Nutrition and Weight Loss Ideas

The Wellness of YOU — Part Eight
January 20, 2006

This series of articles about wellness, fitness and weight loss seem to be focusing mostly on diet and not so much on the fitness part. I know that we’ve discussed exercise, and we’ll do more of it soon, but it does seem that “how” and “what” we eat are so vital to the overall area of your wellness.

Let’s talk some today about “how” you eat.

Have you ever noticed yourself and what you are doing when you eat? How many times have you caught yourself sitting in front of the television and suddenly realized you were eating?

Or, especially when you’re watching TV and eating at the same time, do you ever notice that the food disappeared before you knew it and you don’t really remember that you ate?

What about when you’re driving your car? Do you grab for something to eat and you’re not even hungry?

I was watching a young member of my family the other day. She had just come in the door, took off her coat, went to the refrigerator, opened the door and just stood there staring inside.

I asked her what she was doing and she looked up at me with sort of surprised look on her face and answered, “I don’t know — just looking for something to eat.”

I asked, “Are you hungry?”

She said, “No, I’m just bored!”

Hmmmm!

Those little scenarios are examples of unconscious eating. When you eat unconsciously — when you’re not truly aware of the fact that you ARE eating, let alone aware of WHAT you are eating, that is one of the primary factors leading to weight gain.

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