Tag Archive for: yoga

5 Morning Routine Tips to Support Your Intuitive Eating Practice

Mornings are generally a hectic time for pretty much everyone. Starting the morning off on the right foot can be tough, especially when you must get your kids ready for school, get everyone’s lunches ready, and still make it to work on time. Sometimes there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything you need to get done.

What is especially frustrating is that the morning can set the tone for the whole day. So, if your morning isn’t going as planned, you likely won’t be in the right mindset to conquer the rest of your day with a positive mindset. And, you’ll rush through breakfast, or skip it altogether, and that’ll set you up for haphazard eating the rest of the day.

That is why starting the morning off in a positive way is so important to continuing your Intuitive Eating practice.

The Importance of a Morning Routine

Incorporating a routine to your mornings isn’t about waking up and “getting things done” early! It’s about beginning your day with peace, confidence, and a positive attitude.

Nourishing your body on all levels from the moment you open your eyes in the morning is key to a healthy mind, body, and soul. It may take some time for you to change your morning routine, so focus on slow changes over time, at your level of comfort. Set the rest of your day up for success by keeping your mornings calm and focused.

Here are 5 ways that I like to start my mornings which sets a positive tone for the rest of my day and allows me to support my Intuitive Eating practice

1. Practice Being Still

When you first wake up, take some time to meditate, even if it’s for just 3-5 minutes. You can do it while lying in bed or sitting up. This will allow you to connect with yourself on a deeper level as you start your day. When your mind is still and calm, set your intention about how your day will be. For example, “Today will be an incredible day. I feel positive and alive”.

2. Get Your Body Moving

You may not have a lot of time in the morning to exercise, and that’s okay. I have found that on mornings when I engage in movement, my days flows more smoothly, and I have more energy. Commit to moving your body in the morning in whatever way feels good for you. It can be as little as 5 minutes or as long as 30 or more minutes, whatever it takes to get your blood flowing and heart pumping.

3. Choose Comfort

When choosing what clothes to wear for the day, consider comfort. Respect your body at whatever size it is now and wear clothes, including undergarments, that fit you well and comfortably. Don’t force your body into uncomfortable garments that you’ll be fixing on throughout the day.

4. Fuel Up with Breakfast

It’s so easy to dash out the door without breakfast, or to grab and go. It’s best if you can plan some time into your morning routine to sit down at the table and enjoy a balanced breakfast of foods you enjoy. By sitting to eat, without any distractions, you will be able to savor each bite and get the utmost pleasure from your meal.

If you skip breakfast, chances are you will be over hungry by lunch and you will decrease your chances of choosing foods that honor your health. In addition, when you begin eating in an over hungry state, you will most likely end the meal at uncomfortable fullness.

5. Practice Gratitude

Finally, before dashing out the door, take a moment to breath and write down (or say quietly to yourself) three things you are grateful for. I find that this centers me and puts everything into perspective, even before I turn my computer on to see what the day will bring.

While this morning routine takes some time and may just mean that you can’t hit the snooze button (okay, maybe once!), you will reap the benefits as you continue to practice Intuitive Eating and mindful living. It’s worth it!

Are You Feeding Your Stomach or Emotions?

Emotional eating quoteIf you are having one of those days where nothing seems to go right and all you want is something to make you feel better, what do you reach for?  Are you reaching for food?  If so, is that bag of chips really making you feel better?

 

“I had a long day and the only thing that will make me feel better is my favorite junk food!”

 

Does this sound like something you would say?  I have many clients that come to me seeking help in dealing with their emotional eating.  They find themselves eating when they are stressed, upset or bored, and they don’t feel satisfied afterwards. In fact, they feel guilty, ashamed and desperate.

 

I help my clients to realize they will not feel satisfied when they are feeding their emotions.

 

I want to help you understand this too.

 

Emotional eating is eating in response to feelings, not because you are physically hungry.

 

Eating away your emotions may make you feel better for an instant, but when the bag is empty you’re left with the same feelings of guilt, the discomfort of overeating, plus those original emotions you had in the first place.

Whether you are eating as a way to reward yourself for a job well done or trying to make yourself feel better after a rough day, this form of emotional eating can affect your mood and health long after the bag is empty.

 

To identify if you are emotionally eating, you should figure out what is driving your desire to eat.  Are you experiencing physical hunger or psychological hunger?

 

Ask yourself the following questions:

  • “How am I feeling? Am I upset, angry, tired or even happy? Could this be causing me to crave a certain food?”
  • “Do I usually use food for comfort?”
  • “Do I associate rewards with food?” Maybe you just received a promotion, is your first thought “I’ll celebrate with dessert tonight?”
  • “When was the last time I ate?” Natural hunger cues start to occur a couple of hours after you last ate.  If you just ate, you might not be experiencing physical hunger.

 

These habits can be hard to break and you will need to dig deep inside of you to figure out what you are truly feeling.  This isn’t always easy as sometimes it’s uncomfortable to feel your emotions.  I get it.

 

One way to deal with your emotions without food is to distract yourself.

 

Here are some tips you can try today to help you regain control over your emotions:

  • Go for a walk to get endorphins going and help you clear your mind.
  • Do yoga or meditation to clear your mind and help you relax.
  • Call or text a friend to talk about your day or vent, if needed.
  • Watch your favorite show for a good laugh.
  • Read a book to get someone else’s point of view.
  • Take a nap to regain energy.
  • Write how you are feeling in a journal.

 

Distractions may work for a short time.  Ultimately you must dig deeper to understand why you turn to food in hard times.

 

I am here to help you.  I can help you work out your emotions and teach you ways to deal with them that do not involve food.  I can teach you to listen to your body’s hunger cues and eat only when you are experiencing physical hunger.  Take care of yourself by being in tune with your emotions. Dealing with them now instead of letting them build up will benefit you and your overall health.

 

Contact me here if you’d like to chat.

Being Mindful in Exercise as in Eating

Yoga Stretch2For many chronic dieters, once you start a diet, you also start an exercise plan. And, once you go off the diet, you probably stop the exercise plan. Hmmm, sound familiar? Why bother exercising if you are not dieting.

 

It’s time to turn this thinking around!

 

First, start by asking yourself “why do I exercise?” Be honest with yourself. If you are struggling with your weight, I’d bet that you are exercising to burn calories. You watch the calorie counter on the treadmill or elliptical machine and won’t get off until you see that magic number of calories burned.

 

I can tell you this is problem number one. You are exercising for the wrong reason. When you exercise for the sole purpose of losing weight, you are probably not enjoying it and it becomes a chore; a dreaded chore that you know you have to do or else you weren’t “good” that day.

 

Let’s get rid of this thought. I’d like to do consider exercise for other reasons besides a calorie burn and weight loss. Focus on how it feels and its effect on your:

 

– stress level

– energy level

– general sense of well-being

– sense of empowerment

– sleep quality

 

When you focus on these aspects and feel these benefits, you will see that without even realizing it, you are shedding excess weight and your clothes are feeling better.

 

I have been an exerciser for years. But, I will share with you that I used to exercise for the sake of burning calories and losing those extra few stubborn pounds, especially after I had my babies. My choices of exercise included treadmill, elliptical, aerobic DVD’s and strength training.

 

Sounds good, right?

 

What was I missing? I’ll tell you. I was missing flexibility, stretching and balance training. Do you know why? Because in my mind I wasn’t burning calories doing those exercises and I am very busy. So, if I was spending time exercising, I wanted to get a good calorie burn.

 

My thinking changed many months ago. I recognized that my body was tired. Tired from all the pounding and cardio I was doing. It was time for me to explore another more gentle option for my body. I discovered a workout program called PiYO by Beachbody. This is a combination of Pilates and Yoga. I am in month number 3 of the workout program and I am thrilled with how I feel. My energy level is high, my overall sense of well-being is great and I feel empowered. I am moving my body during these workouts like I never have, and it is gentle, feels great and a lot of fun. And, without even focusing on it, my clothes are fitting differently too. I love the changes.

 

Your turn to take action:  I challenge you this week to me mindful in your exercise and focus on how you feel versus how many calories you are burning. Share your thoughts and comments with me below.