Miscellaneous
1. Keep a routineStick to a schedule. If you used to have a lunch break at 12:30, try to do the same. Factor in snack and tea breaks as well!And don’t forget to drinkPosition yourself somewhere that’s hard to get to the kitchen!2. Check in with yourself. There are so many reasons we eat beyond hunger and nutrientsWhy are you heading to the cupboard or fridge? Bored, procrastinating, stressed, emotions. Suss this out.Won't happen every time. But doing it sometimes might help reveal with honesty some patterns around your eating behaviours.Strategies:Hunger fullness scale10 minute challengePut a wedge inDuring the meal - put your knife and fork down.Speed bump3. Eat mindfullyWe can often find ourselves eating on autopilot, munching into a meal while our attention is on our screens,to-do lists, multi-tasking or wandering around the kitchen or house.Give yourself an opportunity to eat without distractionServe your food for yourself how you would serve it to a special someone.Serve how much you want - rather than eating vita weats or crackers fresh out the packet, serve the 4, 10, however many you want on a plate! Prepare it.Sit down. Not at your desk. Grab a knife and fork or a drink.Switch off your devices, sit down uninterrupted.Give yourself the time and space to savour your eating experience and feel truly satisfied.Respect your food and yourself.4. Just don’t buy it!If you struggle to stop at 1 or 2 tim tams and just end up feeling crap about it, don’t buy them!If you were trying to quit smoking would you have packets of cigarettes in the cupboard and fridge, in your desk drawer?Don’t dangle the carrot, it’s just cruel to yourselfNice vs kindMindful eating starts well before you eat.Don’t shop hungryReview your goals - what you really want vs the quick highCheck in at the shelves too!Research has shown that visual exposure to high calorie foods stimulates the striatum, a part of your brain that modulates impulse control, which may lead to increased cravings and overeating.Deprivation is not the answer. It is ineffective for long term weight loss and incredibly damaging to our relationship with food and our bodies.5. Creative cooking!If you were fortunate enough to bulk purchase tinned tomatoes, now's your time to shineHome cooking vs take away = 20% fewer calories for the exact same mealStudy of over 11000 ppl found that those who ate home cooked meals more than 5 x per week and better body comp (25% less likely to have excess body fat) and ate more veg and fruit.6. Combat boredomPut a wedge in first: Walk to the letterbox, paint your nails, pat the dog, do 10 pushups...BEFORE you head to the kitchen.Consider why you’re bored on a larger scale.Online course, puzzle, book, create something (number paintings, ikea furniture), plants or home gardenOur next episode we’ll be talking all about using your time to fuel your fire40 meaningful things to do when stuck at home in a pandemic