This week I have been focusing on mindful eating. I mentioned earlier this week that I was going to be eating raw breakfasts (home-made fruit smoothies with almond milk) every day this week, and I have lived up to that promise. There are only two days to go, and I am feeling fantastic. My usual breakfast prior to starting this challenge was oatmeal with cinnamon topped with some fruit. Although this is definitely a nutritious breakfast, it was a very heavy meal to start the day with. Starting with fruit makes me feel energized and light. I always felt a little bit bloated with the oatmeal, but I don’t experience that sensation with my fruit smoothies. I highly encourage everyone to try this out, and see how they feel. Starting your day off right will only help you as you continue on through your day. Minus Thursday (where I did binge a little bit – I’m only human), I’ve been very in-tune with my body when it comes to eating. I’ve been eating all whole foods (foods that I can name every ingredient used to make it), and have been eating only when I’m hungry. Besides the positive effects that eating this way have on your energy levels, it also makes you feel empowered because you can confidently say that food does not have power over you. You are in control. You’ll also see your cravings for “bad food” diminish.

Now, I have a little bit of a challenge for you all. I’ve observed the following bad habit in myself and others:

When eating your meal do you prepare for the next bite while chewing the food in your mouth? As an experiment, next time you eat your breakfast, lunch, or dinner put the spoon or fork down while you’re chewing and just enjoy the taste of the food. Want to take it further? Try closing your eyes and allow your senses to become immersed in the texture and different tastes of your meal. Doing this will diminish the likelihood that you’re going to want to eat more after you’ve finished your meal , because eating this slowly is just going to make you feel satisfied.

One of the reasons we shovel tons of food into our mouths is because we’re either starving or in a hurry. Eating breakfast, and packing snacks will help you get through the day will help you to avoid those feelings of starvation, so you won’t feel desperate to get food into your body after you’re done work. As far as eating quickly because you’re in a hurry, I feel that it is important that you schedule enough time to eat your meals. If this means getting up earlier, then do it. Your health is important, and if you are someone who has a tendency to overeat, then this might be just the lifestyle change you’ve been looking for.

Try it out for yourself. I’m going to be taking my own advice tomorrow, and I’ll update you on the results in tomorrow’s blog post.

Also, check out the website Grounded Nutrition for more information about living a holistic lifestyle.

To book a FREE one-on-one Health Assessment with Kaitlin, e-mail her at kaitlin@groundednutrition.com