Mindful Eating Contract

Why be original 24/7 when so many people have already come up with great things? With everything that is currently going on in my life (moving, starting fall classes, interning in a 5th grade classroom), I don't have time to come up with new and brilliant topics (not that my stuff is New or Brilliant, but you know what I mean). What I can make time for, however, is to write down other things that people have already written. That way, I save time, and everyone benefits.

So, here is something that I found from the book I mentioned last time- Eating Mindfully by Susan Albers, psy.d. It is called the Mindful Eating Contract, and it is a list of "rules" that you can apply to your own eating-related habits and thoughts.
Here, directly from the book (I love that blogs allow us to plagiarize), the Mindful Eating Contract (p.55):

1. I agree to eat mindfully. I will eat with diligent thought from this point forward. 

2. I agree to change my attitude toward eating completely, on a full-time basis. I understand that diets don't work. 

3. I agree to think about what I eat moment to moment. 

4. I agree to consider each bite on multiple levels by taking into account the taste, texture, quality, 

bodily reaction, and sensations I experience when I eat.

5. I agree to eliminate my diet mentality. I will do this by rejecting dieting advice and books, and by becoming nonjudgmental of myself. 

6. I agree to be nonjudgmental of other people's eating habits, weight, and body shape. 

7. I agree to have compassion for myself. 

8. I agree to be mindful of my speech. I will eliminate terms like "restricting" or "forbidden food" from my vocabulary, and I will start using words like healthy, organic, natural, and energizing, both in my thoughts and conversations. 

Go for a bike ride instead of stressing about food.

9. I agree that being healthy and living mindfully is my number one goal. 

10. I agree to accept myself and my body as is. 

11. I agree to be aware of the unique eating challenges I face.

12. I agree to accept how uncomfortable, scary, and wrong it feels to let go of dieting. 

Signature:



Why do I like this? Well, it exemplifies how I try and think about food and my body each day. I went through long dieting phases in high school, and for the past four years or so, I have practiced letting go of that mentality. I can say that refocusing my attention from weight loss to overall health, has made me a healthier and happier person than before. If you find yourself constantly dieting or trying to change the way that you look, ask yourself "why"? Many of us believe that losing weight is the answer to everything. "If I were just ten pounds thinner, than so-and-so would like me." "If I looked like her, people would admire and respect me. . . ." Good and bad things happen to people of all shapes and sizes (example: super models poop, and they occasionally have diarrhea just like the rest of us). Think of the people in your own life who you love and respect. Do they have perfect bodies and perfect eating control at all times? No, they do not.

Mommy and Me- camping and EATING!

If you find yourself constantly under eating, overeating, or feeling guilty about food, it's time to check out some resources. Food is a necessity for life, and you must eat it in order to flourish and grow. Why be stressed about it when you don't have to be? Listen to your body, enjoy the food that you eat, and move on to bigger and better activities. Thoughts?
Talk to you soon!
Love,
Dana

Eat like a kid again- they know what's up.

Eat When You're Hungry: Practicing Mindful Eating

Funny story: last week, when I was on my way to Crested Butte, I stopped at the bank to make a quick deposit (first deposit in a long time). After driving up to the ATM, I could not find my debit card. Hmm...Where could it be? I racked my brain for all the possible locations, realizing that I had not seen it since Saturday night. Instantly, I realized my card was still at the bar. Oops! It happens to the best of us. 

Luckily, Absinth House (the bar) happened to be right around the corner from my bank. I drove over, and to my dismay, realized that it didn’t open until 11 am (it was 9:45). As a way to kill time, I went to the public library, and searched for some new books on health and fitness (ironic that this is what I did after I had been “crazy” enough to leave my card at the bar). I found some awesome books that helped me find words to many of the jumbled, random thoughts in my head. 

One particular book has made me think a lot about mindful eating. In fact, it is called Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating & Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with Food by Susan Albers, psy.d. This book defines mindful and mindless eating, and offers 46 different tips and strategies to help people develop a positive relationship with food. It does NOT advocate dieting. I am going to write about a few main points that I have been incorporating into my daily life. 

The first step to mindful eating: Eat when you’re Hungry. This may seem like an easy strategy. However, when battling the voices in your head, the plans of the day, and all the other factors that influence our eating, eating when you’re hungry can be very, very difficult.

Try this: throughout the day, notice when your stomach growls and feed it as soon as possible (you may need to bring snacks along if you anticipate hunger). When you reunite with this basic bodily function, you will find how often it occurs. Pick a healthy snack or meal, sit down with your food, and enjoy every bite of it. Do not wait until your hunger becomes unbearable, because this often leads to overeating and feelings of guilt. In fact, many health experts recommend eating five to six small meals a day, rather than three “square meals” a day. Here are a few scenarios (with strategies to help) when we tend to ignore our hunger:

Scenario 1: Dinner with Friends or Family

It’s 6:30 pm, and you have dinner reservations at your favorite restaurant at 8:00 pm. You are excited for fondue, but you are STARVING. What do you do? 

Dinner for Tallie's Birthday

Here’s my advice: have a small snack before you dine out. It’s not safe to wait because this may result in bingeing and mindless eating. I like to have a balanced snack of carbs and protein, like a banana with peanut butter, or yogurt with almonds (more snack ideas listed at the end). When you sit down to eat later that evening, you will be able to enjoy the ambience of the restaurant, and the company of friends, rather than eating as fast as possible.

Biking with Kat- Finding a Moment to Enjoy the View

Scenario #2: Battling Negative Thoughts:

Many of us have wanted to lose weight at some point in our lives. For whatever reasons, we are displeased with the way we look and feel. I’ve been there, and it makes eating when you’re hungry very challenging. Under-eating and avoiding food can result in many negative consequences. The first is that often leads to mindless eating later on. The second is that it makes losing weight difficult because your metabolism slows down as a way to preserve the calories that are in your body. In my own experience, I find that negative thoughts and criticisms ultimately lead me to overeat, rather than to lose weight. Remember, your body needs food no matter what. Try and find foods that are satisfying and healthy, and incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Starvation is no good, and it will lead to negative, rather than, positive outcomes. 

I hope these suggestions give you a starting point to begin thinking about mindful eating. I highly recommend this book (Eating Mindfully by Susan Albers), and would advise you to do a little research if this is a topic that interests you. I will likely write about mindful eating again in the future. For now, remember to eat when you’re hungry!

Healthy Snacks/Small Meals to Eat When You’re Hungry:

-       ½ avocado on a toasted English muffin

-       1 string cheese with 3-5 crackers

-       1 apple with peanut butter

-       1 banana with peanut butter

-       Yogurt with fruit and/or almonds

-       Turkey & cheese sandwich with tomatoes and cucumbers

-       Pita chips with hummus

-       Almonds with raisins and chocolate chips

-       1 Lara bar

-       Oatmeal with yogurt and peanut butter

-       1 hard-boiled egg with salt and pepper

-       Celery and carrots dipped in 1 tablespoon of dressing

Strength-Training: Anytime, Anywhere

Hello! Wow, it has been ages since I last wrote. Packing, moving, house-sitting, and finishing summer classes have kept me busy the last few weeks. Here is Part II of Strength-training 101: Strength-Training Anytime, Anywhere:

Wall Sits: Works Glutes, Quads, Legs

 

Tricep Dips: Works Triceps!

Trying to go super fast to avoid mosquito attack!

Try 3 sets of 12- get low!

In our high-tech society today, we forget that working out can be uncomplicated and cheap. With constant bombardment of gadgets and gizmos, it's hard to work out when you have to spend a ton of money first. These pictures demonstrate that you can do strength-training moves without any gear at all (except a decent pair of sneakers). Sure, it's nice to have a gym with up-to-date equipment, but if you don't have access to that, you can still get a great workout. Here are some more pics from our photo shoot (huge thanks to Melissa, my photographer). :)

Push-Ups: works upper body (pecs, shoulders, arms)

Try at least 10, and repeat 2-3X

Lunges- Works the Booty! (And legs too).

Dorkiest picture EVER!! calf raises on the curb- works the calf!

Are you starting to get some ideas? There are hundreds of moves just like these ones that you can do anywhere! If you can't make it to the gym, you can still do some basic and effective moves to get a quick workout.
Here are 2 resources on the plank (another one of my all-time favorite moves):

This video is informative and hilarious! Who doesn't love old-fashion techno? Try the plank for rock-hard abs and core- one of the BEST moves ever!


http://www.self.com/fitness/workouts/2011/08/plank-slideshow
Here is one more link from self.com about the plank. They also have info on a ton of other moves as well. 

My next entry will build upon these moves by adding weights. In the meantime, practice some of these moves without weights! For each move, try and hold the position for 1 minute (plank and wall sit), or repeat the move at least 12 times (do 3 sets).

Thanks for reading!
~Dana