Less of Me, Wk#2

Today, I am happy to report that I am down another 3.2 lbs for a weight loss total of 7 lbs. I'm bringing it on down. Not bad for 2 weeks.

As I mentioned previously, I have fallen victim to the emotional eating pitfall. Well, I can honestly say that this is no longer my reality. Here are a few Weight Watcher tips to help you avoid this deadly trap.

1. Regularly check in on your body's signals -- If you let yourself get too hungry, your body will prompt you to eat, eat, eat -- whatever's available. Listening to your body's signals will put you in the best position to make smarter choices about what and how much you eat. Ask yourself: Why do I want to eat? Am I bored? Tired? Stressed? Once you know the answer, you can find another way to manage your feelings.

2. Find non-food ways to deal with your feelings – Try “Reframing” by….
(a) Identifying the behavior you want to change – For example, falling prey to your office’s mid-afternoon baked goods supply
(b) Figure it out – Again, pinpoint why you are eating if you’re not hungry
(c) How else can you get that benefit – If boredom is the culprit, could you take a walk?

3. Just feel hungry all of the time? – Filling foods will help you feel fuller longer. A filling food is anything that’s full of water, air, and/or fiber – all of which take up lots of space in your stomach; they may be also high in protein. If you’re hungry often choose more filling foods. A few of my favorite filling foods include: popcorn, marshmallows, any fruits or veggies, salad, whole grain cereal, milk, or any lean protein.

4. Do you often eat past the full feeling? – To slow things down, try these …..
(a) Don’t take another bite while there’s food in your mouth.
(b) Put the fork down between bites
(c) Switch the focus to conversation and relaxation
OR
(d) Mentally divide the food on your plate in half
(e) Eat half the meal, then Stop, Rest, and Assess your hunger.
(f) If you’re satisfied, take the rest of the food away so you don’t have a chance to ignore your body’s signals and continue eating.