What is Mindful Eating?

What is Mindful Eating?

 

Mindful eating is a practice that has gained popularity in recent years as people seek to improve their relationship with food and their bodies. It involves paying attention and being present in the moment while eating, without judgment or distraction.

The goal of mindful eating is to cultivate a non-judgmental awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations while eating, to develop a healthier relationship with food. This can involve slowing down while eating, savouring each bite, and paying attention to feelings of hunger and fullness.

Many of us have busy lives, and we often eat on the go or while multitasking. We might eat while watching TV, working on our computers, or scrolling through social media. This can lead to mindless eating, where we don’t pay attention to our food, and we might eat more than we need to without even realising it.

Mindful eating is the opposite of mindless eating. It involves being fully present in the moment while eating and paying attention to the experience of eating. This can help us tune in to our bodies’ needs and recognise when we’re hungry or full.

 

Some common techniques for practicing mindful eating include:   

  • Eating slowly and chewing each bite thoroughly: Taking the time to chew each bite of food thoroughly can help you savour the flavours and textures of your food.
  • Paying attention to the taste, texture, and smell of your food: Focusing on the sensory experience of eating can help you enjoy your food more fully and appreciate its qualities.
  • Eating without distractions such as TV or phone: When you eat without distractions, you can fully focus on your food and your body’s signals, rather than being pulled in different directions by external stimuli.
  • Tuning into your body’s hunger and fullness signals: Mindful eating involves paying attention to your body’s signals of hunger and fullness. This can help you eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full, rather than overeating or under-eating.
  • Being aware of your emotions and thoughts around food: Mindful Eating also involves tuning in to your emotions and thoughts around food. This can help you identify triggers for emotional eating or unhealthy food choices and develop strategies for coping with those triggers.

 

Practising mindful eating will help you improve your overall eating habits, reduce overeating, and increase your enjoyment of food.

 

What is Mindful Eating?  Mindful Eating is a powerful practice that can help you improve your relationship with food and your body. It also may help you lose and maintain weight by becoming aware of your body’s signals and develop a more balanced approach to eating and nourishing your body.

If you have any queries or would like to know how we can help you on this amazing life changing journey, please contact us or book a free strategy call via our website www.savvybariatrics.com

Stay Savvy

 

Because, Because I Can

Because, Because I Can

I’m sitting here on a wonderful sunny day with a pot of freshly brewed tea in a regal looking cup and saucer fit for a queen.  Peaceful, warm. Feeling a slight breeze and very content with my lot.  Then I realise I’m eating this delicious long pastry with cream, jam, and fabulous pink icing on top.  It looks spectacular.

 

I bite into this artwork of pastry in anticipation it will taste amazing. My reality is, I can’t even taste it.  If there is a taste, it’s one of those overly sweet sugary types. You know the ones, they have you wondering just how many teaspoons of sugar you are consuming in that one piece of deliciousness.

 

There is no enjoyment in eating this.  I am somewhat disappointed.  So, I ask myself WHY?  Why are you eating this?  Because I can.  Because no one can tell me not to.  Because it’s there.  Because it just looks so damn good.

 

Because, Because, Because,  Because, Because.

 

For me, the epitome of being slimmer, was being able to sit down in a café enjoying a coffee and a sweet treat without being judged by anyone for doing so.  Just being there, being normal, feeling normal.  Feeling confident. Because slim people could do that.  I wanted to do that.

 

So much of my life what I ate was scrutinised by my father.  He meant well.  He really did.  However, his actions and over concern for my weight initiated a myriad of issues including, secret eating habits and buying of “forbidden” food.  Thus began the installation of a relationship with food that was totally toxic and secretive. They were hard years.  They were sad years.

 

As I look back at this pastry thingy, I wonder if I am eating it out of rebellion?  Just to reinforce that no one is the boss of me, and I can eat whatever I want?  Maybe, maybe not.  WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT I HAVE A CHOICE.   DO I need it?  NO.  Do I want it?  NO. Am I hungry?  NO. What will I get from eating it?  NOTHING.

 

So Why did I order this artistic masterpiece of pastry?  Habit.

It’s what I used to do in My Fat Life. I ate unconsciously.  What triggered this hiccup?  Feeling somewhat flat and isolated due to a health issue and it had been some time since I was able to frequent a cafe.  It’s very normal to revert to what made us feel safe or secure in the past.  It cocoons us.  The question is do we stay in the cocoon because it feels familiar and safe in the moment?  For me, luckily, my years of training and working with bariatric weight loss clients kicked in exactly as it was supposed to.  Having control over the seductiveness of that pastry is a major triumph.

 

You want to know if I continued to eat it don’t you? 

I didn’t.  I had no want to.

 

Soaking up the glorious sun I continued to enjoy the flavour and aroma of my freshly brewed tea in my regal style crockery.  Content knowing that I can choose to eat what I want without guilt, shame, or judgement. Because, Because I Can.

 

Living and eating consciously is what I do now.  I moved out of that cocoon.

 

Stay Savvy

 

PS. :   If you want to live and eat consciously schedule a free strategy call and let’s have a chat

 

 

 

Regain after Bariatric Surgery

Regain After Bariatric Surgery

 

Are you experiencing Regain after Bariatric surgery? Regardless of what you call it Regain, Stalled, Plateau it sends feelings of dread and failure through your system.  It can be avoided and is not something you have to suffer.  Regain, Stalled or Plateau does not mean you have failed.  It’s merely an indication that you need some assistance and professional intervention to address what is happening and a plan to get moving again towards your desired goal.

Approximately 60-80% of Bariatric Surgery recipients will experience regain at some stage of their journey.  It is not unusual for people even at 3 months post-surgery to experience regain or plateaus.  It would be easy at this stage to just give up.  However, you had weight loss surgery because you wanted a better healthier life for yourself, and you deserve that. As devastating as it can feel you can move through this.

 

Progressing through the stages of Bariatric Surgery you will resume a level of normal eating.  It is usually at this stage that those old eating habits of overeating, emotional eating and even bingeing will begin sneaking back into your eating regime.  The roller coaster of emotions will begin.  Increased numbers on that damn scale and clothes getting a bit firmer will heighten the stress of feeling out of control.

The worst thing you can do at this stage is accept the regain and give up on yourself.  Guilt, shame and embarrassment of finding yourself having to deal with this again can be overwhelming and it doesn’t need to be. This is the time in your weight loss journey where we need to acknowledge what happened, what, how and why we veered off course.  Believe me its fixable.  We deal with it, learn from it and adjust the process going forward.

 

Tips for Getting Back on Track

A few quick tips you can implement right now to adjust and get back on track to achieve your ideal weight loss goal.

  • Reach out and seek help from a professional in the area. If you are resisting getting help let go of any shame, guilt or embarrassment that may be holding you back.
  • Replacing 1 or 2 meals with a Protein Drink to kickstart your metabolism can work wonders to Reset your Programme.
  • Avoid impulse buying of comfort and inappropriate food by Planning & Preparing all meals in advance.
  •  Write down why and when you began to slip back into old fat brain thinking.  What triggered the relapse?  What happened that steered you off your course? Knowledge is power. It’s important to get this out of your head and not ruminate over it.

Healthy living program Melbourne

 

Our Minds are so powerful.  It is so critical to Change your Mindset and your relationship with food to ensure permanent successful weight loss after your Bariatric Surgery.  Changing that Fat Brain Mindset changes our brains neural pathways, reorganises our thoughts to create new habits and behaviours that ensure sustainable weight loss success.

 

Stay Savvy

 

 

Weight Loss Surgery - Weight loss Hypnotherapy Melbourne

Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau after Weight Loss Surgery

Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau after Weight Loss Surgery

A Weight Loss Plateau after Weight Loss Surgery can be a huge knock to one’s confidence and self-esteem. It can happen at 3 or 6 months but mostly it appears somewhere around the 18-24 month mark. Tips to Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau after Weight Loss Surgery are a very important tool.

The important thing is to not get too frustrated. Plateaus are a normal part of weight loss and weight loss management after surgery. A plateau occurs for a few reasons most of which can be overcome. One reason is that the body’s metabolism adapts as you begin to eat less, so as you reduce your food intake your metabolism slows down and you burn less fat. Your body is adjusting to a lower caloric level and requires less fuel than previously.

Plateaus happen. Even after weight loss surgery. They are temporary and generally easy to overcome.

Here are a few ways in which a plateau can be overcome and weight loss “kick-started” again.

Healthy living program Melbourne

 

Change your eating routine

Your metabolism reacts to the way you eat as well as what you eat. While it is a good thing to eat regular meals (but smaller portions) your metabolism becomes used to the regularity of your eating so change your routine for a day or two. Eat at different times than usual and vary the type of food you eat.

Don’t Avoid Carbs

Don’t avoid carbs completely Eating too few carbohydrates can actually cause weight to stay the same or increase since carbohydrates control leptin, which helps keep your metabolism running at full speed for optimum weight loss results.

Drink more water

Thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Every time you feel the urge to snack, drink a glass of water first and see if the urge goes away. Coffee, tea, or any other juices count as liquids, but add an extra glass of pure water for each cup of coffee you drink, as caffeine tends to dehydrate the body.

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will keep the weight loss going by speeding up metabolism, increasing weight loss from fiber in food, and reducing calorie intake from beverages that have no nutritional value.

reducing calories - savvy bariatrics

Keep Exercising

If you’ve hit a weight loss plateau, don’t skip your workouts. Exercising will help you burn off the excess weight that’s sapping your weight loss progress. Maintain weight loss by remaining active and eating less – not exercising more.

Check here a Weight Loss Program for Everyone.

Track what you Eat

If the weight isn’t coming off like it used to, track what you’re eating. It’s possible that you may be taking in too many calories to continue weight loss. Food Amnesia is a major reason we see plateaus and regain. Keeping a food diary for 3-4 weeks will help you see any patterns with your food intake that may be a contributing factor.

Get Quality Sleep

Getting enough quality sleep can help prevent weight gain that may occur with weight loss plateaus. Sleep deprivation often leads to weight gain due to hormonal changes, increased appetite, cravings for junk food, and weight retention. If you aren’t getting the full seven to eight hours of sleep your body requires, try to get at least five hours of sleep every night.

Stay motivated

Remember why you had Weight Loss Surgery and the outcome you desire. View a plateau as a hiccup on your journey to managing your weight for a healthier life. However, if you are having trouble coping, please talk to your health professional or surgeon.

Break it Down

Keep weight loss goals small. Oftentimes we get overwhelmed by the amount of weight we need or want to lose. Chunk it down into 5kg/10lb goals. Take the overwhelm out of your weight loss journey. Weight loss plateaus are common when people become frustrated from not seeing weight loss results fast enough.

Weight Loss Plateaus after Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery are NORMAL. Don’t get disheartened! Stay motivated and you will get over the hump. Whatever you do, don’t give up. Hang in there! Stay on the program and you will achieve your goal and lose the weight you desire.

For more information please go to our website www.savvybariatrics.com.

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Emotional Eating

The number one reason a weight loss program fails is Emotional Eating.  Emotional eating is the act of eating in response to an emotion. That emotion can be deemed positive or negative.

 

People with this condition are eating in response to a negative action or as a coping mechanism for a negative emotion.  It’s a strategy which soothes and pacifies you when you feel stressed, angry, bored, overwhelmed, stuck, sad or lonely.  It is a Habit.  Eliminate Emotional Eating for good.  You learned it and so, as you learned it, you can most definitely unlearn it.  Yep that’s right.  You can stop the cycle of emotional eating for good and take back control of your relationship with food forever.

How many times have you thought that if you could control that never ending cycle of emotional eating you would control your weight issues?  Yeh I know too many to count right?  You can lose weight, you stick to a diet, maybe even one of those 12 weeks intensive food and exercise programs and you lose the weight.  You feel great and empowered.  But what happens when the support and the program ends?  Most oftentimes people will put the weight back on and then some.

For too long now we have ignored the missing link in the weight loss equation and that is the power of Mindset Transformation.

As a leading expert in this field I have been helping people transform their Mindset around food and emotional eating for over 20 years with outstanding success.  I have witnessed the elation of clients when they take control of food, some for the first time in their lives.  We can eliminate these destructive behaviours with techniques and strategies that you can use anytime and anywhere. Time to let go of the blockages, emotional or otherwise, that keep you from getting where you want to be.  It motivates you to get moving and to let go of all those excuses.  Isn’t it time YOU took control of food, instead of food controlling you?   What if you could learn the skills to lose weight and keep it off forever.

We all know what to eat to be healthy.  Yet when there is the slightest hint of stress we feel this uncontrollable urge to eat those sugary, sweet comfort foods.  Then we feel comfort and pleasure which is short lived and quickly replaced with feelings of regret, shame, guilt and overwhelm that is all encompassing and leads to another bout of mindless eating.  It’s a vicious cycle and one which you do not need to suffer any longer.  You can learn healthier strategies to avoid triggers, eliminate cravings and deal with those emotions to put a stop to emotional eating. Visit www.savvybariatrics.com and see how we can help you.

Basically we use food to stuff down our emotions to tranquillise ourselves from feelings and emotions that just seem too overwhelming to address.

 The problem with this is that while you are stuffing these emotional feelings down you are just compounding the issue by not actually addressing it.

It actually takes more energy to do this than it does to address the issue and let it go.  I know it can feel too hard sometimes, but please believe me when I tell you it isn’t.

If you do not change your relationship and mindset about Food, Dieting and Weight Loss, you are always going to struggle with your weight.  I cannot stress enough just how important it is to lasting and successful weight reduction, that you change the way you think. We use food as a reward and for celebrations, sometimes not necessarily a bad thing.

However, when your main mechanism for coping emotionally is eating, then you are out of control.

How many times have you opened the refrigerator when you are stressed, angry, lonely or bored?

I can still remember my parents yelling at us to get out of the fridge.  It was like a treasure chest of amazingly magical things that would make you feel better. But alas, it never did.

 

Ready to Eliminate the Cycle of Emotional Eating forever without deprivation, guilt or shame?   Then contact me for a free 30 minute strategy call.

www.savvybariatrics.com