20 minutes till you can recognize you are full? Baloney!

I am not sure how I missed this in school, but I have always had a hard time believing that when your brain can send and receive messages so instantaneously, that it would really take 20 minutes for your stomach to send a message to your brain that it is filled with food, then your brain to interpret that as enough, and send a message to your stomach to start telling you that you can stop filling it with food.  I just has never made sense to me. 

Another dietitian, who has done a lot of work in the area of mindful eating, explained it this way:  It takes 20 minutes for the food in your mouth to make its full journey through your stomach and intestines, with absorption into your blood stream.  Your brain then signals that you are done eating when it senses the change in nutrient level of your blood.  

Okay that makes more sense.  Like I said, I don't know how I missed that obvious explanation in school.  Pondering on it in that light gives a better overall perspective as to why we eat- TO NOURISH our bodies.  When our bodies need nourishment, our hunger kicks in to alert us.  When we have been nourished adequately, our satiety kicks in to tell us we are satisfied.

Do you feel differently about your hunger/fullness cues understanding them to simply be biologic triggers for nourishment?  Would you treat them differently recognizing their purpose?  Might we choose to be more mindful of what we feed our bodies when we feel hungry, and keep from overfeeding our bodies when we feel full? 

Next time you feel hungry you don't have to do anything else, except at least think "I need nourishment"- your choices from there are completely in your hands.  Same goes with fullness.  Once you have obtained a pleasant level of fullness- think "I have been nourished".  Your choices from there are up to you.  At least give an appropriate interpretation of the sensations you are feeling.

The final results . . . and final thoughts.

Well I was going to post a final update on my experience with the Fit in 6 program yesterday, but then decided to wait till today after the official competition results were in. 

I had an incredibly difficult weekend.  My husband made a black forest cake and the chocolate cake scraps on the counter were calling my name.  I totally gave in and ate 1.5 of my free indulgences worth of the cake scraps.  I tried really hard to eat mindfully, paying attention to the flavors and textures, but mostly just wanted to eat it by the mouthful.  I will tell you was delicious and totally hit the spot.  However, I was then left again without any free indulgences as the weekend began. 

We had a big lunch for a family occasion on Saturday and that's where the black forest cake was served.  I had to have a bite or 10.  Then we went out to dinner than night, because we were just coming back into town and everyone was starving.  I was just concluding one 6 week program and about to start into another one (my own Eat 2 Liv program) and wanted more than anything to just eat what I wanted.  I made a conscious choice to enjoy my meal with my family and not give up all of my satisfaction, just for points.  Now, I was still reasonable, but some of the things I chose to eat gave me negative points because my free indulgences were all used up.

Want to know what was totally worth the negative points?  The yummy Sizzler white dinner roll, and real live ranch dressing on my salad.  I didn't even hit the dessert bar, because I was already satisfied.  I took a look at it, but nothing looked absolutely fabulous, so I passed.  It wasn't a matter of self control- had I really wanted it, I would have eaten it.  But it was a matter of listening to my body and mind, and realizing that I was satisfied where I stood, even without dessert. 

I came up with another truism "My body is not a take home container!"  So obviously we were at Sizzler with an all you can eat salad bar.  I, being the penny pincher that I am, would normally gorge myself on "all I could eat".  Why?  I have a couple of good excuses ('I don't want to be hungry later', or 'Dang it, I paid $10 for this buffet and I'm not leaving until I got a deal').  But no good reasons- are there any good reasons for eating yourself sick?  Really, if $10-$15 is too much to pay for a normal amount of food, then don't go to that restaurant. 

You're body is not a take home container!

 Okay, enough rambling.  The results for the Fit in 6 program . . . Nothing!  If fact I had a friend that was at least a couple hundred points above me and she didn't even get first or second place.  I must have been down near the bottom- it's because of all of my rebelling against the no eating after 8 PM rule.  

That's okay.  It was great motivation and I am so pleased with the healthier habits I have created over the last 6 weeks.  Thanks to everyone for your support and for joining me on this journey.  I intend to continue posting here as I continue my own educational journey on healthy eating.  But you won't see posts with the same frequency as I will be spending a lot of my time assisting others on their journey to LIVING through my Eat 2 Liv program.

Wk 6/Day 40- Bad Cookies

Since we are on fall break from school, I decided to be the best active mom ever and enjoy some activities of living.  I packed up my 3 little boys along with a lunch and decided to bike to a park we don't usually visit.  I worked hard to pack up a healthy lunch of turkey sandwiches, apples, and carrot sticks, crackers, and of course cookies.  Packed water for everyone, bandaids for any scraped knees, diaper and wipes for the baby, a change of underwear just in case, helmets, and of course children and bicycles.  Just the preparation was a workout.  

We set out, ready for some fun.  Only made it about 1/2 way to the park, when my oldest ran over a goathead weed.  The thorny weed imbedded itself and wrapped all the way around his tire.  So we had to stop and untangle his bike.  As I pulled off the weed, I could hear the tire air escaping.  So what more can you do now, then head home as quickly as possible? 

We were almost home, when I realized the bike tire was still holding up pretty well, so we continued on to the elementary school.  We ate lunch on the top platform of the kindergarten playgroud- fun atmosphere.   I had packed 2 cookies for each of us and had planned to use one of my indulgences to have 2 Keebler Coconut Dreams.  

I say planned, because I closed my eyes to savor the first one and realized it wasn't really that good.  It certainly wasn't worth using up my free indulgence on crappy caramel, mediocre coconut, and really crappy chocolate, even on decent shortbread.  So although I was sad I didn't get a yummy treat, I didn't finish my 2 cookies.  Not worth the calories! 

Wk 6/Day 39- Dancing around with maseca flour and elbowroni

I had a fun experience with one of the bonus challenges this week.  I was supposed to wear a backpack while exercising with added weight equal to that which I had lost.  So I got my sons Lightening McQueen backpack and filled it with 6 pounds of maseca flour and elbow macaroni.  Then I danced around to my Zumba DVD.  I took it off 1/2 way through and felt like a champ.  It was amazing to take off just 6 pounds of weight.  It was a neat way to celebrate the changes I had made.

A friend asked me the other day, how things were going with the diet.  I replied with a kind of  "ehh!" and accompanying shoulder shrug.  She said "well you've lost weight!"  Only a few pounds.  "But don't you feel great?"  I didn't know how to answer that one.

Yes, I am pleased with the changes I have made in my routine that make me more aware of my choices- no more mindless grazing on my kids random leftover food.  I feel more drive to actually get involved and play with my kids.  I have learned that even though certain treats are sweet, they actually don't taste that good and aren't worth the indulgence.  But I really can't say I feel so much better, because I am eating more fruits and veggies and fewer sweets.

My prevailing feeling is that I am absolutely sick of the external diet rules.  I am sick of a little chart on my fridge dictating what I must eat and what I can't eat.  I am just ready to be done.  Looking forward to Monday morning when I can have full sugar jam on my toast, and not have to force in one more serving of carrots before 8 PM. 

This picture seemed just to sum up how I feel about carrots right now!  They are my main source of veggie points and I am getting sick of them, but they sit in front of me taunting me to eat more, because dang it, I want the points!

Wk 6/Day 38- Alternate Measures of Success

Why do we think the numbers on the scale matter so much?  Can you guys tell what my number is by looking at me?  Somehow we seem to think we walk around broadcasting our "number" instead of presenting our whole selves, and thus we stress so much about that number.  

How would you be able to tell that I have lost some weight?  My pants don't fit because I don't have a bum anymore.  I am not sure I consider that success?!  Apparently my most important energy reserves are muffin top tummy (you know the role that sticks out over your jeans just like . . . well, a muffin top), because that remains intact! 

Desire for weight loss comes from 2 categories (I am totally generalizing on this- feel free to call me out, if I am absolutely wrong)

1. Internal reasons- to reduce disease risk or complications, have better stamina, more vitality for life 
2. External reasons- to reduce peer pressure, have better sense of self worth (I put this in the external category because without external influence I'm not sure our self worth would be determined by our weight), to wear that cute skirt bought years ago, to fit in a desired category assigned by makers of the BMI charts

Forgive my generalizations, here's the point I am trying to make.  Unless your only reason is to fit in the "good" category on the BMI charts, then the numbers on the scale report very little of your success.  

If your clothes are fitting better, if you're seeing improvements in your lipid panel or blood glucose level, if you have more stamina and love for life, if you are losing inches even without pounds- You are successful!  Don't let the numbers on the scale try to talk you out of that.  People can see your vitality, they can't see your number- let these alternate measures of success matter most to you!

Wk 6/Day 37- The Joy of a Full Swallow

I have been thinking a lot about the results of my mindfulness exercise with my family on Sunday.  My dad pointed out that his pleasure in eating comes, not from savoring something in tiny tastes, but in the joy of a full swallow.  Can you relate? 

I can!  For some reason waffles are something I enjoy swallowing in large bites.  I like the way it feels as it stretches my throat on the way down. 

Maybe you think we are strange, or maybe you totally get it.  However, during the mindfulness exercise with the apple pie (see yesterday's post) my dad dug his feet in a little.  He tried to savor the flavor and texture of a small bite, but said it just didn't do it for him.  He liked to take large bites and large swallows. 

I must say I spent too much energy trying to convince him to do it my way, because now I realize what I was missing.  I can provide suggestions where someone can pay more attention and find joy, but I can't alter what they find joyful!  

My dad had figured out what it was that gave him pleasure in eating.  It wasn't what I found most joyful, but the joy of a large swallow is what satisfied him in the end.  My attempts to change that, if followed, would probably leave him feeling unsatisfied with eating and totally defeat the purpose!  So instead I say "good on ya, Dad!  You have figured out what it is to find joy in your eating."

May we all take the path to discover where the joy is to be found in our eating, and then mindfully tune in to that which we find joyful, in order to find more satisfaction with the bounty of life!

Wk 6/Day 36- Children are Always Listening

Children are always listening!

Last night I was at my parent's house with family and the conversation turned to my theories on life and eating.  At one point I decided to lead my family in a mindful eating exercise (the one I posted a week or so ago).  We each sat down with some apple pie and looked at it, smelled it, tasted it, felt it with our tongues, savored it and swallowed it.  At the end of the first bite I asked them to stop for a second, take a deep breath, and make sure they were focused and ready to enjoy the next bite.

I was doing this for the sake of the adults.  I didn't think that my children were listening until my 3 year old exclaimed "I don't want to stop.  I'm already enjoying it!"  I have no doubt that he was!  He wouldn't let outside influence keep him from enjoying it.  He was savoring it, without any need to refocus his attention on what was in his mouth- He was "already enjoying it!" 

Then later as we were talking about the experience as adults, my 3 year old explains, in a very matter of fact tone (as if he is leading others through the exercise) "You chew your food.  You swallow.  And you don't put your elbow in your food or it will get sticky!"  

So if my exercise in mindfulness doesn't do it for you- Try his out!

Well, I made it through my perfect points week!  Hip hip hooray!  The place where I lose the most points is the eating after 8 PM rule.  However, last week I adjusted our eating times to more closely reflect what I determined was my inner eating schedule. 

Specifically, I prepared an intentional snack at about 3:30 PM when my oldest got home from school.  I determined this was perfect opportunity to sit around the table with a snack and ask him about his day.  Then, since we all were satisfied at 3:30, we definitely lasted until 6:30-7 PM for dinner.  When we had dinner at 7 instead of 5:30- no one went to bed hungry!  I think that is the solution for my family.