Have you wondered how you tell the difference between true hunger and emotional hunger?

Why do you eat? Is it out of true hunger or maybe habits built over time.  Look at the lists below, this will help you determine your reason for eating.

Physical hunger:

• Tends to come on gradually, and can be postponed
• Can be satisfied with a number of different foods
• Once you full you're likely to stop eating
• Doesn't cause feeling of guilt

Emotional Eating:

• Feels urgent and sudden
• Causes very specific cravings for example bread, chips
• You tend to eat more than you normally would
• Can cause guilt afterwards

Do you find you are eating more out of emotional need, here are some tips that could help:

Explore why you are eating and find a replacement activity. It can also help to write down the emotions that trigger your eating. 

Pause and "take 5" before you reach for food. Too often, we rush through the day without really checking in with ourselves. We're so stressed, over scheduled  and plugged-in that we lose out on time to reflect.

Instead of eating when you get in the door, take a few minutes to transition from one part of your day to another. 

Getting Help

Even when we understand what's going on, many of us still need help breaking the cycle of emotional eating. It's not easy — especially when emotional eating has already led to weight and self-esteem issues. So don't go it alone when you don't have to.

www.design4life.co.za

Comfort food, why men and women are so different in what they choose

So did you know that men and women even differ in what comfort foods they prefer?

As most of our preferences can be conditioned at a young age, this might be that different types of experiences of men and women cause them to have different comfort food preferences.  Food connotations from childhood can create strong ties with lifelong eating habits.  In a research paper they found that if adult males are accustomed to having meals prepared for them, they may develop stronger preferences for hot or prepared foods as comfort foods.  When a male thinks of prepared food he thinks of someone caring for him, bringing comfort.  On the other hand, adult females may  not be accustomed to having food prepared for them, perhaps because they may have been encouraged to be the food preparers.  When a female thinks of prepared meals they think of work. 

If you look at what the female’s choice is it is one of convenience and less preparation such as chocolates.  In one study on “chocolate addiction” showed that 92% of the self-selected “addicts” were female.

Trends have been changing in this new generation, as convenience foods have been introduced as main meals in busy households.  If we look at young people their preference of comfort food is salt and sugar dense foods, the burger etc.

Does this tendency of needing comfort food go back to how food is used as a tool in our homes?

Food is the reward – “if you get an A on your test we’ll go out for ice cream.”

Food as guilt – “Clean your plate, children are starving in Africa.”

Food as punishment – “Finish your vegetables or you can’t watch TV.”

Food as comfort – “Eat this pudding it will make you feel better.”

What cues do you need to change when it comes to food?

In the book Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink, in Chicago at one of the theaters the 1:05 pm show with every ticket bought you got a free bucket of popcorn and a free drink.  Some people where given large buckets of popcorn and some medium.  As it was the 1:05pm show most people had just had lunch. 

The catch to this exercise was that the popcorn was not fresh it was five days old, so it was so stale.  During the movie, people would eat a couple of bites, put the bucket down and later pick it up again a few minutes later.  It might not have been good enough to eat all at once, but they couldn't leave it alone.  After the movie ended everyone got a short survey to complete.  Once the buckets were weighed it was discovered that on average people with the large bucket of popcorn ate on average 173 more calories of popcorn (equivalent of 21 more dips into the bucket).   The popcorn studies were run in a number of places and each time showed similar results.  

Through these studies a few things became clear, people eat more when given larger containers, it did not matter if popcorn was not fresh or if they had just eaten.  Did people eat because they liked the popcorn? No.  Did they eat because they were hungry? No.  They ate because of the cues around them - this of course was a movie and that's what you do at movies eat popcorn.  They also realised that people also ate because they heard others eating the popcorn, they found that people ate more because of the distracting movie they did not focus on what they ate.  Brain says that simply thinking that a meal will taste good can lead you to eat more.

This got me thinking how many every day cues do we have that make us eat certain foods.  Just this morning after taking my dogs for a walk I watched as my spaniel is so conditioned now that after a walk I will give him a treat from a particular cupboard, so as I walked in Max ran straight for the cupboard.  We do so much of our daily routine out of cues and habit, so if we need to lose weight or want to correct what we eat we need to start changing the cues.  

What can we learn from the World's healthiest countries...

I so wanted to look at what is the common thread that runs through the healthiest countries.  This article looks at the top 10 healthiest countries in the world http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-worlds-healthiest-countries/

Japan interestingly is the top country, with all the stress and need to achieve they eat a high percentage of fish and exercise regularly.  In a lot of these countries government has also stepped in which shows that there is hope for the countries struggling. Government have introduced exercise programs and if we look at Finland which had the highest death rate from heart disease among men, local governments began promoting healthy living, and today, fruit and vegetable intake has more than doubled.

  

I look at the common thread and to me it seems to be good, whole, natural foods and exercise.  In most of these countries foods are bought at markets, fresh and families would rather eat a healthy family meal which becomes a social event at home then processed foods at a take away joint. 

In a survey it was found that there are nine lifestyle factors that influenced our health.  Surprisingly, only one of these deals with exercise, and a full third involve social factors. In fact, it was found that, the single most important thing you can do is extend your life is to build your own “Right Tribe.” The world’s longest-lived people were either born into or choose to associate with the right people — those who provide emotional support and the motivation to engage in healthy activities. Research shows that if you surround yourself with people who are active and eat healthy foods, you are more likely to adopt these habits yourself.

1. Move naturally

People also engage in some sort of moderate daily activity such as gardening, walking, or playing with their children. It has been found that our bodies were not made to withstand years of heavy pounding and high-intensity physical activity. Regular, low-intensity activity — doing something light every day — may be more beneficial. Focus on activities you enjoy — even something as seemingly simple as a daily walk can provide health benefits.

2. Know your purpose in life

Having a meaningful reason to get out of bed in the morning can help reduce stress and ward off disease. Studies show that people who retire early often see a decline in their health and even experience higher mortality rates than those who continue to work. If you enjoy your job, keep working as long as possible. Volunteer work and community service can also help provide a sense of purpose.

3. Downshift

Look for ways to simplify your life: slow down, get plenty of rest, and take vacations. Try to have times of calm in your day, whether that means meditating, taking a relaxing bath, or carving out some time for yourself to engage in a hobby.

4. Follow the 80% Rule

We are used to eating until we’re full, but allowing yourself to feel hunger can actually be beneficial. A study involving mice revealed that the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin may help fight stress and depression. We should typically stop eating when we are 80% full. 

5. Eat a plant-based diet

Eat wisely, our diets should consist of large amounts of locally grown vegetables and less protein than the average diet. Limit processed foods, meats, fats, and sweets as much as possible. Also drink plenty of fresh water and herbal teas. In Icaria, residents drink high levels of herbal teas that act as diuretics, lower blood pressure, and prevent heart disease.

6. Drink red wine (ok this is optional)

Red wine is high in powerful antioxidants that can help fight cancer, reduce inflammation, and lower cholesterol. In Sardinia, researchers found a red wine with the world’s highest-known levels of antioxidants. Drink red wine consistently and in moderation — a glass or two a day is recommended.

7. Belong to a healthy social network

Having a strong and supportive social system is key to reducing stress and living a healthy life. There is a biological link between social connection and how well our bodies function. Our increasingly wired society and busy lifestyles have made us more isolated, which can shave years off our lives. Make an effort to spend time with friends and nurture a face-to-face network instead of just connecting with people online. Proactively build friendships with people who practice healthy habits. Participating in social exercise groups or volunteering are great ways to meet healthy, like-minded individuals.

8. Have a belief system

Having some sort of faith system or spiritual practice has been shown to have health benefits. 

9. Put your family first

Happy people make family a priority and nurture supportive relationships with their loved ones. Studies have shown that the average working parent spends just 19 minutes a day engaged in childcare. As you work on simplifying your routine, look for new, beneficial activities you can do with your children and extended family members. Complete a craft project together, get the family together for a bike ride, or involve the children in making dinner and choosing healthy foods for the family.

Changing the bells in your life....

The Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov's famous experiment illustrated just how easily we can be conditioned.  He starved his pet dog for three days, then, when he gave it some food, he rang a bell at the same time.  After that, every time his dog felt genuine hunger, Ivan would put some food down and at exactly the same time he would ring a bell.  He didn't simply do this once or twice, but over and over again until it became a conditioned  response:  food/bell, food/bell.  In the end even if the dog had already eaten and could have in no way felt genuine physical hunger, when the bell was rung the dog would look for food and literally begin to salivate.

Have you ever been driving along, not even thinking about food, when all of a sudden you see the two golden arches of the McDonald's sign and felt hungry?  Or do you remember when you were a child playing in the street, not thinking of food at all, when all of a sudden you heard the sound of the ice cream man and decided you felt hungry?  Well that's the bell! Going to the cinema means popcorn, Easter means chocolate eggs, get to the office you need your coffee, buying bread and milk you need that chocolate.  There are so many examples I'm sure you can think of many, the fact is we react to a thousand different bells or triggers without even realising it.  The way Advertisers link in a bell is to advertise it over and over again.

The habits we form and the high processed foods we eat reprogramme the instinctive and emotional part of the brain.  As it is based in the instinctive part of the brain it makes us think we need the substance for survival.

In order to change the bell or as we call it triggers we need to first recognize what they are, for example as soon as I watch TV I need a snack so I go for the packet of crisps in the cupboard.

Then we start to reprogramme the brain, by changing the habits and replacing them with positive habits.

It takes perseverance to change a habit and don't beat yourself up if you slip up, just keep trying.

It is important to change one thing at a time rather than trying to change everything as you will not stick to it, write down small and achievable goals.

Only you can make the decision to make the positive changes in your life.

The impact stress has on our weight gain

Today we have so much stress in our lives, everything has to be done with speed so we don't take time out even to eat anymore.  We wonder why we have an obesity problem and other health issues in our society today.  


Does your day sound like this? 

• As you run out the door late for work you quickly grab a cup of coffee and maybe a slice of toast
• At work you eat your sandwich at the computer because you don't have time to have a break as you have a deadline.
• Rushing home either grab food on the way home or devour dinner at the TV because you are so hungry. 

During periods of chronic stress, this could be work or home stress, it could be negative self talk or just feeling bad because you did not stick to your diet.  All this causes a rise in cortisol levels this sends a potent signal to fat cells, telling them to store as much fat as possible.  Cortisol also signals fat cells to hold on to their fat stores—so stress can actually reduce the ability of the body to release fat from its fat stores to use for energy. High levels of cortisol in your system makes you alot more hungry and reduces your digestive system to work optimally. 


How do we reduce the effects of cortisol?

• Take time out for your meals, make sure you are in a relaxed atmosphere
• Take some deep breaths before you start eating
• Have family time like it should be at dinner time away from the TV 
• Eat slowly, use your senses when eating, make eating an enjoyable part of your day
• Instead of dieting change your life style and set goals, with dieting we add alot of negative self talk when we don't stick to it.

This week learn to take time out, start focusing on what you are eating and savor, enjoy what you are eating, lastly listen to your body.

What do you see in the mirror?

I had to have a giggle when a facebook friend posted this picture.  I had just started writing my blog on "what do you see in the mirror".
The question is, is what we seeing in the mirror a true reflection of who we truly are?


We hear and see so many people that lose so much weight just to gain it back and sometimes more than what they lost.  When you watch interviews of the Biggest Loser the amazing thing is they all seem to say the same thing they still felt fat in side.  On our journey to our personal balance before we can work on losing weight or whatever your goals are we need to look at what do I see as true.  


I was shocked the one day when a friend said to me that she would love to have the typical ladies body, the hour glass or pear shape as we are normally referred to.  The reason I was shocked is that all my life I wished I could get rid of my hips and have that easy straight body.  Isn't that sad that we never seem to be satisfied or happy with the way we were created.


When I was younger I was such a perfectionist, ok so I still am but I would like to believe I have mellowed with age.  My mom would always say to me "there are things in your control and there are things out of your control".  At that time I used to get so irritated but now I think of these words often.


What we going to do as an exercise is look at the things that are out of our control and those in our control.  Seeing the things that are out our control, might help us set more realistic goals.  To  give you an example if If you have been blessed with a larger frame this is out your control, so it is not a good idea to set a goal to fit into size 8 pants when you know you will never reach it.


Try and list 5 things that are out of your control:
For example

• Body type/shape
• Height
• Any physical genes inherited from parents :)
• Temperament (introvert/extrovert) 
• Age (changes to your body as you get older)

Now list 5 things that are in your control to reach your goal:

For example

• What I choose to eat
• Do I exercise?
• Do I take time out for me?
• Who are my friends?
• My environment

Now look in the mirror, are some of those things that you have hated about yourself for so long really that bad? Let us this week start focusing on those things we can change.

You won't want to miss my next blog, I will be chatting on how with our negative thinking and always putting ourselves down how we release cortisol into our bodies which has a great impact on our digestion.

Tracey