Mindful Eating: The answer to losing and maintaining? - ThinnerTimes

MiladyB · 07-26-2007, 11:19 AM

I've been preparing today for my support group meeting tonight. We are going to discuss "Mindful Eating". I ran across this practice recently, searching around the internet and it just made so much sense. You know it felt like that piece of the puzzle that just makes everything fall into place, for me. This is one of the newsletters I read and I wanted to share it with you.

Food: The Solution, Not the Problem
By Donald Altman, M.A.

When a person chooses to see that food is the solution, not the problem, they are often filled with a sense of relief. Why? I think it may be because it gives them hope, as well as permission to let go of their symptoms—even if for a moment. And, it may give them some space from the pervasive idea that a struggle with food is too difficult to be overcome. Besides, we all know how easily food can be abused. Writer Rita Mae Brown states this very nicely when she says, “Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself.” Fortunately, once food becomes a solution, hope is just around the corner. Turning that corner, however, takes a lot of time, effort, and discipline. A mindfulness approach to food is not a shortcut. In fact, it may be the long road to making peace with food, hunger and self-care. However, this is one case where a long road with several detours may make for a richer and more meaningful journey. Mindfulness can be taught in numerous ways and with endless variations. The one constant, perhaps, is that a mindful approach changes the eater’s relationship with food. And that makes all the difference. Food ceases to be viewed simply in terms of “good” or “bad.” Rather, food becomes connected to one’s feelings, body, and the world at large. It means awakening to the deeper purpose of food, as well as to the underlying desires and cravings for it.

There are three advantages to observing and describing one’s relationship with food. First, is a fundamental awareness of patterns and behaviors. Begin to think of yourself as detectives (and not as hanging judges!). By paying attention you may begin to notice your food habits. For example: Do you use food as a reward? Do you use food as a way to signal others for attention?

A second advantage of knowing one’s food relationship is that it generates compassion—towards oneself. Compassion means, from the Latin, “to be with suffering.” Compassion and forgiveness allow a person to become more present with food and eating.

Thirdly, awareness of a food habits can shed light on other life patterns, as well as the relationship one has with her/him self. For example, one who continually skips meals or eats fast food, might ask: What other things in my life am I skipping over or indulging in like a fast food meal? Best of all, when mindful eating transforms food into a solution, the relationship to food has new and forgiving space in which to grow and change—and where all things are possible. Or, as Groucho Marx once said, “Man does not live by bread alone. Every now and then he needs a cookie.”

The Basic Mindful Bite

The basic technique of mindful eating in the CAMP System is the Basic Mindful Bite. You can use this technique with any solid food.

As you bring food to your mouth, slow down and become aware of your movements.

Once the food is in your mouth, clear your hands. Put silverware or remaining food down.

Chew this bite with your mind in laser-sharp focus on the process. Concentrate on the taste of the food and the act of eating. Don't do anything else while you're chewing. Simply chew and pay attention.

Keep chewing until the food is uniformly smooth. Use this consistency of the food as a signal to swallow.

After you swallow, but before you bring more food to your mouth, rest for a few seconds, thereby inserting a pause into your eating.

All the other strategies and techniques of the CAMP System have, at their centers, this Basic Mindful Bite.

(other strategies: http://www.mindfuleating.org/LivingCamp.html)

Internet Resources Mindful Eating
www.tcme.org
www.mindfuleating.org
www.mindfulpractices.com
www.eatingmindfully.com
www.balancedweightmanagement.com
www.med.umich.edu/umim/clinical/
pyramid/index.htm

Body Image
www.beyondhunger.org
www.bodypositive.com
www.hugs.com
www.healthybodyimage.com

Inspiration
www.getinspired.org
www.gratefulness.org

Meditation
www.tcme.org
www.learningmeditation.com
www.wccm.org

I'm curious to hear how this article affects any of you. If it rings true you may want to check out some of the resource sites.

Cat_Lover · 07-28-2007, 03:39 PM

Hi Beth,

Do you have a camera in my apartment?? In the last few weeks, I have started to eat a little faster and not chewing up my food as well. I needed to read this post. Maybe this is way my pouch has been mad at me. LOL I thought it was the iron so I stop taking the iron. Need to try gental iron from Walgreens.

Thanks Beth,

Cat_Lover

MiladyB · 07-28-2007, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat_Lover

Hi Beth,

Do you have a camera in my apartment?? In the last few weeks, I have started to eat a little faster and not chewing up my food as well. I needed to read this post. Maybe this is way my pouch has been mad at me. LOL I thought it was the iron so I stop taking the iron. Need to try gental iron from Walgreens.

Thanks Beth,

Cat_Lover

You're welcome, Mary. You know when I read this article it just made so much sense. This whole idea of mindful eating really doesn't have anything to do with wls but when I read this information it sounded so much like the way my surgeon and nutritionist were telling me I should eat and everything just seemed to fall into place in my mind.

So glad to hear this article helped you. Hope your pissy pouch settles down soon.

Jennifer Miller · 07-28-2007, 06:11 PM

I think this article has a lot to do with success.
To be mindful is so rewarding. It eliminates fear. We all know food is essential and we all know the results of eating too much. Those that have reached goal realize the joy being thin. However we are haunted by the pangs of being fat. We all live with the fear of being fat because there are always stories of staplers gaining their weight back.
Being mindful in your daily life helps eliminate the fear of being fat.
Maybe I should restate the above.
"Being mindful in your daily eating habits eliminates the fear of being fat."

As with most things.. it takes practise! practise! practise!
Thanks for posting this article
Jenni

MiladyB · 07-28-2007, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jennifer Miller

I think this article has a lot to do with success.
To be mindful is so rewarding. It eliminates fear. We all know food is essential and we all know the results of eating too much. Those that have reached goal realize the joy being thin. However we are haunted by the pangs of being fat. We all live with the fear of being fat because there are always stories of staplers gaining their weight back.
Being mindful in your daily life helps eliminate the fear of being fat.
Maybe I should restate the above.
"Being mindful in your daily eating habits eliminates the fear of being fat."

As with most things.. it takes practise! practise! practise!
Thanks for posting this article
Jenni

You are very right, Jenni. To be able to eat mindfully puts US in control of the food not the FOOD controlling us. I honestly do think this is the secret to losing and maitaining the weight loss.

GastricJerry · 08-19-2007, 03:18 PM

Mindful Eating really does work. I will have Beth put the excercise we did in group with food. NO it is not kinky but we had a great laugh right Luna Lurker. Imagine us meditating of sorts with food. Of course I am sure my pookie bear rolled her eyes during the excercise.

It was a general way of stopping and looking how we eat. Take care Joins us sometime. We could have a Blast.

GastricJerry · 08-19-2007, 03:35 PM

here is the correct link
http://www.bellplantation.com/

mmorgan · 08-22-2008, 07:03 AM

I live in the Dayton Ohio area and I need a support group. Does anyone know of one that I may attend. I had surgery July 2000 (263 pounds) and did fairly well for years. In the last three years I have been extremely iron deficient and have had two blood transfusions and one iron infusion. I am low now, my blood has been below 10 and will not come up without iron infusions. I take 1275 mg of iron suppliments daily and it just does not work. Therefore I feel sick at my stomach all the time and I have been grazing in the hopes that the sick feeling will go away

. I have about 35-45 pounds (I am now about 180-186 and hate it) that I have gained over the last three years because of the fatigue and sick feeling. I have fallen into bad habits and I need to get out of them. It is hard to do on your own, the people close to me do not really understand. They just say (my mother mostly) "you went through alot to be gaining weight again."

Any suggestions is greatly appriciated!

pummychal · 08-22-2008, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmorgan

I live in the Dayton Ohio area and I need a support group. Does anyone know of one that I may attend. I had surgery July 2000 (263 pounds) and did fairly well for years. In the last three years I have been extremely iron deficient and have had two blood transfusions and one iron infusion. I am low now, my blood has been below 10 and will not come up without iron infusions. I take 1275 mg of iron suppliments daily and it just does not work. Therefore I feel sick at my stomach all the time and I have been grazing in the hopes that the sick feeling will go away

. I have about 35-45 pounds (I am now about 180-186 and hate it) that I have gained over the last three years because of the fatigue and sick feeling. I have fallen into bad habits and I need to get out of them. It is hard to do on your own, the people close to me do not really understand. They just say (my mother mostly) "you went through alot to be gaining weight again."

Any suggestions is greatly appriciated!

I only had surgery 4 1/2 mos ago so still losing. But my husband had it 13 years ago and lost 180 lbs and had gained 80 of them back. Well in the last 4 1/2 months since my surgery he has lost 40 lbs. So it can be done. He went back to some of the basics. No more snacking unless it's once or twice a day and a healthy low cal snack. Count calories. No more grazing. At meals, eat smaller portions and stop when satisfied. It took a month or so, cutting down on the portions little by little until he was eating very small portions and the pouch still works! I am so proud of him. You can do it! And since you have to graze somewhat, just pay attention to what you are eating. Very small amounts since you have to eat all day. Count everything...sugar, calories, protein. Get all your protein, water, and I know you are getting your vitamins. It can be done.

MiladyB · 08-25-2008, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmorgan

I live in the Dayton Ohio area and I need a support group. Does anyone know of one that I may attend. I had surgery July 2000 (263 pounds) and did fairly well for years. In the last three years I have been extremely iron deficient and have had two blood transfusions and one iron infusion. I am low now, my blood has been below 10 and will not come up without iron infusions. I take 1275 mg of iron suppliments daily and it just does not work. Therefore I feel sick at my stomach all the time and I have been grazing in the hopes that the sick feeling will go away

. I have about 35-45 pounds (I am now about 180-186 and hate it) that I have gained over the last three years because of the fatigue and sick feeling. I have fallen into bad habits and I need to get out of them. It is hard to do on your own, the people close to me do not really understand. They just say (my mother mostly) "you went through alot to be gaining weight again."

Any suggestions is greatly appriciated!

I'm in Michigan so I don't know if there are any in your area. I suspect that there has to be some. My suggestion would be to call a baraitric surgeon's office in your area and see if they know of any. Did you have your original surgery in the Dayton area? If so, contact your surgeon's office.

Also, here is a list of Ohio Support Groups. It looks as if there are 2 of them in Dayton.

BSCI - Support Group Network - USA - Ohio

You can also feel free to email me. I'm more than willing to help by email. My best suggestion is to get back to basics. Start journaling what you are eating. See if you can find a bariatric nutritionist and make an appointment to see him/her.

You can do this but you have to find help. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.