Healthy Choices

PL Healthy Choices

Mindful Eating

By amelia kirkland

We are quickly moving toward “the most wonderful time of the year”—the holiday season is upon us bringing great joy, much anticipation and stress!

One of the ways that many of us cope with stress is by eating. Comfort food is, well, comfortable. It makes us feel better, at least in the short run. Comfort foods are typically high carb, and often are loaded with fat, sugar and salt. Think of things like Christmas cookies, macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes with gravy. Also, in this category are fast convenience foods such as French fries, pastries and Frappuccinos. During the busy holiday season, we tend to eat on the run more frequently as we hurry to buy gifts, decorations and party supplies.

However, there is a strategy to combat stress eating that will leave you feeling healthier, happier and better positioned to enjoy your family and events during the holiday season. It’s called mindful eating.

But what exactly is mindful eating? Well, the eating part is easy; we know what that means. So, let’s tackle “mindful.” What is mindfulness? Simply stated, it’s the basic premise of being fully present and aware of where we are, what we’re doing and how we’re feeling.

This seems like an easy concept, doesn’t it? But how many times have we driven to work without recalling a single mile? How many times have we gotten through a day and not remembered what we ate for lunch, never mind breakfast? Or worse, how many times have we eaten a whole bag of chips or a whole pint of ice cream and barely registered its flavors?

We’ve all been there. During the holidays, mindless eating is the norm.

Mindful eating is tasting every bite, savoring every texture and enjoying it all. We need to pay attention to the way food looks, the way it smells and the way it feels in the mouth. Is it hot or cold? Crunchy or smooth? Sweet or savory? Is it something we love or something we merely like?

Mindful eating is much like exercising mindfulness in other areas of our lives. It involves slowing down and paying attention. Here are some tips to help you practice mindful eating:

• Don’t eat on the go. Set aside time to eat so that you really taste your food. • Don’t multi-task. Truly enjoying food means experiencing it without the distractions of TV or social media. Eating while you’re doing other things almost always leads to overeating. • Plan ahead. If you’re planning a celebratory meal, or attending a gathering where there will be lots of yummy food, plan accordingly. Have a small snack ahead of time, so that you won’t be ravenous when you get there. Extreme hunger is also a recipe for overeating, and less enjoyment. • Eat with love. This could mean eating with people you love or enjoying food that you love. • Aim for zero waste. Don’t waste your time or calories on mediocre food. If you’re not a “food-motivated” person, this might seem a little strange, but still important. Make sure you look at, smell and experience food rather than just shoving it into your mouth. • Really taste the food. Experience its texture. Remember the old adage about chewing your food 100 times?

Well, 100 might be a bit of an exaggeration, but you should definitely chew enough times to allow the food to break down in the mouth before sending it to the stomach. • Take time between bites. Put your fork down; ask or answer a question, or offer your dining companion a

smile. By taking time between bites, you taste each bite more fully. This also allows your stomach time to register fullness. • STOP eating before you are full. Have you heard the term food coma? It’s a real thing. It happens when most of your blood flow is shunted to your digestive system following a big meal, rather than to your brain. Eating in this way causes insulin to be dumped into your blood stream and causes your blood sugar to spike. When this happens, food is processed quickly and you get an energy high, only to have it plummet 2-3 hours later and you feel hungry again! This seesaw effect can eventually lead to poor metabolic health, hallmarked by insulin resistance.

Finally, give yourself grace without making excuses. If you want something, eat it. Then don’t beat yourself up over it. Don’t say to yourself, “Oh well, I’ll just wait until January to start eating healthy.” Good health is an every day, every meal decision. We aren’t meant to deprive ourselves of good food. Nor are we meant to indulge in every delicacy. Balance is the key. And that’s what mindfulness is, balanced eating and living!

PL

Amelia Kirkland has been an advocate for good health for more than 30 years. She is the founder of The Helpful Plate (thehelpfulplate.com), a company committed to empowering people to lead fulfilling, healthy lives. She is an avid cyclist, runner and student of Pilates.

WISHING YOU ALL THE HAPPY AND MERRY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Your Convenient Auto Experts

COMPLETE SERVICE, DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIRS

910-295-5888 • 2036 Juniper Lake Road

AAA and Military Discounts • Minutes from the Traffic Circle

The Sandhills’ premier boutique for children’s and women’s needs with a

elegance.

Nursing and maternity fashion up to age 8 Sustainable toys

Bump & Baby | 3 Market Square | Pinehurst 910.420.8655|thebumpandbaby.com Find us on Facebook! Find us on Instagram!