Читать книгу Simply Laura Lea - Laura Lea - Страница 34

Practice mindful eating: Researcher Ingrid

Elizabeth Lofgren writes, “Mindful eating is a

nonjudgmental acceptance of physical and emotional

feelings while eating or in an eating environment.”¹² Studies indicate that mindful eating is associated with weight loss, increased fiber intake, and lower transfat and sugar consumption. To practice mindful eating, give yourself time and space and as few distractions as possible when you eat. Eat slowly. Chew. Notice the flavors, the textures, any sensations associated with enjoying the food. Swallow and reflect on the experience. When I practice mindful eating, I have a much easier time noticing when I am comfortably full and stopping there.

Live in the present: When I allow what I’ve been

eating to determine what I will eat, I often ignore

my body’s actual desires. Perhaps I’ve been on an

indulgent vacation, so I feel that I “should” be craving

a kale salad. And yet, my body wants something

heartier and more substantial, like a burger and

fries. In my experience, if I go for the kale salad

anyway, I will be left unsatisfied, rummaging around

the pantry grabbing handfuls of snacky foods.

As my favorite podcast-host Elizabeth Benton

says, “Every choice is a chance.” Don’t focus

on what you’ve done; focus on the moment you’re

in. Be gentle and forgiving with yourself—you are

not the decisions you’ve made, and you’re never

stuck or “too late.” Whether it is with food, your

career, your relationships, or anything else,

you will lose your way. You will make mistakes.

Because you’re human, and imperfection is knitted

throughout the human experience. What matters

is the perspective you choose to have every day.

When I treat myself with grace and generosity,

I am more likely to make a choice that is healthy

for both my body and my mind.

¹² Ingrid Elizabeth Lofgren, “Mindful Eating: An Emerging Approach for Healthy Weight Management,” American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 9, no. 3 (May 1, 2015): 212–16, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1559827615569684.