Guest Blogger- Kendra!

In an email to my sister-in-law I disclosed that I rarely sit down to eat and that I never sit at the dinner table with my family. I am always dishing up plates, cleaning up spills, refilling glasses, etc… that I stuff down bites whenever I get a moment. Actually, I often use the time that my kids are all engaged in an activity to change a load of laundry, use the restroom, or complete some other unfinished task. I know that this is not a healthy habit, but have justified it due to the fact that I am a mother of 4 young children and don’t know what else to do. My sister-in-law pointed out that studies have been done showing that if you ‘eat on the go’ you tend to eat more unhealthy foods. After this email I started pondering about the other possible consequences. Some of the obvious concerns that I could personally pinpoint was the amount of food I eat (too much), the type of food – generally quick and easy (processed), and the lack of satisfaction I experience from eating. So I did some research and found tons of articles. Most of them addressed the importance of eating as a family and taking that time to talk to your children. Then I found an article by Dr. Michelle May about mindful eating. My emotions came to the surface when I read her article. It fit me like a glove. I was going to highlight my favorite parts but that ended up being the entire article, so I just included the whole thing for your reading enjoyment. I have decided to post some of her tips on my fridge as a reminder until I can make it habit. My one concern is how I am actually going to implement the tips I have chosen. This seems to be written for a single woman, but I strongly agree that it is important for everyone. Ahhh…as I write this I just put some chips in my mouth that my son did not finish last night at dinner.

I would greatly appreciate any tips or feedback!!

Kendra

Mindful Eating: Get Out of Autopilot
By Michelle May, M.D.
http://www.AmIHungry.com
Have you ever finished a candy bar and wished you had just one more bite? Are you surprised when your hand hits the bottom of the popcorn bucket at the movies? Do you ever feel completely stuffed and miserable after you eat?
These are all symptoms of unconscious or mindless eating.
Many people eat while they watch TV, drive, work-even while talking on the telephone. And many people eat too fast, so busy filling the next forkful that they don't notice the bite in their mouth. Since your brain can only really focus on one thing at a time, you'll miss the subtle signs of fullness so you won't stop until you feel uncomfortable or until you run out of food. Most importantly, you won't enjoy your food as much so you have to eat more to feel satisfied.
Mindful Eating is Eating with Intention and Attention
Eating is a natural, healthy, and pleasurable activity when it's done to satisfy hunger. The bottom line is that weight management is not just about what you eat. How you eat matters just as much.
Choosing to eat "mindfully," in other words, giving food and eating your full attention, will allow you to have optimal satisfaction and enjoyment without eating to excess.
Mindful eating makes it possible for you to experience the difference between physical satisfaction and fullness. Mindful eating also allows you to feel more satisfied with smaller quantities of food. Learning to savor your food simply makes eating more pleasurable. Knowing what satisfies you and getting the most pleasure from your eating experiences are key factors for a lifetime of weight control.
Simple Steps for Mindful Eating
Try the following strategies for Mindful Eating to help you identify your body's signals and truly enjoy your food:
• Start by recognizing whether you're hungry before you begin eating. If you aren't hungry, you won't be as interested so it will be harder to stay focused. Besides, if a craving doesn't come from hunger, eating will never satisfy it.
• Don't wait until you're famished. One of the keys to conscious eating is to keep your body adequately fed to avoid becoming overly hungry which increases the chance that you'll overeat.
• Next, decide how full you want to be when you're finished eating. When you eat with the intention of feeling better when you're done eating, you're less likely to keep eating until the food is gone.
• Choose food that will satisfy both your body and your mind. Our society is so obsessed with eating right that we sometimes eat things we don't even like. However, satisfaction comes not just from fullness but from enjoying the taste of your food--without guilt. Feeling guilty about eating certain foods actually causes more overeating, not less.
• Set the table in a pleasant manner. Creating a pleasant ambience adds to the enjoyment of eating and to your level of satisfaction. Besides, you deserve it.
• Eat without distractions. If you eat while you're distracted by watching television, driving, or talking on the telephone, you won't be giving your food or your body's signals your full attention. As a result, you may feel full but not satisfied.
• Eat when you're sitting down. Choose one or two particular areas at home and at work that are only used for eating and eat only there. For example, do not eat while standing over the sink, peering into the refrigerator or sitting in bed.
• Appreciate the occasion. Appreciate the atmosphere, the company, or simply the fact that you're giving yourself the opportunity to sit down and enjoy your meal.
• Take a few breaths and center yourself before you begin eating. This will help you slow down and give eating your full attention.
• Appreciate the aroma and the appearance of your food. Notice the colors, textures, and smells of the food and imagine what it will taste like.
• Decide which food looks the most appetizing and start eating that food first. If you save the best until last, you may want to eat it even if you are full.
• Savor the aromas and tastes of your food as you eat it. Put your fork down between bites and be conscious of all the different sensations you are experiencing.
• If you notice that you're not enjoying what you chose, choose something else if possible. Eating food you don't enjoy will leave you feeling dissatisfied.
• Pause in the middle of eating for at least two full minutes. Estimate how much more food it will take to fill you to comfortable satiety.
• Push your plate forward or get up from the table as soon as you feel satisfied. The desire to keep eating will pass quickly. Keep in mind that you'll eat again when you're hungry.
• Notice how you feel when you're finished eating. If you overate, don't punish yourself. Instead, be aware of the physical and/or emotional discomfort that often accompanies being overly full and create a plan to decrease the likelihood that you'll overeat next time.
Once you've experienced the increased pleasure from mindful eating, you may be motivated to become more mindful during other activities too. Living "in the moment" and becoming more aware can increase your enjoyment and effectiveness in everything you do.