IS STRESS EATING A PROBLEM FOR YOU?

I think almost all of us have dealt with stress eating from time to time. But for some, stress eating is a big problem that can lead to being overweight and to poor health. If you fall into the latter category, don't blame yourself or let others tell you, "You just need more self-control". That statement to you will probably just increase your stress. Psychologist Laurel Mellin, Ph.D. says there is a physical reason for stress eating. This is her statement, "There are eight brain chemicals that get activated when we're stressed, and they drive us to eat."

Dr. Mellin suggest retraining your brain. She advises that when you stress eat, your emotional brain is in control--it's very difficult to deny that need, so don't try. Instead, she advises doing an "emotional debriefing" the next day. "Take a moment to vent or complain that you overate." She goes on to explain this opens up the neural pathway to what causes you to stress eat. "Then try to express four key emotions: anger, sadness, fear and guilt," she says. the mini catharsis can gradually rewire your brain so you're less likely to turn to food in moments of emotional stress.

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A COMPLETE MEAL

Do you know what a complete meal consists of?  To have a complete meal you need to have whole grain, fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and some heart-healthy fat. Skipping one whole food group without your doctor's permission is not a good idea. The file picture below shows this about as good as any I have seen.

 

IT'S IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER

The eyes are the window to the brain. You can trick your mind into thinking you are eating more simply by using a smaller size plate. Forget the huge dinner plates and go for the smaller ones. Also, cut your food into smaller pieces and spread the food out on the plate. Suddenly your mind will believe you have more food than you actually do. Put these tips into practice daily and you will be surprised how quickly you become adjusted to eating less.

 

NO CLEAN PLATES!

Do you remember your parents telling you to clean your plate? Were you told to be thankful for your food and not waste it because kids all over the world were going hungry? Are you doing that with your children or grandchildren? Those old adages need to be thrown out the window! With the obesity epidemic and diabetes being at epidemic levels, you should teach your children to take smaller portions of food and to stop eating when they feel full. Children used to be busy from the time they got up until they went to bed. They rode bikes, took walks with grandparents, played in the backyard on swing sets, played neighborhood games of stickball and baseball, etc. Now they sit in front of a TV or video game. Too much food on their plates and being forced to eat every bite could be setting them up for a lifetime of health problems.

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SIT UP STRAIGHT AND EAT LESS

Researchers in Australia found that sitting up straight - using good posture - when eating allows you to feel full faster. Maintaining good posture throughout your meal allows the food to settle more quickly into the lower half of your stomach. The lower part of your stomach is the part that 'tells' the brain you are full. So, sit up straight and eat less. Sounds like a good idea to me.

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PLATE SIZE

Just this morning, I was reminded of this old post. My son, daughter-in-law, granddaughter and her boyfriend went out for breakfast. Most of us couldn't finish our meal and someone remarked it didn't look like that much food when they brought it out. I said, "Look at the size of the plates". Everyone then noticed how large the plates were. Plate size is very important to the meal.

I have talked about this before on this blog but it has been a few years so I am going to repeat, "Studies have shown that cutting your dinner plate from 12-inches to 9-inches can cut portion sizes in half". This is one of the easiest ways to cut back on calories without feeling hungry. Would you believe that simply by eating off a luncheon size plate instead of a dinner plate can cut around 231 calories per meal? What an easy way to 'diet'!

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NIGHTTIME EATING AND WEIGHT LOSS

Have you ever been told you shouldn't eat close to bedtime if you are trying to lose weight? The theory is that your metabolism slows down when you are sleeping making it harder for you to lose weight than if you had eaten the same foods earlier. According to Donna L. Weihofen, MS, RD, health nutritionist at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, "Calories count whether you eat them in the morning or at night." She goes on to say, "The problem with nighttime eaters is that they are usually eating far more calories than they think, and the calories are denser."

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SLOW DOWN AND SAVOR YOUR MEAL

Would you believe research shows that most people eat in about 13 minutes? What a big mistake to 'wolf' down' our meals! Jan Chozen Bays, M.D., author of Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship With Food, made the following statement -- "It takes about 20 minutes for food to get into your small intestine and signal the brain that you're getting enough." It is suggested that when we busily rush through our meal or eat it on the go, not only do we fail to enjoy our food but we also tend to overeat. Then we either feel stuffed or we don't feel satisfied. And what happens when we don't feel satisfied? That's right, we reach for more food usually an unhealthy snack.

If you want to improve your diet, here is an easy way to start. Slow down, savor your food and you will learn to enjoy it more and eat less.

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WHICH WILL IT BE - DESSERT OR A BEDTIME SNACK?

If you are trying to lost weight, this is an important decision for you. Pick only one each day! Have your choice of a small dessert after dinner or a small bedtime snack but don't have both! Learning to make this decision daily, and it may be a different choice from day to day, will help you control your weight, get control of your eating habits and give you a psychological feeling of being in control.

OR

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SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY YOUR FOODS

We live in a fast-paced society that tends to make us rush through everything including our meals. That is a bad idea! We should eat slowly and savor our food. When you eat slowly, you eat smaller portions. That is good for weight control and your health. Scientific studies have shown that we are influenced by our friends and family's eating habits. Be the one in your group to influence others. Eat meals in a casual, non-rushed atmosphere and speak up to eat in healthy restaurants or prepare healthy meals at home. Once you have ruined your health, it is almost impossible to get it back!

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SMILE WHEN EATING WITH YOUR CHILDREN

I think all parents realize their children pick up clues from them. But have they ever stopped to think about this when sitting down to a meal with their children?  It is a fact that children zero in on their parents facial expressions and emotions. French researchers showed 120 children pictures of people eating. When the children saw a person grinning or appearing happy eating a certain food, they wanted that food more. Even foods the children weren't fond of seemed more appealing when the person eating them seemed happy. The bottom line is that your children are more likely to eat the foods you seem to enjoy. If you are trying to get your children to eat a food you know they aren't fond of, be careful how you react to that food!

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DON'T EAT TOO FAST

Slow down and enjoy your meal.  In our fast-paced society we often find ourselves rushing through our meals and that is not a good thing.  In addition to not really tasting the food, having it sitting in your digestive system half chewed, etc, eating slower not only allows you to taste and enjoy your food it also helps you to eat less and feel fuller!  How simple is that?  You want to eat less?  Slow down and enjoy what you are eating!  In a study at the Center for Mindful Eating it was found that people who took 30 minutes to eat a bowl of ice cream (yes, despite some melting), their bodies produced more fullness hormones than when they ate it in 5 minutes. Would you believe your taste buds fatigue just like the rest of your body.  As your taste buds fatigue flavors diminish so you find it easier to stop eating!

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SLOWING DOWN MEALTIME

Previous posts on this blog talk about the benefits of eating more slowly and savoring our food. We live in a fast-paced society and tend to take that pace to eating our meals. If you are a fast eater and would like to change that, here are a few tips for you:

• Set your fork (or spoon) down between bites and chew your food thoroughly.
• No watching TV or using electronic devices during mealtime. When distracted we tend to eat too fast and too much.
• Habits don't change overnight but try to focus on slowing down and enjoying your meal at least once a day to start.
• Don't engage in emotional discussions or arguments at mealtime. We tend to eat faster during tense situations.

KEEP MEALS EVEN

One thing diabetics should never do is eat small meals or skip meals during the day so they can eat a big dinner/supper! Nutritionists warn that diabetics need to keep their carbs leveled out over the day. Skipping meals or eating light so one can eat a big meal later will cause a definite roller coaster of blood sugar levels.

While this information is directed to diabetics, it should apply to everyone.

HAVE TROUBLE GETTING TO SLEEP?

Are you one of those people who have trouble getting to sleep after getting to bed? A good night's sleep is important to your health so you need to start working on getting to sleep well before bedtime. That's right, start working on getting to sleep at about two o'clock in the afternoon. Ann Romaker, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, says the effects of caffeine can linger up to 8 hours. Therefore for a 10 pm bedtime, you should switch to caffeine-free drinks by two in the afternoon.

Another tip is from Chin Moi Chow, Ph.D., a senior sleep lecturer at The University of Sydney in Australia. Eat bold flavors for lunch and milder flavors for your evening meal. Acidic and heavily spiced dishes eaten late in the day may cause sleep-disturbing acid reflux in the night.