Sometimes food is just so…….tasty.
And it's not just the abundance of delicious food but also the people, the ambiance. It is way too easy (and common) to indulge when you’re feeling the ‘food love.’ Sometimes this is at holidays or celebrations. But it doesn't always stop there. Sometimes we overeat. All.The.Time. Here are some suggestions to help overeating at meals and turn these habits into healthy behaviors. Start with some lemon water, bitters or apple cider vinegar. When your stomach is growling and you smell amazingly delicious food it's all too easy to mound a plate and dive into a "see" of food. (I love puns, sorry!) But did you know that it's possible to sometimes confuse the feeling of thirst with that of hunger? You may actually be craving a big glass of water. Some studies have shown that drinking a glass or two of water before a meal can help reduce the amount of food eaten. And this super-simple act of hydration may even help with weight loss (...just sayin'). But here’s the catch: too much water before a meal can dilute the all important stomach acid needed to digest your meal. A couple of tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, raw apple cider vinegar (ACV) or tasty herbal bitters combination like this one from Urban Moonshine mixed into 4 ounces of pure water will help prime your digestive system so that you can properly digest that delicious food. Not only will the lemon, ACV or bitters 'mocktail' start to fill up your stomach before you get to down to your meal and leave less room for your feast, but being properly hydrated has been shown to slightly increase your metabolism. If the concoction is a little too sharp on your tongue you can add about a tablespoon of immune-boosting raw, local honey to make the drink more palatable. Win-win! Whoop-whoop! Eat mindfully. You've heard of mindfulness but have you applied it to your eating habits? I talked a little about this in my last blog post. Intention. Mindfulness. Same thing, different post. Mindfulness can help you avoid overeating as well as having the added bonus of helping your digestion. Just as being mindful when you meditate helps to focus your attention on your breathing and the present moment, being mindful when you eat helps to focus your attention on your meal. Remember: intention is an “inside job.” It’s up to you, not the food. Eat smaller bites. Eat more slowly. Chew more thoroughly. Savour every mouthful. Notice and appreciate the smell, taste and texture. Eat off a small plate, not out of a pan. Turn off your phone and the TV. Eat with a friend, put your fork down, listen and chat. Breathe. Laugh. All these behaviors can help prevent overeating because eating slower often means eating less. When you eat quickly you can easily overeat because it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know that your stomach is full. So take your time, pay attention to your food and enjoy every bite. Start with a salad. You may be yearning for that rich, creamy main dish but don’t start there. A salad primes your digestion, especially if it has some arugula, mustard greens, celery tops or other bitter greens in it. Veggies are a great way to start any meal because they're full of not only vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and health-promoting phytochemicals (all these equal nutrient density) but they also have some key satiety elements: fiber and water. Fiber and water are known to help fill you up and make you feel fuller. These are great assets not only for nutrition and digestion, but also when you're about to indulge in a large meal. And a note on feeling fuller: Your stomach has 2 ways of sensing fullness: one is by sensing nutrient density, “thanks for giving me the fuel I needed to help your body move and groove efficiently ” or by volume, “you just filled me up like a water balloon and there is no more space.” Nutrient dense foods (raw fruits and veggies, especially) fuel the body. Nutrient deficient foods (junk or other processed foods) leave the body wanting more, even though you feel stuffed, because your body craves optimal functioning. So: Have your glass of lemon water, apple cider vinegar or bitter ‘mocktail.’ Eat mindfully. Start with your salad to stimulate digestion and create fiber and water nutrient dense bulk in your stomach. Recipes Here are some tasty (and beautiful) pre-meal water ideas: If you're not much of a plain water drinker or need your water to be more appealing to your senses here are five delicious (and beautiful looking) fruit combos to add to your large glass of water:
You can buy a bag (or several bags) of frozen chopped fruit and throw those into your cup, thermos, or uber-cool mason jar in the morning. They're already washed and cut and will help keep your water colder longer. I've been editing this blog for about 3 hours. Yikes! Whatever significant thought or sentence I have lost due to my ineptness with computer editing is of no importance. In the words of Michael Pollan, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Shine on, hydrate, breathe and eat your salad first. That European idea of eating a salad after your meal is not what it’s cracked up to be. Happy Valentine's Day from my heart to yours. Beth
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