It is embedded in the very fiber of our culture that you can either overindulge, liking what you like and not giving a damn what anyone thinks about it, or you can watch what you put into your body.
Well, perhaps when it comes to certain foods, we all understand the risk of straying too far from moderation. Fast food is an obvious culprit for the rising number of Americans with heart disease. Sugar does more damage than simply rotting your teeth. On top of that, every huckster with internet access is ready and willing to accept your hard-earned dollars for their latest magic gummy or protein powder.
Healthy eating habits seem difficult to navigate when you’re unsure of who to believe.
Changes have to happen if one wants to live a healthier, cleaner life. And by cleaner, I am in fact referring to your body. Yes, you can eat so cleanly that you actually feel clean. You can feel your body functioning well, your blood flow balanced, your digestion comfortable, and your cognitive faculties sharper.
However, we have to deal with some hard truths. And the sooner we accept the reality of what our bodies need, the sooner we can feel great and live a more
fulfilling life.
No, you should not consume processed sugar (I know, I know… super bummer)
No, cardio workouts alone will not help you lose weight (Don’t get me wrong – cardio is great,
but muscle resistance training helps more with weight loss)
No, you cannot substitute actual fruits and vegetables with supplements (despite what
the infomercial told you)
And finally, no, a bagel and cup of coffee is not breakfast (I know… it’s the morning and
we’re in a rush)
I get the objections, and I understand the distaste at the idea of abandoning your rushed morning routines and leaving your favorite childhood cereal on the shelf when you go grocery shopping. It is hard. That’s the damned, honest reality of it.
Healthy eating habits require changes that are uncomfortable.
Change takes time, and we don’t like that. We want life to be easy and for everything to be okay now, not after a long period of practice and hard work.
This is not the most marketable idea, but I’m more interested in reality than I am in purchasing a fantasy. So, the reality is this: there is no magic pill. There is only focused, mindful, and hard work.
Mindfulness is not easy, either.
We want it to be. It’s a popular idea, but mindfulness takes as much practice as anything.
So, how can mindfulness help us develop better eating habits?
I won’t focus on you, the reader, because I’ve never met you. I will only discuss my own struggles. I am not perfect, nor have I mastered this. It is a constant practice. I’m getting better at it, but I’m a lifetime learner.
- Okay, for starters, I love candy.
I love donuts. I love chocolate. And (God forgive me, please), I can get my grub on at the local Taco Bell. Is it more like dog food than people food?
Yeeeeesssss… But, that’s not the point and you’re not my real mom! If health was not a concern for me, those folks who work at the one down the street from my house would know me by name.
Look, as I write this now, I want a cookie. It sounds so good! But I won’t go get one.
- And that is the basic point of it: restraint.
One must restrain oneself. How can we restrain ourselves from doing something we know is not good for us? Practice, practice, practice. Try, then fail. Get up and try again.
The trying and the getting back up is so hard! It sucks worse than a predictable sitcom with canned laughter. It’s a lot like getting Ted Cruz to learn how to salsa dance: it’s just a downright disaster that makes you want to gag.
But! Fear not the early lack of success nor the mental image of Ted Cruz loosening his hips.
- What happens is that, eventually, after falling and getting back up many, many times, our brains begin to be rewired.
Your brain will remind you that it likes fast food. But it doesn’t do it as often over a period of time. I am at a point now where I can be eating junk food and my
brain takes a moment to say, “Hey, me? This is me. I need us to hang on a second. I know that fried chicken is totes yums, but the cells in our body are wanting some vitamins, good fats, and fiber, mmmkay?”
When that happens, if you’re anything like me, you will stop mid-chew, despite the old lady staring at you from the park bench like you’ve gone insane with half a chicken finger hanging from your lips, and you will think, “Wait a second. I don’t want this chicken finger. Chickens don’t even have fingers.”
This is the essence of mindful eating. The very core of it.
- Think about the composition of your food. You are listening to what your body wants, and that’s a very, very good thing. Give it what
it wants. Force yourself if you have to. Because over time, your brain will chemistry will alter. - You may never quit your chocolate cravings, but here’s the good news. Moderation is the key tosuccess. Maybe don’t eat your favorite candy bar as often. Cut back. Then, after a while, cut back some more.
- The other part of changing our habits requires how we view the food that is actually good for us. As you force yourself (at first) to eat that carrot, or side of broccoli, or (god forbid) baked eggplant, take some time to really study the food. No, I’m serious. Take a good look at it. Notice the richness of its coloration. Think about the work that went into cultivating it, harvesting it, shipping it, and setting out on display for you to buy.
- Smell it. No, not like that. Wipe that preconditioned look of disgust off your face and actually smell the earthiness of the food. If you do this honestly, you can almost imagine smelling the nutrients. Start with something easy on the olfactory sense by baking a hearty sweet potato or an ear of corn. As you begin cultivating an appreciation for the aromas, you will also start to appreciate the smell of that baked eggplant, broccoli, and squash.
- Focus on how you feel when you taste and swallow it. Again, stop with the preconditioning. Remember, you’re rewiring your brain. Eat a tangerine and measure its sweetness vs its tartness on a scale of one to ten. Add a few walnuts to a bowl of oatmeal and focus on the difference between the softness of one vs. the crunchiness of the other. As you focus on these positive traits of healthier food, the rewiring will begin.
Going back to my own experiences: guess what eventually happened to me?
I walked into a Taco Bell and could not stand the smell of the place. I realized I wasn’t smelling food; I was smelling an artificial obscenity (not to mention an insult to the art of actual Mexican cuisine).
So, the point is to be patient with yourself, but also put in the work you need to do.
I’m not preaching at you; I’m literally looking at my own reflection in the mirror across the room because I still can’t get my mind off of that damn cookie.
But you know what? After I eat a hearty lunch filled with all the good things that make my muscles, gut flora, nervous system, and blood pressure happy, I may very well treat myself to some sweet berries and apple slices for dessert. Because that’s the other part of rewiring your brain: you start to look at fruit as nature’s candy. And that’s just wholesome.
We are so grateful for this wonderful blog post by our guest writer Andrew Rylee Shelton.
He is a very talented writer and author, so make sure you check him out at https://www.ryleeshelton.com/
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Thank you so much for being part of this community.
Sending you my best,
Laura
