I’ve been talking to quite a few people about weight loss this week, and while everyone’s story is somewhat unique, there are many similarities. For one, my clients tell me that their doctors often say, “Eat less and move more,” as guidance for an array of ailments such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes or heart disease. Unfortunately, this advice that is far too broad to be meaningful and is rarely put into practice. I find that most people want specific answers to questions like, “Why am I still gaining weight even though I am eating the same amount as always? I work out constantly, so why isn’t the scale moving? What should I eat to lose weight? Can I eat carbs? Is keto okay? How about intermittent fasting?” ….I could keep going.
The answer to all of these questions is both simple and challenging. In short, Long-term change requires behavior change.
I love the quote, “The mind is everything. What you think you become. — Buddha,” as it effectively summarizes the concept of visualization and the power of the mind over the body. If you want to change your body, you have to change your how you think about eating and your physical activity patterns. This can be overwhelming and difficult, so I think it is easier to focus on the short-term.
Start with one small change
Rather than overwhelming yourself with a Monday morning diet, start RIGHT NOW and make a small change. Get up and go outside (without your phone) for a 15-minute walk. Eat an apple for a snack and really pay attention to the taste. Drink a large glass of water when you wake up. Make a list of small things you can do today to improve your health. These little adjustments to daily life really do add up and make a difference when you are trying to develop new, healthful patterns.
Relearning hunger cues through mindful eating
Of course, everyone wants to know what to eat to lose weight. The answer is really quite simple. You should eat just a little less than your body requires to maintain its current weight at every meal. If you were to rate your hunger feelings on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being starving and 10 being Thanksgiving stuffed, your goal should be at around 5 or 6… no longer hungry and not quite full. It may take some time and effort to learn to notice your feelings of hunger and satiety. Think back to your childhood when you ate when you were hungry and skipped eating to go outside with friends or play your favorite video game. In childhood, we have yet to develop many of the emotional connections to habitual, mindless eating. These patterns become so ingrained in our psyche that we often fail to recognize our subconscious connections to eating, drinking, etc.
To become aware of your unique metabolic rate and food requirements, you can practice mindful eating. This practice requires you to slow down, eat at a table, avoid technology, and focus on the food. Eating should be enjoyable and relaxing. Conversations with others promote good digestion. Mindlessly scrolling on your phone does not. While you are eating, your brain is experiencing the sensations of the food and sending signals throughout your body that trigger feelings of satiety and/or hunger. By focusing on the food, you will relearn your hunger cues. The practice of mindful eating will help you to reset your ability to identify when it is time to stop eating.
Practice breathing and relaxation before eating
Take a moment to calm your body by sitting down and taking a deep breath before eating. In doing so, you will rediscover your hunger and aid your digestion. You may recall the terms “fight or flight” in reference to the body’s stress response to a possible threat or danger. Known as the sympathetic nervous system, this heightened state releases hormones (adrenaline, cortisol) that increase heart rate and effectively halt digestion. When we are in a state of chronic stress, hormonal and physiological responses take a toll on the body. Elevated cortisol levels create physiological changes that help to replenish the body’s energy stores that are depleted during the stress response. But they inadvertently contribute to the buildup of fat tissue and weight gain. For example, cortisol increases appetite, so that people will want to eat more to obtain extra energy. It also increases storage of unused nutrients as fat. Fortunately, by calming your mind and body with deep breathing or prayer before a meal, you can reverse this response.
In addition to meal time relaxation techniques, try to reduce stress throughout the day. Moderate-intensity exercise like walking, yoga, or even simple stretching can help relieve muscle tension and reduce stress. Emotional support and connections with others at home or work have also been shown to be a great stress reducer and contributor to longevity.
So in the end, relaxation techniques and mindful eating will help you manage your hunger and improve your digestion.
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