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Holiday Eating & Mindfulness

Written by Diva Center Diamond Provider, Dr. Mario Mancini

During any holiday season is when mindfulness becomes a necessity if your goal is optimal health. Mindfulness means paying attention. Instead of zoning out and eating without thought, really sit there with moment to moment awareness. It’s not easy but it’s truly worth it. Practicing mindfulness prevents us from overeating which is one of the biggest challenges to deal with when food is presented in large displays. As you practice mindfulness you will notice that you can enjoy the food without overindulging. That’s the key, that is, to enjoy and not overindulge. Let this be your mantra and at the forefront of your mind when placing anything in your mouth, especially during the filling holiday season.

So how can you be mindful when eating? A great place to start is to utilize your senses of seeing, smelling, tasting and feeling. Now wait a minute! Of course I see the food, smell, taste and feel it. Well maybe you do, but not with full color attention. See the art of improving your mindfulness like connecting the dots and adding intense color to your senses. Instead of glimpsing at the food, smelling only the strongest scent and tasting only the most obvious flavor, look deeper as if you’re a detective. Observe the food as if you’ve never seen it. Really smell the many subtle fragrances never noticed before. When placing the food in your mouth feel the pressure it creates. Notice the subtle experiences we call flavors that burst in your mouth. Now let’s pick that delicious dessert. Instead of warming up and inhaling your first slice with the intention of eating another, stop for a moment. Simply stop and turn on your senses at full color and full magnitude as if you just turned up the volume 10 notches. Fully enjoy the dessert as if this is the first time eating it.

Realize that eating one slice will taste the same as eating the 2nd, 3rd 4th, etc. One piece is the same as the whole. Coming to terms with the fact that all foods that are outside your optimal fuel (foods that are strictly for the care, maintenance and improvement of your mind/body health) are simply to be enjoyed by the senses and not for survival. When you maintain the mind set that fun foods are strictly to satiate the senses and not for health, you will truly enjoy that holiday dessert. Desserts are simply to be enjoyed by the senses and that’s it. Don’t confuse foods like cake, candy, sodas, etc. with foods that provide nutrition. This difference cannot be overlooked. Think deeply about this.

Your mission, if you choose to accept being healthier, is to SLOW DOWN and magnify smelling, seeing, feeling the texture and tasting the food you eat. So with this new perspective on fun foods and survival foods, appreciate each for what they offer, that is, pleasure for the senses and nutrition for the body.

Nutrition Tips to Help You Gain Momentum BEFORE the Holidays!

By Carol Flick, Nutritionist & Personal Trainer

Want to look and feel your best just in time for the holidays???  My name is Carol Flick (a Diva Center Diamond Provider) and I own a personal training business where I am a Licensed Sports Nutritionist & Certified Personal Trainer.  I have a passion for helping people with their health, fitness and well being.

Here are some tips to help you gain some momentum BEFORE the holidays so you will be ahead of the game!

1)  Watch out for the sugar!
Your immune system is weakened by sugar.  If you want to stay healthy and avoid getting sick stay away from the sugar.  If you want to indulge in some sugar than be sure that you have a good source of protein with it to counter balance it.  Alcohol is also a contributor to this too.  Alcohol absorbs in the stomach and not the intestines, so keep it to a minimum to keep the belly fat down.

2)  Do at least 20 minutes of exercise a day.
This is so great for so many reasons.  First reason is that stress is toxic and exercise releases stress from the body.  Secondly, it releases all of our feel good hormones that make us feel more confident, happy and balanced in life.  Also, an added benefit is that it makes you look younger and better.  You can always spot when someone you know is starting a new exercise program because they have something different about them you just can’t put your finger on.  Join a new gym, hire a personal trainer, recruit a SERIOUS workout partner, and play with your kids in the park.  These are just a few of the ways that will help motivate you to get moving.

3)  Drink your water.
Water is crucial to the body.  Being chronically dehydrated is linked to many health issues.   We are at least 70% water and need it for not only fat loss but also it is a natural detoxifier to the all of the body’s organs.  I suggest 80-128 oz. of purified water per day.  This will give you more energy too.  Fat is release through your breath or your urine.  I suggest you drink more water and pass it through your urine. J

4)  Eat 5-7 times per day.
This is a hard concept for so many people.  When I work with a client for the first time and I give them their menu for the week they look at me like I am crazy.  The often say “I can’t eat all of that, I will get fat”.  The truth is that our bodies require us to eat often for our blood sugar as well as our metabolism.    Every time you eat (as long as you don’t over eat) it sparks your metabolism by 25%.  In the beginning for those who don’t do this you may feel full, but after 3-5 days you will be able to know what time it is on the clock by your hunger level every 2-3 hours.

5)  Be sure to have good quality protein EVERY time you eat.
Protein in a good source will keep your blood sugar level for about 3 hours.  This is important to have because if your blood sugar is off you will store fat, feel tired, feel irritable, feel weak, feel faint and so much more.  Plus, our immune system is dependant on getting protein in consistently.  Some good sources are chicken breast (organic and free range), turkey breast (organic and free range), eggs (cage free), fish (not farmed), whey protein (organic is the most bio-available) and nuts (organic).

6)  Eat before going to the party.
Now I am not trying to take Thanksgiving away from you.  Thanksgiving is only 1 day of the year.  I am talking about all of the other days.  If you eat before going to the event you will feel less like hanging out by the food table.  Remember it is what you do most often that makes a difference in your health and body.  If you indulge on a daily basis you will look and feel like you do, if you eat healthy and exercise on a daily basis you will look and feel like you do this too.

If you have any questions and are unsure where to get any of the items I suggested feel free to contact me at 619-997-3891 or e-mail me at carol@funtobefit.com

To your health and wellbeing,

Ben and Carol Flick

Personal Trainer, ACE
Licensed Sports Nutritionist, NASN
Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant, ACE

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