Food is pleasure. There’s no question that enjoying a
beautifully prepared meal is an integral part of a well-lived life. But in
looking beyond food as enjoyment and going back to our biology, we are truly
designed to eat until we are nutritionally satisfied. Food, like water and
breathing, is a part of survival. But if that’s true, then why do so many of us
struggle with overeating? For some, eating is less of a “need” and more of a
“want” reflex, which brings emotions into the mix. For others, choosing the
wrong types of foods leads to the bottomless portion pit. But as we all know,
for all of the complexities involved in weight loss, one simple truth remains:
calories in versus calories out. So if you’re serious about losing weight, it’s
time to put the brakes on and stop overeating for good.
Eat the
real thing: Throw out anything that is sugar free or fat free. Sugar-free, non-fat, low-fat and imitation foods are NOT
satiating, meaning you actually have to eat more of them to feel full. Also,
because many low or no fat foods are high in calories but essentially devoid of
nutrition, your body metabolizes them simply as sugar, which leads to overeating
and subsequent weight gain.
Avoid
foods that contain table salt: Ever notice how you can eat an
entire bag of potato chips? Table salt is a processed, stripped version of sea
salt (which contains over 40 vital nutrients). And because we are designed to
eat until we are nutritionally satisfied, nutrient-devoid table salt makes us
eat and eat and eat without ever feeling like we’ve had enough.
Drink
water 15 minutes before a meal but never during: You can be
eating the healthiest food on the planet, but if your digestion isn’t working
properly, you won’t absorb or metabolize these foods optimally. And if you
can’t absorb your food, the chances are pretty high that your body will tell
you to eat more! Drinking water during a meal interrupts the body’s production
of hydrochloric acid and wreaks havoc on your digestion. And when you do drink water, make sure
it’s room temperature. Cold water sits in your stomach until its warm enough to
be released for absorption, also slowing down the digestive process.
Check in: If
mindless snacking is your problem, tag the emotion that brought you to the cabinet
or refrigerator. Picture a TV announcer if you have to: “This calorie
consumption has been brought to you by”…your anxiety, depression or even
boredom. Tag the feeling before the snacking. If you’re stressed, take a walk
or write down what’s stressing you. Can’t take a walk? Maybe this site will
help: http://www.calm.com/ The idea here is
to give your feelings a place to go that doesn’t involve food. By breaking the
stressed – eat food – feel worse chain, you’ll break your mind’s association
with food as the “cure” for those feelings.
Figure out your metabolic type: You might be eating right according to your wife’s Metabolic Type, but there are nine different Metabolic Types, which means that the chances are pretty high that your body’s ideal ratio of proteins to carbs to fats is off. Finding out what’s ideal for YOUR body is the fastest way to eat foods that will keep your unique bio-chemistry in balance (keeping you from overeating both at meals and in between).
Figure out your metabolic type: You might be eating right according to your wife’s Metabolic Type, but there are nine different Metabolic Types, which means that the chances are pretty high that your body’s ideal ratio of proteins to carbs to fats is off. Finding out what’s ideal for YOUR body is the fastest way to eat foods that will keep your unique bio-chemistry in balance (keeping you from overeating both at meals and in between).
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