Savor the Flavor

Did you know that the first few bites of your food are the most flavorful? Depending on the food and your hunger, the level of satisfaction diminishes after a few bites. Try this… take a small bite of a food, chew slowly, while savoring the flavor and texture. As you continue to take small bites, carefully notice any change in flavor. We usually eat too quickly to notice this change. This will help to limit overeating and adds enjoyment to meals. What favorite food will you try this with first ______?

Turn Your Mood Around

If you are feeling overwhelmed at work (and we all have those days), you can make a few choices: you can moan and groan to your colleague, send a complaining text to your spouse or you can turn your mood around.
On your next break, listen to some upbeat music; at lunch, take a brisk walk outside, even if it’s cold; do some stretches and breathe; play a game on your phone (but keep track of your time) or call a friend to meet you after work for fun time to recharge. What works for you?

The Next Meal is Coming

We all have different patterns of hunger, but if you eat three healthy meals and plan 2-3 snacks to eat when your body needs the energy, you will always know another meal/snack is coming and not be so tempted to overeat “to hold you over”. Make sure to plan ahead for those crazy days and keep nutritious snack foods in small containers. A trigger for overeating is getting too hungry, but you can prevent that with pre-planning and a good grocery list. What can you add to this week’s grocery list for snacks?

The Snack Attack Hour

Do you know what time of day is the most likely time you’ll eat sugary snacks or some kind of junk food? 3:00 pm… Your energy is waning and a candy bar would boost it up, wouldn’t it? Don’t send your blood sugar spiking, only to have it nose dive, leaving you feeling worse. Keep nuts and fruit in your desk for a quick snack… protein and fiber. What else could you plan for a snack?

Improve Your Memory

If you want to improve your memory and focus, try a walk in the park or looking at pictures of nature on your computer. According to psychologists at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, interacting with nature, whether outside or viewing pictures increases memory performance and attention span by 20%. Walking in an urban area apparently doesn’t have the same benefit, but walking in nature, whether it’s summer or winter, can have similar effects as meditating. Where can you walk?

Loneliness Cure

When you’re feeling lonely and disconnected, a heating pad or warm bath just might be the cure. Research results from John A. Bargh and Idit Shalev of Yale University indicate that the early childhood experiences of physically being held close and psychological warmth of love, trust and support contribute to the tight connection to physical warmth. So turn on the warm shower and hop in. Have you used warming techniques to feel better?

Kissing or a Snack

If you are attempting to replace that evening snack with another “feel good” distraction, try kissing. Whenever we change a behavior that is done mostly out of habit or triggered by emotion, the best way to stop is to replace it with another healthier option. Eating provides a temporary good feeling but adds unnecessary calories. Kissing causes the release of oxytocin and endorphins. Smooch with your honey or child sound better than chips?

Random Acts of Kindness

This week is Random Acts of Kindness Week. Take a few minutes to write a note of appreciation to someone who has done kind things for you… your spouse, child, sibling, parent or friend. It may just make their day. List all the special things about that person that mean so much to you. Transform someone’s day from okay to A-Okay!! Who will you choose?

Stop Worrying

Round and round your head they go… thoughts and worries just keep swirling, preventing you from focusing on anything. When you are having one of those days when no solution makes a clear entrance into your scattered mind… STOP. The uncomfortable feeling from the anxiety over what to do next can be short-circuited if you sit down and write out your thoughts/worries on paper: pros and cons, research needed yet, resources on hand, etc. The process of writing out your thoughts helps to clarify and organize the jumble in your head. How do you manage those days?

Are You A People Watcher?

Are you a people watcher or do you rush around super focused on your tasks and stuck “in your own head”? One of the pleasures and perks of watching people, not in a leering, judging kind of way, but observing in a non-judgmental way, is the many things you can learn. Observe how they respond to stressful circumstances, difficult people; how they communicate, work, eat, shop and treat their children. From our observations, we can reflect on our own behavior and determine if we like what choices we have made or if we want to make changes. Are you a people watcher?

Best Meal Starters

Start your meals with a piece of fruit, salad or veggies and a big glass of water. Beginning your meals with vitamin and antioxidant loaded foods and hydrating with pure water is a perfect way to give your body essential nutrients. Add on the lean protein, whole grain carb and eat just the right amount… (pay close attention) when your body is comfortably full. Now you have given your body the nourishment it needs. Do you think it’s okay to indulge in dessert?

Comfort Food Substitution

If you are a comfort food overeater, reaching for food when upset, anxious, worried or sad, what do you do instead of eating when you have those uncomfortable feelings? This is the #1 reason so many people continue to depend on food to feel good. First of all, it does make you feel better… temporarily. But then you may feel guilt, shame or frustration. The answer lies in finding a healthy way to manage the oncoming feeling without food. What can you do in place of eating… that you would also enjoy.

Are You More Prone to Stress?

Certain characteristic traits may make you more prone to perceiving stressors. Do you catastrophize situations- expecting the worst-case scenario? Do you should all over yourself- having a rigid list of shoulds and should nots and feeling miserable if you don’t follow it? These are just a couple of the traits that will make you more stressed than your laid back friend. As always, awareness is the first step. Then learning to take charge of your stress is next. How do you manage your stress?