I’m sure you may have heard the idiom “Eat to live, not live to eat” before. Being mindful as you nourish your body rather than eating just to eat is what it’s all about. Food takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the stomach and to send the signal to the brain telling it that its no longer hungry. Paying attention to the choices you make before, during and after each meal reduces the risk of feeling lethargic, bloated, sleepy and overstuffed.
Food should give us energy; it’s what fuels our tanks to allow us to continue our day with energy. Exercise is great and important to our body’s in so many ways but without smart eating the machine we call our body is put under strain internally which becomes apparent externally.
Here are a few simple techniques on how to incorporate smart eating into your routine.
- Fill half your plate with veggies and fruit (heavier on the veggie side)
- Be mindful when you are eating? Are you really hungry? Are you tuned into the food or other distractions such as the television or newspaper?
- Nix the added salt intake
- Fill your plate with various colors and sources from each food group.
- Do not super-size or add-on to an existing meal on the menu.
- Chew your food well. If you can tell what food you are eating before you swallow then you need to chew more.
- Stop eating when you feel full. Check your hunger level midway through the meal to determine if you are full or not.
- Switch from a standard (2012) 12″ plate to a (1950) 9″ plate.
- Balance your plate with a bout of exercise daily
- Cook with healthy oils. Download a list of which oils to eat and which to ditch HERE
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What are things you do in making wiser eating choices?
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