Thursday, October 21, 2010

Slow and Mindful eating = Natural Weight Loss


Hi friends!

Having worked with many people around the issue of weight loss, I have learned that for every diet there is an equal or greater binge. Deprivation doesn’t work. Counting and measuring doesn’t equate as a sustainable way to keep your weight off.

In order to reach your ideal weight, most of us need to eat less and move more. Eating less can be a challenge in this society, especially as portions are huge, eating is social and our culture doesn’t promote healthy choices. Ask yourself this question: Do I eat for nutrients or for entertainment?

Start to eat consciously and slowly and watch the weight start to drop off. You’ll notice that you are satisfied sooner with less food. Here are some tips:
  • Eat while sitting down
  • Don’t eat in the car
  • Eat without distractions such as music, TV, the internet, or while reading
  • Chew your food - digestion starts n the mouth and you will assimilate more nutrients this way
  • Slow down! Make every bite count, and allow yourself to fully feel the pleasure from the food - taste, texture, and smell. Eating is supposed to be pleasurable!
  • Eat the right foods - you need to focus 50 % of your plate on raw veggies, limit or no oils, no salt, sugar, or dairy. Use another 20% on complex carbs i.e. brown rice or quinoa, 20% on steamed veggies, 10% on fruit and occasional bread,  20% on a cooked food like burritos, pasta, chili, or soup. This part includes lo-fat protein sources. (Remember, lots of veggies have protein and calcium!) Eat nuts and healthly fats like avocado and eat beans with every meal.

I recommend this Nutritarian Lifestyle Plan - it allows you to get the most nutrients into your body as possible, thus crowding out the bad stuff that doesn’t do your body any favors. And, you can eat a lot of food for less calories. For more info, check out EatRightAmerica.com.

Also, check out this article about how diets don’t work!

http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/article4.aspx

Happy Fall, and feel free to contact me with any questions!

Peace & Veggies,
Jane

Jane Ashley, MA, CHHC, AADP, is a Holistic Nutrition Coach. She is also the Director of Consumer Communications for Eat Right America™. Her passion is to help people create balance in body, mind and spirit. She helps those who struggle with stress, lack of energy and excess weight take action to reach optimal health through good nutrition. She loves to cook, run, teach cooking classes and runs monthly women’s groups called “Feed Your Soul—for Women on the GO.” She also runs corporate wellness workshops and participates in public speaking events. Jane offers a personalized coaching program or group classes. Special rates apply for fans of Jennie Fresa :) Check out WellnessWithJane.com for more info!

2 comments:

  1. Wow Jane. This post is full of helpful tips, plenty that I need to follow!! ;-) Thanks so much!!

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  2. I have been thinking about this post all week. As a society, we need to change our relationship with food! Thanks for a great post

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