Uncategorized

One Beautiful Bite At A Time

cindylandham Uncategorized , , , , 5 Comments

One Beautiful Bite At A Time

Imagine…

What would happen if you thoroughly enjoyed each bite you took? What if no bite went down the hatch mindlessly?

Many of the things we struggle with in our food-lives would practically disappear: overeating, feeling dissatisfied with a meal, carrying extra weight, being sad that a meal is over so quickly.

One powerful tool we have in making this food-nirvana possible is:

Thinking like a connoisseur

Who enjoys food more than a connoisseur? They’re relaxed and present – connected to the eating experience. Fully engaged. Each bite intentionally savored. Every sense employed. The pleasure is so complete that it doesn’t take a lot of food to feel deeply satisfied.

The benefits of thinking like a connoisseur are exactly what we’re looking for:

  • An open, relaxed attitude toward food—no shame or fear
  • Quality brings pleasure, rather than quantity – so weight is managed more easily
  • Food is enjoyed so fully that there is no grieving when a meal is over

As we adopt the mindset of a connoisseur we will gain what we’ve been wanting – not through the strain of white-knuckle-will-power – but through the rich satisfaction that comes through true connection.

As we honor each bite we also come to honor the moment, the meal, the one who prepared it, our meal companions and our own best health.

Now that’s a win-win, one delicious bite at a time.

3 Exciting Ways to Shake Things Loose!

cindylandham Uncategorized , , , 4 Comments

 3 Exciting Ways to Shake Things LooseWhen you’re eating mindfully more often than not, and binges are fewer and farther between than they used to be – but – you’re still not reaching the vibrancy and weight you would like, then it may be time to SHAKE THINGS UP! 

Here are some powerful action plans:

  1. DO SOMETHING ACTIVE YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU’D DO:     Some examples might be:
    –   Join in a 28 DAY FITNESS CHALLENGE at your local gym
    –   Try a 3×3 EXPERIMENT: try three new things in three months, doing them three times each week – such as a month of yoga, a month of dancing lessons, and a month of water aerobics
  2. RETOOL YOUR FUEL:  There are many ways to make doable changes that will get you off your plateau. Examine your present menu and see how you can tweak it in order to release weight.  A wellness coach, a dietitian or nutritionist can help you see things you might be missing.
  3. GET EXCITED ABOUT A SUPER HEALTHY MENU:  Why not try a few new and delicious eating lifestyles on for size and see which you like best. Eating processed foods regularly, even in moderation, makes it hard to slim down as we get older.

Some delicious eating lifestyles to try: Mediterranean menu, fresh whole foods, Blue Zone

When we aren’t getting the results we want – it’s time to shake things loose!

Remember to have a spirit of adventure and experimentation…
Be curious and creative…
Have fun with it – and EXPECT to find what you are looking for.

One Very Revealing Text Message

cindylandham Uncategorized , , , , 0 Comment

One Very Revealing Text Message
“I just surprised myself by leaving food on my plate at a restaurant. I realized I was getting full and stopped. Normally I would just shove it in but decided I didn’t need to. I had a choice. Feels GOOD!”

This is a text message I received yesterday from one of US – we who are finding our way on the often steep, winding path toward more and more mindful, intuitive, liberated eating. Let’s examine it and see what we can learn:

1. “I just surprised myself…”
Wonder! Over time the old over-eating default pattern weakens and eventually is replaced by a new life-giving pattern.

2. “I realized…”
Awareness. I am getting full…and I can eat again every time I’m hungry. The old diet induced food-desperation is fading away – leaving peace and balance in its place.

3. “Normally I would…”
Change. The new healthy normal begins to feel more and more solid.

And best of all…
4. “I had a choice.”
Personal power. We do indeed have a choice – and our growing trust in that is half the beautiful battle.

This journey isn’t a quick, easy stroll, but it is more than worth it. Yes, it requires work and focus and time – but it also yields wonder and awareness and change and personal power.

Take courage, dear Courageous Soul – you are better for having walked this path.

3 Things That Can Happen When Home Alone

cindylandham Uncategorized , , , , 3 Comments

 

Recently I was home alone for ten days because Bob was far away teaching people how to build a happy team. He’s good at that 3 Things That Can Happen When Home Alonekind of thing.

While he was gone it struck me how different my food-life is now that I am no longer living under the thumb of The Diet/Binge Dictator.

In the old days being alone would have been a trigger for:

A. Starting a new intense 10 day kick-butt diet

B. Planning a 5 day binge followed by a 5 day “cleanse”

C. Falling helplessly into a 10 day crazy-eating-spree – complete with hangover – all the while swearing I’m going to stop this insanity and straighten up.

     Can anybody out there say AMEN?

None of these three extremes would have felt good for long or given me any lasting positive effect. Thankfully, the past ten days were nothing like the crazy scenarios above.

I will admit to eating more onions than usual since no one was around to kiss me.

One morning* I had a breakfast date with a delicious sour cream doughnut and a steamy cup of coffee with real milk. As I savored both I realized that in my old dieting days I would have not gotten that doughnut at all – OR – I would’ve gotten a lot of them, gulping them down with a large glass of guilt and chocolate milk. I would have hated myself and my body for days.

It’s wonderfully liberating to have a sane peaceful response to food almost all the time – Holidays, Tuesdays and Alone Days.

If you’re toying with the idea of leaving dieting behind – I encourage you to GO FOR IT! And if you need some help finding your way to a liberated place – it would be my honor to help!

 

*HELPFUL CARB GUIDELINE: For those of us well into middle age, when we get a hankering for a sweet treat, it’s a great idea to enjoy it in the first half of the day because simple carbs go to fat more quickly now than they did when we were younger, especially when we sleep on them. This is NOT a diet rule. This is a science tool. Understanding how your body works and deciding to work with it, not against it, allows you to “have your cake and eat it too”.

Ever Make These 5 Mistakes When Choosing Food?

cindylandham Uncategorized , , , , 0 Comment

Ever Make These 5 Mistakes When Choosing Food

When your body tells you it needs fuel you know it’s the perfect time to feed it. Choosing food, if done for any reason other than your own health and satisfaction, can get tricky in a hurry…

1. I better choose this – it’s not fattening.

This thought comes from our old dieting days. Problem is, if we don’t choose food that will satisfy us (for pleasure and for health) then chances are we will be prowling “for a little something” not long after our not-very-satisfying meal.

2. I better choose this – it’s healthy.

Of course it’s wise to eat nutritious food. Problem is, if you really want a grilled cheese sandwich today (which could be healthy, by the way) but choose a salad instead – you will not leave that meal satisfied. Again, the urge to prowl will probably be strong. Half a salad and half a sandwich might just do the trick.

3. No healthy food today – I’m being “bad”.

I remember in my crazy dieting days really wanting a juicy summer tomato with tuna salad but choosing cake instead because I wasn’t “on my diet”. I ate through a lot of mediocre cake hoping to reach some level of satisfaction but never did…just got a stomach-ache and a lot of regret instead.

4. I better eat some – Granny will get her feelings hurt if I don’t.

We’ve all faced these obligatory eating situations. Once a year isn’t a big problem – but if you live with or near someone who NEEDS YOU TO EAT in order to feel good, then your health (not to mention your boundaries) will be in jeopardy if you don’t make your true needs and feelings known.

5. I need to finish all this – I paid for it after all.

We’ve talk about this many times but it bears repeating. We never save money when we overeat. We never save money when we overeat. We never save money when we overeat.

In fact, eating past full will eventually end up costing us – a lot.

When it comes to eating – no one but you and your body know what food, when, or how much of it will leave you feeling refreshed and satisfied. Trust yourself – and thrive!