Mindful Eating
I recently heard something on the radio about Covid-19, and the “quarantine 15”. The announcer joked and said essentially that we should all just be giving up and in to the extra weight. Something like “Let’s all collectively agree that we’re all going to put on weight when this is all said and done.” What I heard was not something to joke about. It’s a pretty big deal to make a decision to let the stress of a situation cause you to binge eat, overeat or overindulge. I think if this pandemic can teach us one thing, and it’s a very powerful thing, is more than ever we need to be focussing on our health. It’s so obvious to me. It’s not time to be gluttonous. But it’s also not time to be scarce. There’s a balance in there!
Now I’m far from perfect. And emotional eating has been an awareness for me. And a friend dropped off a bag of Oreo cookies this week as a beautiful gesture. She knows I love them. And I was so proud and so in control the first day and I only ate four. After an hour jog. And I was happy with that. I thought I had finally learned that I could just eat a few!
Two days went by. I dropped the kids off at their dads and went for another run. Then I came home and ate another Oreo. But I didn’t stop at four this time. I felt like I was living in a world of no worries and somehow I managed to eat Oreos for lunch and dinner that day. I pretty much decided by the sixth one that I was just going to give in and enjoy them all. And I did. Without regret and I felt fully in control. Which is a long way from where I’ve been.
I’m super aware how this behaviour could easily spiral. I know I won’t let it, but I understand how it could happen, and how it does happen.
So, trust me when I say that I know you can easily give in to stress eating and accept extra weight as normal. It would be easy to just eat all the things. Overindulge. But overeating isn’t really helping you deal with stress. It’s not helping you cope. Maybe in the moment it feels great but is it aligned with who you are?
Eating healthy is one of my top priorities and that’s the person I am. I may have a day where I indulge, but it’s rare. I wanted to honour the gift from a friend and not get super caught up in if what I was doing was wrong and bad or fine and acceptable. That can be exhausting. I know it’s not aligned with my health goals but I have also learned not to be upset with myself for enjoying treats from time to time. Lots of women will tell you it’s totally normal to eat an entire bag in one sitting. I get it. But I know that there’s nothing nutritional in them and it’s just best to get them all out of the house. See how I manage to justify?!
I also know that it’s not an excuse to continue giving in to indulgences. I know the importance of making healthy choices and I feel grateful that my body will actually ask for a salad after a day of treats. I bet if you listen closely, your body is asking that too!
Okay, so the message here for you… if you’ve been feeling stressed and turning to too many treats, just think about what you’re eating and why. Before you eat it. That’s all I’m asking. Be mindful. And don’t feel bad if you decide to eat it, but make it a choice. We might not have control over what’s going on in the world right now, but we do have control over what we put in our mouths.
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Wishing you more peace, balance, happiness, vibrant health and lasting love.
Sandy xo
"What we think, we become." -Buddha