I have a confession to make.
The other night, after my kids went to bed, I ate four fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.
The first two I ate in a civilized manner- I put them on a plate, savoured them along with my cup of tea. But the last two I ate quickly, standing up, over the cookie sheet.
It is as if subconsciously I believed that if I ate them this way, they would not count. I could still believe I only had two cookies.
One habit many of us struggle with is mindless snacking. We are not truly hungry, but eat for emotional comfort or relief of stress or boredom.
Typically, the foods we choose are not healthy and mysteriously leave us feeling both guilty and wanting more. Many of us have a lot of stress in our lives, and food does offer momentary pleasure. However, using food in this way is not productive and does not solve any of our problems.
One strategy to help with these eating tendencies is called mindful eating.
Mindful eating is not about dieting but cultivating awareness of your behaviours around food.
It is about listening to your inner voices, confronting them, and finding a response that does not involve a binge. You may still give in to your cravings, but in a more controlled and compassionate way.
For example, a mindful response to a cookie craving would be as follows:
1. Stop! Don’t give in to this first impulse. Take time to think before you eat.
2. What specifically do you want? Will eating a cookie make you feel better?
3. If yes, make a clear plan about what and how much you will eat.
4. Consider the healthiest (or smallest portion) that would satisfy the craving.
5. Put it in a bowl or on a plate. Do not eat out of the container.
6. Enjoy it. Taste it. Be present while you eat it. Don’t beat yourself up about it.
7. Once finished, move away from the kitchen, to avoid mindlessly grazing on more food.
So next time, I have a few choices: I could (a) not bake chocolate chip cookies, because I know I overeat them. (b) Take one or two, but put the rest away in the freezer before I start to eat them or (c) After eating one or two, move out of the kitchen, and get distracted into another activity.
Eating habits can be changed!
– Serena Caner is a registered dietician who works at Shuswap Lake General Hospital.