Good morning all you thin thinking troops!
This week we are going to be talking about "thinking thin" and what we can learn from people who don't have a weight problem.
I'm not talking about people who can eat anything and not gain weight, or the people who eat like rabbits every single day. I'm talking about people who are at a normal weight, eat normal meals, and have a healthy attitude about their bodies. These are the people I feel we should be emulating.
There are some myths associated with slender people that I would like to explore. When you see a slender person eating a high calorie snack do you assume they eat like that all the time? Do you suspect your slender co-worker never thinks about her weight? Are you convinced your slender neighbor doesn't work out because he obviously doesn't NEED to? If you pay close attention, you'll know that this just isn't the case for most people.
I think the biggest difference between slender people and people struggling with their weight is their relationship with food and exercise.
Think thinkers have a healthy relationship with food. Now, what does that mean? To me it means:
...they know the difference between mouth hunger, stomach hunger and emotional hunger. Do you?
...they know when they are satisfied, not stuffed. Do you?
...they enjoy food when it is appropriate, without guilt or self-recriminations. Do you?
...they see the "big picture" and don't obsess over every morsel that passes their lips. Do you?
So how do we start "thinking thin?" Let's start with recognizing the different types of hunger and learning to know when we are satsified. Towards that goal, here are some examples of the different types of hunger:
Mouth hunger: This is what I think of as eating out of habit. You're watching TV and you go into the kitchen for a glass of water but return with a bag of chips. No thought, no planning...it just happens.
Stomach hunger: When your body sends you physical signals that it needs nourishment.
Emotional hunger: You had a rotten day and got into an argument with your DH, so you NEED that cookie.
Thin thinkers experience all of these types of hunger, and they do eat because of them. The big difference? They KNOW when they are eating because of emotional hunger or mouth hunger! By knowing WHY they are eating they have a sense of control over WHAT and HOW MUCH they put in their mouths.
What about being satified versus full? Thin thinkers eat less because they KNOW when they have had enough. Not too much, but enough. Here are some tips for learning to recognize when you are satisfied:
Rate your hunger-give your hunger a rating of 1 to 5 before you eat. Stop halfway through the meal or snack and do it again. When in doubt, STOP! If you are still physically hungry in half an hour, have a small snack.
Make your meals last at least 20 minutes-give your mind a chance to catch up with your stomach.
Pay attention to your food-don't eat in front of the TV or computer, or standing up at the kitchen sink.
Your assignment for today is twofold: Come up with examples of the different types of hunger and ways to deal with them, AND try at least one of the techniques for learning how to recognize when you are satisfied.
I would also love to hear your observances on "thinking thin" and the results of your observations of slender people.
So, get out there and THINK THIN!
Don't forget the trinity while you work on the mental aspects of getting fit! I'll be tallying activity minutes for the week starting with yesterdays figures.
Day 11 activity: WATP 4 mi = 60 minutes