So I've been trying to eat according to Geneen Roth's Eating Guidelines. Here they are:
1. Eat when you are hungry. (Truly hungry, body hungry not mind hungry)
2. Eat sitting down in a calm environment. This does not include the car.
3. Eat without distractions. Distractions include radio, television, newspaper, books, intense or anxiety producing conversation, and music.
4. Eat only what your body wants. (Big difference from what your MIND wants!)
5. Eat until you are satisfied. (This is different than full).
6. Eat (with the intention of being) in full view of others.
7. Eat with enjoyment, gusto and pleasure
Can I just tell you that #3 is probably the hardest for me? I mean, none of them are natural for me yet. I've been a compulsive eater for as long as I can remember. It's going to take a while before any of them aren't hard.
But until I started working on these, I never ever ate without either a book or a magazine or the computer or the TV.
It's weird to do nothing but eat.
I guess that's very telling about my relationship with food. Food is my companion. And because I eat with these distractions, I often can't imagine watching TV or reading a book or working on the computer without food to keep me company.
No wonder I struggle with my weight.
I'm guessing that people who are successful at keeping lost weight off are already following these guidelines. And while they may appear to be common sense, they are the antithesis of the way we live our modern lives.
I don't think they are going to be easy for me to follow 100% of the time, but I'm already deep into them (eight nights in a row of no eating by myself at night) and know that they are the key to my recovery.
1 comment:
I personally think #4
Eat only what your body wants
should be
Eat only what your body NEEDS
I personally disagree with #1 as it relates to breakfast. There are a lot of people out there who say they aren't hungry in the morning. I think this sets up for too hungry later. Also sets up for major exercise problems. And blood sugar problems.
I think if we all put our food on a plate and ate at the table, most of our problems would be solved. I do eat in the car on occassion. But not while driving. I pull off for eating when I have an on the go type of day.
I usually eat 4-5 meals a day. I do personally eat in front of computer or in front of TV - NOW - because I only eat at meal time. But I got to the firm only at meal time eating long before I ever went back to eating at computer or in front of TV. Remember I am the one who only watched TV if I was on a treadmill for most of a school year. I spent a lot of time retraining my habits.
One thing I noticed when I went back to multi task eating was I wasn't always sure what I had eaten. I wasn't worried about over eating in those instances, I was worried about under eating (I have to get all my breakfast in or I will not make it through my workouts). I would literally walk around trying to figure out if I had left a bowl somewhere. I prepare my whole breakfast (oatmeal/milk, egg white omlete/avocado/salsa) at the same time and plate it, to this very day, at the same time, so I am sure of what I eat.
really good post. you made me think.
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