March 2018 Mindfulness Challenge: Week 1 (3/1-3/7)
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baconslave
Posts: 6,948 Member
Life is...well....it's LIFE, isn't it? It can be good. It can also be busy, frantic, and sometimes, downright chaotic. We are pulled so many directions but so many situations and distractions. When do we have time to breathe, let alone live in the moment?
So this month, I think it would be excellent to challenge ourselves to incorporate mindfulness into our journey to health. Plus, it works with the whole alliteration thing.
Morwenna Ferrier (writer for the Guardian) defines the new fad-term "mindfulness" this way: "The whole ethos of mindfulness is to encourage people to live in the moment. The theory goes that we are so busy trying to block out past worries and anticipate future ones that we rarely concentrate on enjoying what we are doing at the precise moment we are doing it. Devotees claim mindfulness can be applied to everything from walking and running to sex and eating." http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jun/23/mindful-eating-how-to-get-more-from-your-meals
But I challenge that it isn't only about enjoyment. It's about AWARENESS. That's how we diagnose the elusive issue we carry, the sneaky ones that fly under our radar, but continue to throw a wrench into our efforts. So much about success in weight loss and health is about healing our dysfunctional relationships with food and other things in our lives, so we are free from the impetus of stress and emotions that often spurs us to sabotage ourselves.
So in that vein, the challenge is to practice some form of mindfulness by pausing and observing what happens in our heads and bodies when we eat or exercise, to be aware. And maybe then we can enjoy our journey more and discover any hang-ups we've missed and lock them down.
And, of course, being mindful of the Low-Carb Basics:
How? I've created a list of links. Some repeat the theme but add something. There a couple that apply to mindfulness in general terms. But understanding the concept can help but aide us in applying it to our reason for being here on MFP.
Start with this, garnered from zenhabits.com
The links that follow might be helpful. I can't speak as to the helpfulness of the podcasts. Yet. I'm going to carve the time to investigate them and will nix them if they aren't really relevant. Please do share any links you personally come across, and I'll add them to the running list.
http://zenhabits.net/mindful-eating/
http://stress.about.com/od/dietandsuppliments/a/mindful_eating.htm
http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/a/mindfulness.htm
http://jamesclear.com/stay-focused
http://jamesclear.com/zanshin
http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/11/29/magic-of-mindfulness/
https://www.bulletproofexec.com/rick-hanson-forgetfulness-mindfulness-techniques-hardwiring-happiness-243/
I'd like to give a shout-out to @KnitOrMiss for helping me gather some links.
The weekly thread links will be also added to the challenge sticky at the top of the group for easy reference should it get buried.
So. Let us know where you'd like to apply mindfulness this month.
So this month, I think it would be excellent to challenge ourselves to incorporate mindfulness into our journey to health. Plus, it works with the whole alliteration thing.
Morwenna Ferrier (writer for the Guardian) defines the new fad-term "mindfulness" this way: "The whole ethos of mindfulness is to encourage people to live in the moment. The theory goes that we are so busy trying to block out past worries and anticipate future ones that we rarely concentrate on enjoying what we are doing at the precise moment we are doing it. Devotees claim mindfulness can be applied to everything from walking and running to sex and eating." http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jun/23/mindful-eating-how-to-get-more-from-your-meals
But I challenge that it isn't only about enjoyment. It's about AWARENESS. That's how we diagnose the elusive issue we carry, the sneaky ones that fly under our radar, but continue to throw a wrench into our efforts. So much about success in weight loss and health is about healing our dysfunctional relationships with food and other things in our lives, so we are free from the impetus of stress and emotions that often spurs us to sabotage ourselves.
So in that vein, the challenge is to practice some form of mindfulness by pausing and observing what happens in our heads and bodies when we eat or exercise, to be aware. And maybe then we can enjoy our journey more and discover any hang-ups we've missed and lock them down.
And, of course, being mindful of the Low-Carb Basics:
- Planning ahead!!!
- Staying under carbs
- Staying under calories
- Logging and measuring
- Getting in exercise/movement if that's one of your goals
- Keeping an eye on electrolyte levels
- Getting enough water
- Planning ahead!!! Oh, wait. I said that already? Yes, I frickin' did. Because you must! "Failing to plan is planning to fail."
How? I've created a list of links. Some repeat the theme but add something. There a couple that apply to mindfulness in general terms. But understanding the concept can help but aide us in applying it to our reason for being here on MFP.
Start with this, garnered from zenhabits.com
http://zenhabits.net/mindful-eating/Benefits?
Reduced over eating. It’s been a while now since I went to bed feeling bloated and over stuffed. Which is great in itself but also means that my ‘muffin top’ is pretty much gone when I wear my favorite jeans.
Increased enjoyment of food. As a food scientist, I’ve always considered myself a big fan of eating. Now that I’m on the path to mastering the art of mindful eating, I am finding a new found respect for food and am gaining far more pleasure from meal times.
Improved digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth with the action of saliva. If food isn’t chewed properly it means that there’s more work for the rest of your digestion system. I may be imagining this, but I think I’ve also noticed I have less gas now that I’m eating mindfully.
Being satisfied with less. Linked with reduced over eating, the real benefit here is being able to trust yourself to feel satisfied after one or two squares of chocolate so there is no temptation to scoff the whole block. Suddenly there’s no need to deny yourself the occasional treat which makes for a far healthier relationship with food.
Ready to change the way you interact with food?
How to master the art of mindful eating:
1. Start small. Like all new habits, it’s best to set realistic expectations. Choose one meal or snack each day and commit to focusing on mindful eating at that time.
2. Stop multitasking at meal times. It’s really difficult to focus on eating if you’re doing other things. Set aside time for eating without other entertainment.
3. Only eat at the table. Another way to minimize mindless munching is to get into the habit of only eating when you are sitting down and able to give the food your full attention. No more snacking on the run.
4. Appreciate the appearance. While we’ve all drooled over gorgeous food porn in magazines or online, sometimes we forget about the beauty of the food we are about to eat. Taking the time to notice sets the scene for mindful eating.
5. Focus on each mouthful. Think about the flavour, texture and even the sound of the food in your mouth. Focus on how much you like, or dislike these sensations.
6. Chew. While it can be overkill to go to the monastic extreme of 100 bites per mouthful, make sure you chew your food enough so that it is well broken down before you swallow.
7.Use cutlery and put it down between mouthfuls. It’s much easier to take smaller portions when using a knife and fork. Of course if you feel like you’re having a ridiculous Seinfeld moment eating a chocolate bar with utensils, then skip this step but do put the bar down in between bites so you can focus.
8. Talk and share. One of the joys of eating is sharing a meal with loved ones. It can be challenging to incorporate mindfulness in a social situation but not impossible. Turn the focus of the conversation onto the meal while you are actually eating. Share what you are experiencing in terms of flavours and textures, likes and dislikes. At first this may seem a little weird but trust me, you’ll soon find yourself having fun with it.
9. Go for quality not quantity. By choosing smaller amounts of the best food you can afford, you will not only enjoy it more, you’re far more likely to be satisfied without having to over eat.
10. Make time to prepare your own meals, preferably from fresh ingredients. The cooking process can be as relaxing and enjoyable as eating if you let it. For me, the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what has gone into my food makes any hassle worthwhile.
The links that follow might be helpful. I can't speak as to the helpfulness of the podcasts. Yet. I'm going to carve the time to investigate them and will nix them if they aren't really relevant. Please do share any links you personally come across, and I'll add them to the running list.
http://zenhabits.net/mindful-eating/
http://stress.about.com/od/dietandsuppliments/a/mindful_eating.htm
http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/a/mindfulness.htm
http://jamesclear.com/stay-focused
http://jamesclear.com/zanshin
http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/11/29/magic-of-mindfulness/
https://www.bulletproofexec.com/rick-hanson-forgetfulness-mindfulness-techniques-hardwiring-happiness-243/
I'd like to give a shout-out to @KnitOrMiss for helping me gather some links.
The weekly thread links will be also added to the challenge sticky at the top of the group for easy reference should it get buried.
So. Let us know where you'd like to apply mindfulness this month.
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Replies
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I'm with it. I have actually read this article in the past from ZenHabits. I have a tendency to inhale food, barely tasting it, so this is definitely something I need to work on.3
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I'm in! As to what I'm going to be mindful of...I'll need to give that some thought.
BAM! Mindfulness!3 -
drmarctagon wrote: »I'm with it. I have actually read this article in the past from ZenHabits. I have a tendency to inhale food, barely tasting it, so this is definitely something I need to work on.
Me too. I had to learn to slow the heck down.2 -
drmarctagon wrote: »I'm with it. I have actually read this article in the past from ZenHabits. I have a tendency to inhale food, barely tasting it, so this is definitely something I need to work on.
Raises hand as another inhaler of food. Learning to eat more slowly and/or just stop and wait for satiety to set in, was a valued learning experience for me. I still have those tendencies and have to be...mindful. Old habits.
Behaviors not conducive to weight management. 4 -
baconslave wrote: »Benefits?
Reduced over eating. It’s been a while now since I went to bed feeling bloated and over stuffed. Which is great in itself but also means that my ‘muffin top’ is pretty much gone when I wear my favorite jeans.
Improved digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth with the action of saliva. If food isn’t chewed properly it means that there’s more work for the rest of your digestion system. I may be imagining this, but I think I’ve also noticed I have less gas now that I’m eating mindfully.
^^
These two things!!1 -
tishsmith101 wrote: »baconslave wrote: »Benefits?
Reduced over eating. It’s been a while now since I went to bed feeling bloated and over stuffed. Which is great in itself but also means that my ‘muffin top’ is pretty much gone when I wear my favorite jeans.
Improved digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth with the action of saliva. If food isn’t chewed properly it means that there’s more work for the rest of your digestion system. I may be imagining this, but I think I’ve also noticed I have less gas now that I’m eating mindfully.
^^
These two things!!
Yeah, I've found that a low residual LC diet of whole eggs + full fat cottage cheese +/- MCT is a good way to avoid bloating, gas, unpredictable BM patterns for those hectic times where I don't have enough time to cook a variety of whole foods & properly chew food due to the time crunch (This is even more challenging despite IF eating only once a day - the digestion aspect at least, not the time waste from cooking multiple times/day).
Although balancing diet with a variety of food groups is ideal, trial & error of knowing what food combinations will/will not "agree" with you can be challenging/time consuming to overcome.1 -
Thanks Baconslave and Knit for a really well thought out and well presented challenge.
I'm going to really sink my teeth into this one!!1 -
Love this challenge. I'd like to be more mindful with many areas of my life.2
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Fantastic challenge @baconslave! Thanks @KnitOrMiss for sharing the links! I am planning on being mindful of the quality of food that enters my mouth!1
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Love this one!!!1
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I'm totally in!!!1
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Mindfulness is also an important skill in different way than directly inserting food into the mouth.
When we are mindful, we are present, and when we are present we can pick-up things we wouldn't normally notice: behaviors, reactions, situations, and even solutions to things that trigger us one way or another.
I always say this is a mental game. It's all about mindset and hacking your brain to avoid things that set you up for failure.
Learning about yourself is an important part in achieving your goals. Mindfulness can slow us down enough to finally see solutions that have been in front of our face this entire time.
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Welcome to the challenge.
Mindfully watching the basics myself in the pursuit of shucking a little fluff I've let creep on over the past year. Maintenance is a see-saw.
BBL to post today's results.
Get it, ya'll!
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OK, for mindfulness I'm going to pay attention to chewing and put my utensils down between bites. I'm also sticking with my other monthly goals.
Food -
Water -
Sleep -
Chewing -
Utensils -
Exercise - Excellent day, increase in everything. I was going to switch to stronglifts in March, but I might stick out this program one more month. It's working for me.
Workout B
Deadlift - 3x5 @ 90
Overhead press - 8/8/5 @ 40
Lat pulldown - 3x8 @ 75
Lunges - 3x184 -
2
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I wish I could "like" this challenge 1000 times. This one struck a chord for me, and it's an inspiring way to try to get back on track (which I have fumbled with a ton this year).2
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With mindfulness in mind, my March goals are:
1) Eat dinner at the table every night
2) Daily meal planning for the following day so I'm not struggling to pack breakfast/lunch in the morning.
3) Log each whole day in the morning and DON'T EAT/ADD MORE FOOD
4) Minimum 20 minutes of exercise per day, do things I enjoy and want to do longer.1 -
I completely failed in February. I planned, I kept to my plan, but my plan was bad. This month I'm going to keep it simple. For me it will be "Motivational March". Plan it, log it, keep carbs to 20. period. No cheats. no deviation. just do it.
Today I finally went to the gym (It's been a while) and saw my reflection. I need to lose weight! Looking at my belly is great motivation to keep going.2 -
March Mindfulness. I like it.
Here is a book that changed my eating habits forever:
"Diets Don't Work" by Bob Schwartz. First published in 1982. Mindfulness is integral to his approach. Discussed in this book, among much more, is a 1-10 "hunger scale", with 1 being, e.g., wobbly and dizzy, the gas tank is empty, you might faint; 5 being satisfied, you've eaten just enough, no more and no less; and 10 being e.g., you have to roll yourself to the couch to sleep after gorging yourself say, at Thanksgiving. You didn't realize you ate that much and swear that you won't eat for a week.
You need to eat mindfully in order to gauge your hunger level and know when to stop.
This book is available on Amazon as both a paperback (3rd edition; my copy is out of print) and a Kindle book. I have not read the new edition.
The original, first edition is available here:
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL21337858M/Diets_don't_work
This is a lending library.
I also recommend the following book:
The Miracle of Mindfulness! by Thich Nhat Hanh
"A Zen Master's method of meditation, concentration, and relaxation... opening the gate to wisdom."
It's another classic. My copy is all beat to $h!t, but I'll hang on to it anyway, TYVM. I want to read it again.
Available at Amazon, of course, and here:
https://www.alibris.com/booksearch?keyword=the+miracle+of+mindfulness&mtype=B&hs.x=0&hs.y=0&hs=Submit
Do what you're doing
while you're doing it.4 -
Did good today.
plan
log
carbs < 20 I hit 22, but I'm OK with it. 1
This discussion has been closed.