Diet Busters

While reading an article by Nancy Clark, the Guru of Sports Nutrition, I became inspired to write his blog post about mindful eating. Her article "Dieting Not Allowed" published in the May/June 2013 issue of American Fitness, supports the idea that diets don't work.  Yes, I know, bikini season is just around the corner and the idea of a quick fix is very tempting.  However, if diets really worked then we wouldn't be on a different one all the time.  If a diet worked, we would lose the weight and keep it off. 

Take a minute to think about all the different diets you've been on throughout the years.  Sometimes it helps to actually write this down just to visually see the cycles.  When did you go on the diet?  What diet was it?  How much weight did you lose?  How much did you gain back? Notice a pattern? 

If you avoid diets, you avoid negative emotions and experiences associated with food.  For example, you don't "cheat" or "blow your diet." You avoid the feelings of guilt and "being bad" which can send you on a spiral toward more "cheating" and binging.  Deprivation and panic set in straight away as soon as you decide to start your diet again.  It's almost like having the last supper with chips, burgers, pizza, ice cream, chocolate, and all your other favorite foods.  Oh, and, don't forget, "I get to eat it all because the diet starts again tomorrow!"  It's exhausting just thinking about it. 

Now imagine if you could eat whatever you want.  One of my favorite foods to indulge in is nachos.  If I ate nachos every day, I would eventually get sick of them and no longer crave them.  The idea is that you can eat whatever you want, but eat it mindfully.  As soon as you deprive yourself of the things you love, then of course you are going to crave those things more.  Give yourself permission to have what you want and know that you can have it anytime.  Now you are putting the power back into your hands. 

Freaked out?  When diets are constantly being thrown at us from every angle, it is a scary thought to be without one.  Reclaim your power and your ability to nourish your own body.  Eat mindfully and witness how your body will settle in at it's healthy lean weight.  This practice is exactly that....a practice.  You have years and years of dieting locked into your memory.  It will be a journey to really practice mindful eating but the rewards will create a lifetime of healthy habits and freedom from negative food beliefs.

Mindful Eating

1. Connect and tune into your hunger cues. Does your body need a small snack or something more like a meal?  Try drinking water first as our bodies can mistake thirst for hunger.  If you are not hungry, but still want to eat?  Do something else! Seriously, this is where you start to recreate new healthy habits. 
2. Connect and tune into any cravings.  Are you craving something because you deprived yourself of it or more because of emotional reasons?  Aside from deprivation, cravings can also arise from nutritional imbalances as well as stress, hormones, boredom, and fatigue. 
1.  Make sure to take a daily multivitamin as well as eat a very well balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. 
2. Get plenty of rest.  Take naps when needed.  Give your body the time it needs to recover.  Sleep is when "the magic happens" as in weight loss, muscle building, etc. 
3. Plan to have enjoyable activities for yourself everyday that don't involve eating.  Walking your dog, taking a hot bath, reading, etc. 
3. When it is time to eat, STOP! Diving in and inhaling your food is the fastest way to overeating.  First take the time to engage all your senses and make you meal a truly enjoyable meal. 
• LOOK at your food and notice the colors and presentation.  Perhaps give gratitude to all the work that went into it from the farm to the plate.  Now there is a whole new appreciation for the meal before you even "dive in." 
• SMELL your food.  Take a big whiff!  Even hold it up to your nose.  Notice the different scents.  See if you can identify any of the ingredients just from the smell alone.  Your mouth will probably start to water a little here.  That's good!  Saliva aids in digestion and will help you break down your meal better. 
• TASTE your food and truly savor each bite by eating it slowly.  Take time to notice all the different flavors.  You need to eat to survive, why not truly enjoy it? 
• PAUSE after every bite and put down the fork. Wait about a minute.  If you are dining with someone, this is a good time to engage in conversation.  Before you pick up the fork again, ask yourself whether you are still hungry or are you satisfied?  If you are satisfied, then put the rest of your meal in a to go box and save it for later. :)
4. Eating mindfully is also about choosing foods that will nourish your body and fuel it for the day.  According to Nancy Clark, "A healthy meal plan can include 85-90% 'quality calories' and 10-15% 'whatever.'  You don't have to have a perfect diet to have a good diet." Fuel for the performance and image your want almost all the time (almost is that 10%). 

To change any behavior requires practice.  Like a muscle, the more we practice and exercise these healthy behaviors, the stronger the new habit becomes.  Try mindful eating for 2 weeks and see what happens.  :)

 

Interested in learning more about mindful eating?  We will be practicing it during the cooking demo and lunch presentation at my next retreat on May 18th.  Click here for details http://empoweryoursexy.eventbrite.com/#

 

 

Get a FREE Wellness Coaching Session to help you regain power over your health!  Email deirdra.g.martinez@gmail.com to set up your appointment today!