment you are able to give to learning a new way of approaching your relationship with food, it’s likely that if there wasn’t another underlying reason, you probably can allocate some time to take care of you in this very important way.

 

So, let’s look at the next possibility – money. Many times you ask for an opportunity to come your way, you wish for it, you dream of it. And, it is presented to you. Yet, you turn it down. I understand it’s scary to invest in yourself because what if you’re not successful? What if the results are the same as they have been in the past? At some point you need to move beyond this fear if you believe a new and different approach can work for you. You need to move out of your comfort zone, think outside the box and recognize that what you’ve tried for years and years just hasn’t served you. Thus, maybe it is time to invest in yourself in a very real new way and give yourself the chance to finally be free of food and body worries for good. A new approach gives hope.

 

The third possibility is fear. Fear of what? Fear of actually not dieting anymore. If you are committing to giving up dieting, then you might worry that you will lose control of your eating and constantly overeat. I fully understand your dilemma. Diets are safe for you. They tell you what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat. You don’t need to make any decisions. But let me ask you. Is this really how you want to live your life? Or, do you want to be in charge of your own body and your own food choices?

 

I’ve given you some things to think about. If you want to further explore these areas, feel free to contact me.

 

Wishing you success and forward movement on your intuitive eating journey.