Mindless Eating and How to Change It
I love thoughtless habits! They free up my mind for lots of other good things, but when it comes to food it gets complicated. Nothing good ever comes from too much of something. It’s easy to let everything you do with food become habitual from what you buy to what you eat. We can all use a bit of redirection when it comes to daily eating to keep our bodies strong and our minds active.
The best way to get started is by taking notice of the things that have become repetitious. Then notice how you feel. Sometimes that little bit of attention is all you need to realize a particular food might not be the best for you. If you’ve got symptoms you can’t seem to shake, maybe it’s time for a shift.
Challenge yourself:
Are you hungry or are you thirsty? Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference. Often your body is just crying for hydration. Instead of food, hydrate first.
Do you add salt to food before tasting it? Stop. Taste first, then decide.
Grabbing seconds already? Give yourself a pause before you grab more of something. You might not really need it. Give your body a chance to digest what it already has.
Are you buying that box of cereal because you always have? Take a look at the box ingredients and food label. Is it worth eating? If not, take a bit of extra time to find an alternative to try. Maybe there’s one with less sugar, less ingredients, less healthy claims that all amount to nothing.
Always eating something sweet after your meal? Put down the package of cookies and ice cream tonight and grab a small bowl of berries instead. Perhaps add a tablespoon of creamy plain yogurt to them or even a spoonful of cream.
Is late afternoon your chip time? Instead of grabbing the Doritos, try something else crunchy instead: a raw carrot, celery or a handful of nuts might do the trick.
Buy a new fruit or vegetable this week that you’ve never tried. Be adventurous!
Reaching for the diet coke? Try a glass of water, make it sparkling if you like the fizz.
Is pizza your easy go to when you’re short on time? Next time when it’s been a long day, go for a prepared green salad mix instead and add some diced mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and maybe even a few croutons drizzled with olive oil and you’ve created your pizza salad within minutes.
Coffee with sugar your morning thing? This week try a pinch less sugar and next week two less pinches. See how far you go? This is how I got my husband to give up sugar in his coffee completely: ) You can too.
