When you understand and become aware of your habits you have the power to change them and make positive choices.
Here’s how to get a grip on the bad habit of mindless eating.
In the past, our ancestors mostly ate for fuel. They had to hunt and gather their food. Physical effort was required to get their daily meals. As a result, there were times when they were hungry, and there were times when they could feast.
Nowadays, we have access to food ALL the time. There is no shortage of food and even the poor people in the US are overweight because they are eating junk meals and snack food. Remember that snack food is scientifically engineered and designed to give you the perfect combination of crunch, flavour, salt to make you crave more. That’s why you can eat a whole bag of chips and not an entire bag of apples.
Food is no longer viewed as a source of fuel. Most people never even let themselves get hungry. They eat round the clock. They eat when they are happy, sad, bored, angry, etc… it’s becoming entertainment for people.
Food has become a form of therapy. As a result, we end up needing food to make ourselves feel better. The problem here is that we don’t crunch on a piece of broccoli or chew on a carrot to feel good.
No no no. That would make things easy. Instead, we crave for foods high in sugar, oil, salt and other harmful additives. Weíre hooked and addicted to these foods without realizing it.
The hidden sugar in most foods will spike our blood sugar levels and give us a temporary high only to have our moods come crashing down later. And if you’re eating prepared foods you have the double edge sword of eating foods that are engineered to make you eat more. What do we do then?
We eat more to get another high. Once again, our blood sugar levels spike, insulin is released and the excess glucose gets stored as fat.
This scenario plays itself over and over every single day. The end result is insulin insensitivity, obesity and possible diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol levels. You can face serious health consequences from mindless eating.
It’s always harder to regain your health than it is to lose it.
All these problems arise because we eat when we are not hungry. Eating for entertainment will not take you where you want to go.
* How to remedy this problem
The first step is mindfulness. Before you eat anything, ask yourself why youíre eating it. Are you hungry or do you just want something to munch on while you watch Game of Thrones?
If it’s the latter, you don’t need the food. Put it aside and tell yourself that you only eat when you’re hungry.
And if you’re not sure whether you are hungry or not, drink a glass of water or two and wait 10 minutes. In most cases, the hunger will disappear. You were never really hungry. Your mind is just reacting from habit.
* Is it aligned with your weight loss goals?
Before eating any meal, look at the food and ask yourself if you are eating more than necessary. You do need to maintain a caloric deficit to lose weight. Sometimes, your portion sizes may be too large and work against your efforts.
Next, look at the foods you’re eating and ask yourself if they are hurting or helping with your weight loss journey. If most of the food on your plate is starchy carbohydrates, you are not helping your cause.
Reduce the portion of carbs and increase your portion of protein, fats and veggies. Focus on eating real food for the win.
* How To Deal With Boredom
Boredom can set in when you’re aimlessly going through the daily motions. Mindfulness will make you aware whenever you’re about to eat just to pass the time.
Typing on the computer at work while you pop in 2 M&Ms in your mouth every minute or so?
Stop. You don’t need the chocolate. Just focus on your work and toss the chocolate in the bin. You’re trying to lose weight. Remember your priorities and keep your eye on the prize.
Apply this mindfulness throughout your waking hours so that you are literally a gatekeeper to your mouth and every morsel of food that makes it through will have to pass your test. It’s like the old saying… a moment on the lips, forever on the hips.
Mindless eating is a bad habit. Put an end to it with mindfulness.
And by forming that good habit around your food habits you are able to take your life to the next level in all areas. Mindfulness is the most important thing you can work on to be aware on a conscious level of all the good things you really want to create.
You’ve got this!