Guys on a Diet (GoaD)

Join

Living the Lifestyle - Thursday - 08/18/2016

misterhub
misterhub Posts: 7,202 Member
edited December 2024 in Social Groups
Everyone says it, but just how do you do it? How do you take the guidelines of the WW program and turn them into a lifestyle you can live every day...from now on? That is what we are here to explore. Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion. Newbie? Join in! Veteran? Join in! Your thoughts may be just what someone else needs to hear.

Monday -- GadgetGirlIL (Regina)
Tuesday -- goldenfrisbee (Chris)
Wednesday -- Rachel0778 (Rachel)
Thursday -- misterhub (Greg)
Friday -- Jbrack381us (Joe)

Topic: The term "mindful eating" has been used a lot over the last several years. What does that term mean to you, and do you apply it to your meals/meal-planning?

Replies

  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
    Before tracking, I used to grab a bag of chips or a pint of ice cream and just start eating in front of the TV. Awhile later I would wonder how I ate so much because I was just mindlessly going through the motions of eating and not even really enjoying what I was putting in my mouth.

    Now I pre-portion items, plate them, and try to stay focused on the task at hand (eating). The act of planning my meals and enjoying what I'm eating is my version of mindful eating.
  • MurpleCat
    MurpleCat Posts: 229 Member
    To me it means weighing my options and consciously choosing what I eat, and how much of it, rather than finding myself in a situation where I throw up my hands and say, "Might as well dive because its out of my control!" The truth is, its never out of my control. No one is shoving food down my mouth. Abdicating that responsibility is giving away my power, and I try not to do that unwittingly.

    I have to say that before WW, I might sit down in front of the TV with a bag of Doritos and eat them all. But I enjoyed every single one. I've never understood the WW saying "The second bite doesn't taste any better than the first." implying that you should be able to have just one bite and be satisfied. But I've always thought, "It might not taste better, but it sure doesn't taste worse, either!" And that applies to the 35th Dorito -- still tastes as good as the first! So I can't just rely on my tastes or my full meter or "the sigh" as some people experience to know when to stop. I have to make it a conscious decision.

    That's mindfulness to me.
    Murple
  • crewahl
    crewahl Posts: 5,333 Member
    - weighing out an ounce of crackers instead of sitting down with the box.
    - cutting the Veal Parmesan in half as soon as it's served.
    - passing on the cupcake in the office in favor of bread pudding after dinner.
    - crockpot meals that are portioned as soon as they're cooked instead of serving "family style".
    - staying away from "all you can eat" buffets.

    At its core, mindfulness is about making a choice rather than accepting the default option. It's about prioritizing long-term results over short-term pleasures. And, it's about knowing the boundaries of your ability to resist temptation and not over-stressing them.
  • glennowill
    glennowill Posts: 134 Member
    Along with what was said, for me being mindful also means being conscious of everything that is involved in the process of eating... the smell, the taste, the texture of the food. Where did it come from? How full do I feel after finishing 1/4 of the plate, 1/2 of the plate?

    Do I do this all the time? No, not nearly enough. Probably not even 10% of the time. Being mindful of portion control alone, though, saves me when ever my eating style is more of the "stuff the pie hole, chew twice and swallow" method.
  • podkey
    podkey Posts: 5,383 Member
    Like Charlie's response. Paying attention instead of aimlessly grazing an unknown quantity in a nutshell.
  • linmueller
    linmueller Posts: 1,354 Member
    This is a term that I've given a lot of thought to, and most simply, I've decided that for me ... If I am being mindful, I can tell you 'what and how much' I ate. If I don't remember, I was not being mindful.
  • MICHGOLFER2
    MICHGOLFER2 Posts: 197 Member
    Thinking before engaging in my default eating behavior.
  • linmueller
    linmueller Posts: 1,354 Member
    glennowill wrote: »
    Along with what was said, for me being mindful also means being conscious of everything that is involved in the process of eating... the smell, the taste, the texture of the food. Where did it come from? How full do I feel after finishing 1/4 of the plate, 1/2 of the plate?

    I love this!!! For me too, this is the process! and you explained it so well!
  • leeless511
    leeless511 Posts: 243 Member
    For me "mindful eating" is typically a thing I employed in the moment. If I am selecting something from a menu, being mindful means thinking thru my options, not necessarily picking the lowest calorie or most healthy but deciding based on my day, longer term goals, impact to the current event etc. I also employ being mindful in the moment while eating, such as thinking about, do I want to eat another serving because this is tasty or am I hungry. Why do I think I'm hungry, am I bored or thirsty or legit hungry. Hope that makes sense.
  • minimyzeme
    minimyzeme Posts: 2,708 Member
    To me it means proactively making choices about what I eat, whether it's fresh cucumbers or decadent chocolate cake. It also means knowing when I'm satisfied having eaten a particular food so I don't keep eating it just because it's there.

    It means eating without post-eating guilt or angst.

    Haven't mastered it yet, but at least I've got a working definition of it. B)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories