Hunger Signals Pt. 3
Tip 3) Mindful Eating
…aka MindFULL eating
No, I am not about to tell you to meditate while you are crushing chicken wings, but I may suggest you take a breath if you are on your 8th wing before the end of the 1st quarter! (This might be a recommendation for me more than it is for you🤣)
NFL Football is back and SO is my favourite time to eat!!
It is also uncoincidentally when I eat my absolute worst LOL.
I sit on the couch for hours, grazing on chips and dips and wings and other delicious options.
Then after I have watched the first set of games, I tell myself I’m hungry again (when I’m actually hungry for flavour) and I dive back into another serving of dip.
By the time the last game of the night rolls around at 8:20 pm, I’m quite sleepy and ready to be rolled off the couch to bed.
I’m over my daily calorie needs and I feel like I just played Centre for the Detroit Lions all day.
…also I don’t even drink beer or any other high-calorie drinks, so can you imagine how much worse it could be?
Well yes, I can imagine, because people eat like this all the time.
So here is how to practice truly mindful eating.
Mindfulness means:
1) the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something
2) a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations
TRY THIS at your next meal.
Take your food outside and do not bring your phone. Start eating, enjoying the scenery, the breeze in your hair (must be nice), and slow down.
I guarantee you 1 of 2 things will happen.
1) You will finish your food, take one last look around, and go, wow I am completely satisfied…
or 2) You will be 3/4 of the way through your meal, and you will feel like you are pretty stuffed. You may stop eating altogether. You may even realize shit, if I put another fork full anywhere near this mouth I might puke lol!
You have to recognize that your body takes time to digest food and signal your brain to discontinue the act of eating. But if distractions like TV, your phone, or people are present your mind becomes distracted and focused on other things, thus delaying the fullness response further or almost entirely.
On Sunday TV, phones, food, and people are all present, plus the hustle bustle, and excitement of the game (or maybe lack of excitement😂) has you on autopilot. So instead stand up, go outside, or go upstairs to detach yourself. Do this every quarter or half to really assess what your fullness level really is.
These types of practices are what is required to allow your stomach to signal your mind.
So try these best practices:
1) Eat without or away from your phone and television as much as you can. But if you can’t then schedule time away between courses, quarters, or annoying conversations.
2) Slow your eating down, savor each bite, and give your body time to digest and signal you. Give yourself 5 extra minutes before you go back for a second plate.
3) After a meal go for a walk to check in on yourself. You will know if you overate or not based on how you feel. Plus this will regulate your blood sugar and kick-start your metabolism.
Additionally, another aspect of mindful eating is FEELING.
Remove alcohol from your system and see how your sleep, and digestion (stomach) FEEL. Probably much better.
Have a weekend full of deep-fried, high-sugar treats, and wake up Monday and you will FEEL like you still had those beers.
We all know when we should or shouldn’t indulge and we don’t listen to our bodies.
So slow down your eating, take pauses here and there, and listen to your mind and body.
It can give you all the information you need if you listen to it.
