We need to stop using food as our way of relaxing, then we will start losing weight fast. Let’s face it, that’s what we all want. It is very easy to grab food, especially “junk food”, to help us calm down and relax. Many people not only eat, but use alcohol or cigarettes as a way to relax. None of these are good for us. Alcohol, cigarettes and food, yes food, can all be addictive.
We need to eat food for nutrition and energy, not as the main way to relax. We can easily change our daily habits for new habits that will help us easily relax without eating, feel good and achieve the weight loss we are looking for. It normally takes about 21 days for a new habit to take place. That may seem like a long time, but it’s not. Just think about it: three weeks to a new you. Someone who can now lose weight fast and relax without eating.
Don’t confuse “relax eating” with “emotional eating.” They are two completely different issues. Many people suffer from emotional eating. They eat different emotions, such as fear, nervousness, being upset, having an argument, or just anxious about something. What I’m referring to is people who eat for no reason other than relaxation. Many people use excuses like: “I’ve been working all day, I just want to relax” or “I’m done for the day, I’ll sit down and read or watch TV and relax.” Sounds familiar? It sure happens to me!
So now that we recognize our problem with eating to relax, we need to learn how to change “eating to relax” to “relaxing without eating.” We can do this easily. And this is how:
1. We just make dinner our last moment to eat. Now I know that this can be difficult. Especially if dinner time is in the late afternoon or early evening. At the end of the night is when we need to settle down to start the day and eat low-calorie snacks, such as raw vegetables, without dressing, or unbuttered popcorn.
2. We need to make a rule of not eating in front of the TV. All meals and snacks must be eaten in a designated eating area, such as the dining room, nook, or kitchen counter. Also sit down when you eat and appreciate what you have and how good it tastes when you eat it slowly. You will feel full faster when you eat more slowly. No more unnecessary eating in front of the TV or computer for long periods – we can tend to eat a lot more this way. Instead, drink a large glass of water or even decaf coffee.
3. Talk about a walk of at least half an hour. Carry a large water bottle with you and drink slowly. You don’t need to walk fast. Walk slowly and enjoy the scenery around you. Walking is very relaxing.
4. Chew gum – This can help trick your brain into thinking you are chewing food.
5. Find an interesting activity to keep your mind occupied. Many times we feel that “we have to be doing something” to help us relax. This may sound silly to adults, but think about the things you used to do as a kid. Paint by numbers, crossword puzzles, word searches, puzzles, coloring, writing stories, etc. If you really like it, your mind will be busy thinking about what you are doing, without getting bored or tempted to eat.
6. Browse the Internet. You will be surprised at the amount of information available to you on any topic that interests you. But, this is not the time to be eating. Make it a rule not to eat on your computer.
7. Spend time with your family or friends and show them that you don’t need to keep eating all the time.
Take it step by step and you will see your progress every day. Be satisfied with your progress and don’t be hard on yourself if you slip up. It’s okay. Get back on track and always focus on relaxing without eating. Remember that if you feel full after eating a lot of carbohydrate-rich foods, you are going into fat storage mode. You don’t want to overeat and feel full, you want to focus on being full, satisfied, and feeling good; versus feeling tired and full.
Natural relaxation is extremely important for our health. We need to relax and give our body a rest so it can repair itself naturally. But remember, you’re not helping your body if you’re eating for no other reason than to relax. It’s important when we eat, that we eat the foods that are good for us, as you can find in our original PowerFood reports.
Try a few of the things mentioned and you’ll be on your way to relaxing, feeling great, and losing weight easily. It will get easier for you as you start to lose weight, look and feel better, and have new clothes to relax in.