Do you ever reach into a pack of Oreos expecting to just one more, only to realize the bag is EMPTY? Wouldn’t you love to just blame it on the dog, or your kids?
Unfortunately, the odds are you devoured the entire thing without even realizing it. That’s right, your mind was somewhere else while the Oreos vanished! Mindless eating has become a common phenomenon in the past several years. From eating on the run, eating in our cars or at our desks; from grabbing something and eating while we are getting ready, or eating whatever is available, it has definitely taken precedence over sitting down and having a nice meal with others. Even when we do sit down, we find our phones, TV, email, and a hundred other things take our attention away from what is important at that moment… OUR FOOD!
Life demands our attention CONSTANTLY! However, not stopping and paying attention to the food on your plate will cost you!
Mindless eating over time can become a nasty habit that will quickly PACK on the pounds.
So, let’s nip that habit in the bud and get started with some new HEALTHY habits!
Here’s why mindless eating can get in the way of your fitness goals and our BEST tips to FIT IT.
Mistake #1 – Eating like it’s a race!
- Do you brag about how quickly you scarf down food? Eating quickly means (most times) we are not chewing our food well.
- Digestion starts in the mouth! And if you’re not chewing well it may cause digestive distress. Not to mention less absorption of nutrients.
- Also, the brain does not get invited to the party!?
- It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get signals of fullness from your stomach.
- You may have had the right amount of food but because the brain doesn’t get the signals you may say “I’m still hungry” and reach for a dollar for the vending machine. We end up eating calories we didn’t really need.
Fix it Tip #1:
- Take your time:
- Set a timer on your phone for 30 seconds. Make sure you chew your food for the entire 30 seconds before swallowing.
- Put down the utensils between bites
- Eat with your non-dominant hand (this is bound to get you to slow down)
Mistake # 2 – Influential Eating
- Ever gotten seconds just because someone else in the table did? Social influences are very powerful! If we are not mindful during meals, we may just fall victim to the social pressure to eat like those around us.
- For example, Thanksgiving! Such an amazing holiday to enjoy some delicious cooking! You finish you plate; you feel pretty satisfied. Others get up for seconds. You sit there, you start feeling left out. The uncomfortable feeling may lead you to start wondering if you should just go for more.
Fix it Tip # 2:
- “I’m satisfied!” Say it out LOUD!
- Why not be the influence that others follow? If you had plenty SAY IT! Others will hear you and ask themselves “Am I satisfied?”
- Find your GOAL oriented TRIBE!
- It works both ways! So GET POSITIVE INFLUENCES!
- Our Bombshell VIP Program includes an AMAZING Private Facebook group of like-minded women with the same goals as YOU! Our coaches, staff, registered dietitian, and Shannon Dey herself are constantly active on the page to keep you motivated and influence you to make decisions TOWARDS your goals! We can’t wait to see you there!
- Not a member yet… see below for a very special offer!
Mistake #3 – Eating while Stressing!
- If we are eating mindlessly while we angrily reply to emails or texts we run into another big problem, eating in STRESS MODE!
- Stress is the body’s way of identifying a problem, and because our bodies have NOT evolved to 2019 stressors, it still thinks a LION is after you!
- When your body experiences stress, the fight or flight response kicks in. Blood rushes away from the stomach and to the limbs to help you RUN (or fight).
- Stress affects Digestion!
- Cramping, bloating, nausea, inflammation, improper digestion (constipation and/or diarrhea), and an imbalance in gut bacteria are a few of the negative effects of stress on digestion.
Fix it Tip #3:
- Take. A. Breath! Or 2, or 3!
- Before eating a meal take a minute to relax your body
- Practice a little 2 minutes breathing exercise
- Put down the stressor. Disconnect from what has been stressing you. It will be there when you are finished, and honestly, taking a break from it may help you find a solution.
Mistake #4 – Mindless Foods + Screens = BIG TROUBLE
- We call mindless foods those foods that are made to be eaten easily (little chewing necessary), have little nutritional value, are not filling, and are perfectly DESIGNED to keep you reaching for more!
- Examples of mindless foods:
- Chips
- Bite size cookies
- Ice cream
- Bite size candies
- The use of screens during meal time sucks up all our attention. When this happens, we don’t even savor our food because our head is too distracted with the moving pictures.
- Combine mindless foods with a strong distraction such as a screen and you get thousands of calories GONE with zero recollection of how those Oreos disappeared.
Fix it Tip #4:
- There is nothing wrong with enjoying some snack foods while watching a movie or the big game. To avoid the trap of Mindless eating choose snacks that will:
- Require chewing
- Provide nutritional benefits
- Fill you up (look for fiber and protein!)
- Examples:
- Veggies and dip
- Trail mix
- Air pop popcorn
- Pita and veggies with hummus
- Portion it out.
- Take it out of the container and serve the amount you would like to enjoy.
- If you can see it as you eat it, you will be more MINDFUL!
- Turn off the Screens
- If you decide to enjoy a Mindless food enjoy it without the screen to gain 100% satisfaction from you treat.
Food is so wonderful and is meant to be ENJOYED. We can all gain the benefits of food (enjoyment and nutrition) if we give it the attention it DESERVES. Be a mindful Bombshell this Holiday season and stay on track. You will find that your New Year’s goals are a lot more achievable if you get a great HEAD START! – Sign up TODAY!
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2020 your BEST year YET!
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