Tips on Eating for Your Body
It is so easy to eat and not really listen to what our bodies need. My advice is to start slow and use the little tricks I have listed below. For me, when I was at my height of overeating it was scary. I felt like I had to eat all the time. I ate snacks all day and overate at meals. I got to a point where I just couldn’t take it anymore. I hated being a slave to food. So I started doing these little things but made them consistent. I felt like they weren’t choices but they had to be done if I wanted to look and feel better. Eventually, by being consistent, they became habit. This means I don’t have to think about them as much anymore. That will happen for you as well.
Listen to Your Body
Please look at the Don’t Count Calories page. I talk a lot about learning to listen to your body. This is so important. When you eat are you really hungry? When it’s mealtime how do you feel? Are you hungry or starving? You should be hungry however being starving at mealtimes might be optimal either. Eating too little can have an affect on your metabolism and slow you down. Then it will be even harder to lose weight. You may need a healthy snack between meals.
What is Your Stress Level or Emotional Wellbeing?
Are you overeating due to stress or emotional pain? For me, eating is permission to relax. It is the only time I let myself sit down. This was dangerous for me in the past. But I learned to first listen to my body and I implement many relaxation techniques. This is still a challenge for me. I don’t believe that you need to know the exact cause of the reason that you over eat to lose weight. But it may give you some insight and understanding. We really need to be present in order to stay healthy. Try to be aware of what is going on within yourself. It is helpful to keep a journal so you can monitor what may be stressful in your life. Putting it down on paper will help get your feelings out and will help combat stress eating. I also believe in breathing techniques, self care and finding your passion. We need to fill ourselves with other healthy activities so we don’t fill ourselves with food.
Pay Attention to What You Are Eating
I think we have all heard that you shouldn’t eat while watching TV or zoning out at the computer. I don’t know how many times I did that and after a minute looked down at what I was eating to see that it was all gone and I had no memory of eating it. See your food, notice yourself eating it and enjoy it. Food can be pleasant.
Eat On Smaller Plates
Plates seem to be larger these days don’t they? I eat on a smaller plate sometimes. Then I can fill it up and not worry I am putting too much on my plate. The plate is full so I feel satisfied and not as if I am depriving myself.
Don’t Eat Out of the Box/Bag
This is another hard one. It is so easy to just grab the bag if chips and go to town. Don’t do it. Make yourself get a small bowl or plate for snacks and eat just that amount. If we eat out of the bag we have no idea how much we ate. Soon the bag is gone and we don’t know where it went. This is very important.
Serve Yourself From the Kitchen Counter
Put the food that you want to eat on your plate from the kitchen counter instead of bringing the food to the table. This way if anyone wants seconds they have to get up to get it. If our food is all on the table it is too easy to just grab a little more and a little more. Put what you want on your plate and save the rest for leftovers. This will also force you to figure out what is a good portion for you. Plan ahead. If you are eating seconds and thirds you really don’t know how much you ate.
Only Make What You or Your Family Can Eat
This goes along with the point above. Don’t make extras or leftovers at all. Cook the amount your family eats and that is it. Serve it on the plates and then it is gone. If you must make more for leftovers to make cooking easier another day try serving everyone and then immediately wrap up the leftovers and put them away.
Share Your Food
My family does this all the time. This not only saves our waistlines but our pocket books as well. When we go out to dinner, out for treats or especially when we order take out we share most of the time. Many restaurants have portion sizes that are much too large for one person. Even when we share we still have leftovers many times.
These are all tips I use on a daily basis. There is a lot of planning that goes into being healthy. We plan ahead for many other events in our lives. What we are going to do on a certain day, what we are going to wear. What needs to be done in our careers or with our children. It just makes sense that that much planning should go into what we eat so we can feel good! Plan ahead.