One of the reasons we overeat is because we do not get enough nutrition from over processed food. A body is screaming for fuel and we are giving it junk. If one eats with proper nutritous guidance, the body will be satisfied with less quantity and better quality.
One popular, but not so easy idea, is to cut out the “whites”. No white sugar products, no white flour products and no milk products. Read ingredients on packaging. They are listed in order of quantity in the product. If the first five ingredients contain any of the above, it should not be eaten. If an ingredient is something unrecognizable to you-“dye number 876″then how healthy can this be? I decided for myself that I want every food item to “work” for me, to keep me strong and healthy, so I put thought and research into it. I discovered:
It takes 20 minutes for your brain to realize that you have eaten, so chew every bite at least 15 times. The better you have chewed your food, the easier it is for the body to break down. Remember to take deep breaths throughout the day so that you can give all of your body the oxygen it needs.
Walk as much as you can during the day.
When I decided to change the way I thought about eating I took classes on nutrition. It took me two full weeks to stop feeling the craving for milk and cereal, sugary things, and white bread. Luckily my nutrition teacher was very supportive and she encouraged me to wait it out. She had the class record everything that we ate and the times that we ate. I was shocked at how much of a nosher I was! After two weeks of deleting the “whites”my acne cleared up, my skin and hair started to look amazing, and the weight came off gradually-over a half year’s time.
I went to many smachot and avoided the cakes, sodas, and treats all served in abundance. It took a lot of willpower. My teacher said to time yourself. If you want to eat something badly, delay the gratification. You want that chocolate covered sugar coated confection? Play a game. Time how often you think about it. At first for me it is a few times a minute, then it gets to once in five minutes, and finally once an hour. After that it gets easy to tell yourself that you can live without it. In fact, without it you will live healthier and stronger! And save at the dentist!
I am constantly appalled at the sheer amounts that are served at smachot and how much people shove into themselves! I am still amazed at the mad dash in shul for a the buffet kiddush on Shabbos morning. I do not know if the men talk about the food the way the women do, but I do know that when a family wants to make an event, there is a great pressure to give a table that will wow everyone.
A woman in our class made a bar mitzvah where she served only healthy items. She was very nervous about the reaction from friends and family so she invited some class members for moral support. Food- wise it was one of the best smachot ever! The menu was simple and wholesome and I had no simcha food regrets afterwards. Everyone complimented her on her original idea! It still is the only simcha I have attended that was so nutritious. I hope through this posting, the idea will catch on!