Don’t Stop
Eating. Stop Eating in Front of the TV.
Quick. Name everything you’ve eaten in the past 12 hours. Then
describe in graphic detail the distinct tastes and textures of each bite you
consumed.
What’s that? You’re having trouble remembering?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Eating consciously and with purpose
is one of the toughest things to achieve with today’s pace of life. Yet it is
an essential step toward adopting a healthy lifestyle through the Feel Good
Naked program.
Here is the mantra I want you to repeat:
"I will observe and decide what to eat, then enjoy my choices
with awareness."
If you can follow this simple directive, trust me—you will be
feeling good naked in no time.
I have had several low points in my life when I ate with blind
abandon, in an effort to avoid unpleasant feelings. You should see how fast I
can put away a jumbo bag of potato chips—without remembering a single chip. I’m
here to tell you, it doesn’t work. Mindless unconscious eating will not—I
repeat—will not eliminate painful feelings. In fact, your original angst will
be compounded, since in addition to your mental pain, you aren’t able to manage
your weight effectively either. And the truth is, being emotionally distraught and
fat is much harder than taking control of your eating habits, addressing your
emotional pitfalls, and making changes. So much of unbalanced eating is about trying to fill the voids in
our hearts. We try to use food as a companion. We eat to not feel –
lonely, sad, desperate, depressed, isolated – the list goes on. But by being
aware enough to stop yourself before you begin unconscious eating, and
defining the troubling feelings you’re trying to avoid, you can actually help
yourself in two ways: by stopping the unchecked inflow of excess calories, and
by confronting your feelings and working to overcome them. Ask yourself the next time you feel one hand frantically feeding
your mouth, while the other hand pushes the television remote, "WHAT DO I
FEEL RIGHT THIS SECOND?" These are usually the feelings you are trying to
stuff away—or eat away. Unless you address them, those feelings will remain
buried under layers of fat.
Whether you are divorced, widowed, a student, or simply choose to
live alone, here are my suggestions for creating a healthier, more enjoyable
meal experience. These same suggestions apply if you dine with others:
-Shop for dinner during the day when you have a full stomach.
-Buy delicious fresh prepared foods so you don’t have to cook for
one (save fried or sauce-laden foods only for rare occasions).
-Plan dinner as if you are sharing the experience with someone
else, i.e. set a place mat, napkin
and silverware, pour yourself a glass of wine and/or a glass of water, light a
candle or place a flower in a bud vase on the table. I also like to say a
silent prayer or affirmation
before I begin eating.
-Place the appropriate serving sizes onto your plate before you
sit down to dine. Don’t set the
entire container of pasta salad on the table, otherwise you’ll be tempted to
nibble on extra calories after your plate is empty.
-Direct your full attention to savoring your dinner; don’t answer
the phone or door during your meal.
-Soothing, enjoyable music is a wonderful dinner companion, but
television, radio, newspapers, books, and other distractions are not.
-Try to eat dinner before 9:00 p.m., ensuring that this is the
last food you consume for the night.
-Try to spend at least 30 minutes enjoying the meal (the longer,
the better).
-After your meal is complete, don’t simply rush out the door, on
to your next activity. Give yourself a few minutes to enjoy the
"glow" of a good meal by doing something fairly sedentary: reading,
listening to music or radio, or yes, even watching television (If there is a
program being aired during your meal that you want to watch, tape it and watch
it when you are finished eating.)
The following tips are specifically directed at super-moms who
tend to view meals as a small blip in the day between doctor appointments and
basketball practice:
-Insist that the family gather for at least one meal a day,
whether it’s breakfast, dinner, or lunch. Studies have shown that successful,
well-adjusted teenagers often eat at least one meal a day with the rest of the
family.
-Emphasize variety, nutrition, and family preferences over what
you’re "supposed" to serve for a given meal. For example, who says
sandwiches are only for lunch? Or eggs and pancakes are only for breakfast?
-Don’t turn your dining table into a buffet table or a battle
field. Offer a healthy choice of foods and back off. What’s the use of forcing
your four-year-old to gag down broccoli—if everyone’s lost their appetite by
the time the war is over?
-Enlist your family to help clear the table and wash the dishes,
while you take a few minutes to let your meal settle.
