"It is lunchtime and you find yourself stuck at your computer
replying to the constant stream of emails that keep hitting your inbox and as
women we love to multitask. So you get through your emails while munching your
way through lunch. Hitting two birds with one stone. You finally come to the
end of your email session to find that your have devoured your whole lunch
without even registering you were eating. We have all been there right.
Thinking “I can’t have eaten that whole thing, where is the rest? Someone must
have eaten it.”
This is a sign of mindless eating which is so common in this
day and age as there is so much to do but so little time. We are rushing around
grabbing food on the go and not taking the time to really be present with our
food. Our bodies can only do one thing at a time so it is not registering that
you have eaten which tends to lead you to feeling unsatisfied with cravings at
an all time high. This leads you to devouring one to many digestive biscuits
around mid afternoon. Not a great habit to get used to.
So if you are looking to get your digestion on track, lose a few pounds and
start to become more in tune with yourself so you can understand what your body
is really craving then please start putting these 3 steps into practise so you
can become a more mindful eater.
Make eating a special
event
Food is something to be enjoyed. It is one of the most
amazing pleasures in life. So make sure you treat it like so. Step away from
your desk, put down that magazine and turn off your TV. Focus purely on your
food with no distractions. Make your surroundings a place of calm, light a few
candles, turn on some relaxing music or find a nice spot outside for lunch.
Take a break to nourish your mind and body and you will feel energised and more
focussed because of it and less snacking will take place due to the fact your
body has registered that it has eaten.
Take stress out of
the equation
If you eat in a stressed state your digestion will be
severally compromised. Have you ever thought that you are doing all the right
things and ticking all the right boxes such as eating well, exercising and
drinking enough water but never seem to achieve that flat stomach. Well this
comes down to not what you eat but how you eat. When you are stressed, blood
gets pumped to your arms and legs and away from your digestive system as it
registers your stress as danger and wants to be prepared to ‘run away’ from the
danger so the foods that you consume are not being digested at an optimal
level. Decrease your stress levels by taking 3 long deep breathes, in through
your nose and out through your mouth. This breathing exercise helps lower the
stress hormone, cortisol, in your body so will help in improving your digestion
and get you one step closer to a flat tummy.
Create a strong mind
body connection
Once you are sitting down in a clam environment and you are
feeling relaxed. Simply say thank you for the food you are about to eat. This
brings your awareness to the present moment and away from the to do list you
have to get through or the washing that might be waiting to get done. When you
are disconnected from your body it is hard to distinguish what your body truly
needs. People often confuse physical hunger with emotional hunger. So ask
yourself, “What does my body really need in this moment, what am I really
hungry for?” If you are in fact hungry then eat slowly and enjoy every mouthful
but if something emotional comes up try and soothe yourself in other ways such
as going for a walk, calling a friend or having a lovely bath.
