If I Could Eat Like My Grandson...
If I Could Eat Like My Grandson...
Watching this 2 year old boy eat, I am filled with envy. He eats slowly, preferring to squish his food on the table top rather than eat it; food is more of a passing venture, and he is fully capable of stopping whenever he wants , never fussing about left over food on his plate. Having never had desserts he has no interest in cookies or sweet things and may or may not be happy with pieces of banana and peanut butter. His mind is more occupied with playing with utensils than rapidly stuffing food in his mouth; and he most certainly can't wait for the meal to be over so that he can play.
So, where in the world did we, as adults, become so preoccupied with food. Wanting and willing to eat everything on our plate, learning the ability to eat way beyond the point of satisfaction. We eat rapidly, without thinking. Often our minds are distracted with the days' stresses, or we are eating while watching T.V. Watching my grandson, his 'satiety' signal seems to be heightened with simply a few bites of food. Once done, there is no way you could convince him to eat more.
The good thing is that while he is eating, I purposely have a very small bowl as I want to be finished when he is, so that I can play with him. Truthfully, and somewhat ashamedly, I realize that I'm quite satisfied with a small amount, but only because I'm excited to play with this young lad. (Distraction from food is key. If we have no real distraction then we continue to eat simply to meet some hedonistic mechanism in the brain.) Eating has become like our web searches, and our habitual examination of Facebook pages. It's is our temporary distraction from the stresses of life, maybe avoidance of chores or a simple reprieve from the day. We have lost any capacity to eat slowly, joyfully, and know to stop when satisfied, not full.
Most clients I meet eat very well during the day, as their work environment provides a distraction from food. Once home, however, snacking begins; before dinner, during dinner, and after dinner.
My grandson eats to satisfy his hunger, but many other pleasures such as his blocks, books, or trains provide him much greater enjoyment. If only we could eat this way and look forward to getting outside for a walk or bike, working on a hobby, reading a book, or any other pleasurable activity that doesn't involve food. We can do this, but we have to become mindful. We must become mindful that we don't need very much food to have or bodies function properly. Mindful that excess food (especially excess starch and sugar) may lead to increased amount of visceral fat, leading to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, hypertension and many more.
Be mindful of your long-term health. Next year, 5 years from now, 10 years from now…how do you want to feel???
Eat like my grandson: slowly. Know to stop eating well before you are full. Try not to snack unnecessarily, especially at night, and especially not in front of the TV. Be mindful. Go for that walk after dinner, or get on your bike. Do 15 wall push-ups. Move, do something. We must break longstanding habits, and although it may not seem easy, it CAN be done. You can do it. Just keep trying, and never, ever give up
Dr. Doug