Out Of This World Flavor™
Mindful Eating
Overeating is something that many people struggle with. There are two “types” of overeating: eating when you are not hungry (when there is no physiological need) and eating too much at once. Keep reading to discover how you can overcome these tendencies through mindful eating.
Tune in to your nutrition
Our daily lives are filled with food messages designed to make us eat more. Food advertising, super-sized meals, fast-food commercials, and colorful packaging at the grocery store are all designed to gain our interest.
As a result, we frequently end up eating when we’re not hungry, or eat more than needed to curb our appetite. Additionally, many commercially prepared foods are highly processed and are high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fast which can lure our taste buds into wanting to eat more.
Most Americans have become accustomed to “cleaning our plates,” snacking all day long, and eating highly processed foods. If you resonate with this, don't fear. Keep reading for three tips that will help you to break this cycle and stop overeating by tuning in to your own nutrition needs.
Disconnect
During mealtimes, pay attention to what you are eating. Disconnect from your phone, computer, tablet or other electronics. Eat slowly to build awareness and savor your food. Take this time to relax and recharge.
Research has shown that removing visual information about how much you’ve eaten during a meal typically increases the amount of food eaten. To prevent this, take a look at your food before you eat. How much food is on your plate? Eating attentively can help to reduce food intake, and really is a very simple way to stop overeating. We eat with our eyes too!
Limit sugar and salt intake
Sugar and salt are addicting to our taste buds. Because of this, it is very easy to overeat sweet and salty foods, which are usually highly processed.
It can be initially difficult to limit your sugar and salt intake if you are used to eating highly processed foods. But don't worry, your palate will adjust quicker than you think. Before you know it, you will be satisfied with far lower amounts of sugar and salt.
There is no need to restrict yourself entirely. If you really want a sweet treat, learn to take smaller portions and savor every bite.
For savory snacks, aim to eat low-sodium snacks like lightly roasted, unsalted nuts. Make your own snacks by roasting nuts with fresh herbs for a delicious flavor boost or by making your own hummus to dip raw veggies in.
Change your response to stress
While we all know you are only supposed to eat when you are hungry, many people eat for reasons other than hunger, especially when dealing with an emotionally difficult or stressful situation. For example, many people eat when we are bored, anxious, stressed or angry.
Change your response to stress and let meal time be a way to honor real physiological hunger, and not as a way to overcome or soothe a stressful situation.
For food-free ways to handle stress, try going on a walk, meditating, talking to a friend, writing in a journal, or listening to music.
How do you practice mindful eating? Let me know at jenniferjames@astroflav.com to be featured in our Facebook community!
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