winnipeg's biggest loser

Eat For the Healthy Enjoyment of Food

Learning to eat for the healthy enjoyment of food is something many people need to relearn how to do.  Too often I see clients who eat for all reasons except to truly nourish and energized their bodies, and of course to truly enjoy food.  Next time you find you are eating and you are not experiencing physical hunger, ask yourself the following questions:

Why am I eating?  What makes me want to eat certain types of foods?  Am I truly hunger or am I using the food as a way to escape from something that is not going right in my life? How many times have you asked yourself these questions?  How often have you answered truthfully?

What are examples of truthful answers to these questions?

• Hungry- true hunger or pseudo-hunger?
• Bored –what is the state of your personal foundation?
• Emotional-it is not what you eat, but what is eating you
• Routine- you’ve always eaten this way, why change now?
• What are some other reasons you might have for using food as an escape?

How to Eat for the Healthy Enjoyment of Food:

1. Get organized- create a list of 10 meals you enjoy and that fit in with your health goals

2.  Match your list of meals to the Glycemic Index-choose low GI foods more often ( see  our  Solutions for Health, copies available at the Urban Wellness Centre)

3. Manage your Basic Cupboard so it reflects your health goals ( Solutions for Health outlines what your basic cupboard should look- it is a great tool to help you eat for health)

4. Grocery shop in a way that reflects your health goals

5. Tie the Game Plan for Wellness to your health goals

6. Use the Healthy Eating Schedule to guide how often you eat certain types of foods: Red meat 1time/wk; Poultry 1-2times/week;Fish 3times/week and Meatless meals 4times/week

To find out more about how you can use nutrition and health coaching to realize your best life, visit us at the Urban Wellness Centre or online: UrbanWellnessCentre.ca

In health,

Your health and Nutrition coach, Phyllis Reid-Jarvis, RD, CDE

If you have no appetite for breakfast, it could be because of when you ate the night before.  Late night eating is linked to lack of appetite in the morning-no desire to eat breakfast.  You then, grab a coffee, possibly with cream and sugar and sip on coffee throughout the day.  Typically your first meal might be at lunch time, at which point you are so hungry you eat whatever you can get your hands on!   Many of my clients who suffer from late night eating or Night Eating Syndrome as it is called, tend to also struggle with their weight.   They may be overweight or obese and have always battled with wanting to lose weight but can’t seem to get a grip on what really works.

Here are some tips that have helped my clients:

1. Set a new bedtime, the later you stay up the more likely you are to end up eating .   2.  If you are a shift-worker, plan your meals and when you will sleep.  You should pack a light snack and still avoid eating in between meals.  3. Shift-workers may also benefit from eating breakfast ( which you should have on hand) before going down to sleep, depending on when their shift ends. 4.  You will still need to have an exercise program in place.  This might be on your days off and is a sure way to achieve your health and weight goals.5. Finally, get in the habit of stopping all eating by 7:30pm (might differ for some shift-workers) and eat breakfast.   Just by breaking the overnight fast in the morning with a small nutritious breakfast, you can start the process of regaining control over your weight and your health.  Remember, if you are tired or thirsty you can misinterpret these feelings as being hungry and consequently end up overeating.   Be very aware of why you are eating.

For more valuable information on getting healthy and stay healthy, get a copy of Solutions for Health, at Urban Wellness Centre, or order a copy from http://www.PhyllisReidJarvis.com   In this book you will find solutions that will change your life for good!

In health,

Phyllis Reid-Jarvis, Urban Wellness Centre Dietitian