Mindful Eating | A Reminder from Farm Foodie Fitness

by: Kelly Roberts

With the holidays lurking around the corner and quickly approaching… our schedules begin to fill up and bog us down with stress and a long to do list. Kids activities, church functions, shopping, sending cards, parties, eating, drinking, did I say eating? We tend to load ourselves down with alcohol, lots of sugar, more coffee, and heavy and fatty foods as the holidays blow by us. We reach for the convenient and fast foods because that’s all we have time for. So here are a few tips on how to slow down, enjoy yourself, the food you’re consuming, and really take care of yourself over the next month so that the new year isn’t filled with regret and wonder on how the holidays flew by again and you never got a second to take a breath and actually stop and take them all in.

1. Only eat sitting down with no distractions. That means turning off the tv, hiding the magazines, catalogs, and cell phones!

2. Eat only till your 80% full. Eating till your so full and uncomfortable isn’t worth the misery.

3. Chew your food! We tend to shovel our food down especially when we’re in a hurry. The slower you eat and chew your food, you trick your brain into thinking your full and you’ll eat less! Easy weight-loss plan!

4. Moderation, moderation. Everything in moderation! As humans we tend to overdo everything. Eat wisely and choose the things you love to eat. Don’t just pile it on the plate because it’s in front of you.

5. See how your food makes you feel. If eating a whole loaf of rosemary Ciabatta bread makes you feel bloated and not so hot afterwards (which it should!) Don’t eat it! If lots of sugar makes you sluggish, wheat makes you feel weighed down, or alcohol makes for a long recovery-avoid these!

6. Learn to eat the good for you foods and save the sweets as a treat. You’re guaranteed to enjoy them more when you only consume them once in a while.

New years is right around the corner, where we concentrate on making changes and setting goals for ourselves and our health. Why not start early this year and not have such large and unattainable goals for the new year. We’ve stopped enjoying food and made it a race to see how quickly and how much we can consume. We’re scarfing it down so fast we’re not even tasting it. The purpose of food is to nourish our bodies, nurture our souls, spend time with family and share our days stories and laughs. We’re supposed to smell, taste, touch, savour, and be apart of our food. Some where we lost the meaning of food and now it’s become an epidemic. So spend the holidays enjoying yourselves, eat, drink and be merry but also be mindful and realize what’s important to yourself, your friends, and your loved ones. Take care of your bodies, your mind, and your souls this holiday season!