My Story
There was a time in my life where I ate junk food and needlessly snacked throughout the day. I was overweight, and addicted to fatty and sugary food which made me mindlessly overeat.
What concerned me wasn’t the fact that I ate junk food to relieve my cravings. It was that I would eat mindlessly, and that every bite was filled with emotions and regret. I was stuck in this cycle of “emotional cravings” –> eating unhealthy food –> “regrets” that I ate that food –> more emotional cravings.
I didn’t realize how badly I used to treat my body until I just started to practice healthy eating behaviors. More importantly, I learned to listen to my body and understand what it craved were essential nutrients that were lacking in my diet. I learned to pay attention. I paid attention to my emotions while I was eating. I paid attention to the food that was in front of me while I was eating. I minimized the distractions I had in my surroundings.
Attentive Eating
Scientists say that eating more attentively can aid in food intake regulation. Personally, there are 3 behavioral strategies that have helped me pay attention to the food that I am eating.
- Awareness begins at the grocery stores. When you are walking down the aisles of the grocery store and you pick up an item, think to yourself, “Do you really need this food item?” If you make a grocery list before you go to the store, you are more likely to stick to the list instead of getting distracted by “fancy food labels” that say things like “healthy”, “organic”, or “fat-free.”
You must be vigilant about the food that you are consuming. I am not here to convince you to follow a plant based lifestyle, which is predominately a lifestyle that I’ve been practicing over the last 5 years. Studies have shown that following a whole foods plant based nutrition can help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. You can read the article here if you’re interested.
As a lifestyle medicine advocate, I can help you become more aware of the food that you consume. Predominately, one should consume more green light foods and less yellow & red light foods.
Green light foods: Whole foods that are plant based (ie. fruits, vegetables, legumes, starches, nuts, seeds and unprocessed grains)
Yellow light foods: Processed plant foods and unprocessed animal foods (ie. breads, pasta, juices, cooked/fermented vegetables etc).
Red light foods: Ultra processed plant foods and processed animal foods (ie. soda, chips, candies, chocolates etc.)
If you’re interested in learning more about this concept, you can watch Dr. Gregor’s Dining by Traffic Light video.
2. Being in a distraction free environment can help us achieve attentive eating. This means to not eat our meals in front of a television or a computer screen. People end up being distracted by the tv shows or consumption of media. Which means that you don’t pay attention to the cues that you’ve eaten enough such as your stomach feeling “full” or how much of the food you’ve eaten from your plate, hence you overeat. Food also ends up becoming less satisfying because your attention is on the tv screen. Research has supported this claim as well.
To help combat boredom while I’m eating a meal is that I have begun to eat dinner with my family – no phone or distractions in the room. It allows me to have social engagements and build positive relationships with the people that I’m close with.
3. Create a healthy, positive eating environment when you are taking a meal. Making a meal can be something that everyone in the family is involved with. Trying out a new recipe can be something you and your date can enjoy. You can start off your meal with a prayer and be grateful for the food that is in front of you. You can have potlucks or have your friends come over for dinner over the weekend. Whatever the case is, being in an uplifting environment when having a meal can help regulate your emotions and mood. You cherish the memories that you have shared with your loved ones.
These are just 3 simple behaviors that you can imbibe into your life. I, personally have lost over 40 lbs over the span of three years by making small improvements in my daily life. None of these behaviors are strict all-or-nothing life-changing event. They are simple changes that you can customize as you see fit.
I’d be happy to hear any stories you’ve personally had in your journey of healthy eating. You can contact me by filling out the contact form, or comment below.
Cheers to a happy & healthy life!