Social Eating
Sorry for the hiatus last week. I was at a writers conference and just ran out of time to blog. But I came home with a topic after being dependent on restaurants and conference meals. This has always been a real challenge for me, especially before my lifestyle changes.
Eating Challenges
That isn’t to say there weren’t challenges and that I didn’t overindulge, but I did so mindfully. I accepted that I was eating when I wasn’t hungry and with food I didn’t necessarily want.
But, I didn’t stuff myself until I was uncomfortable. For the most part, I ate until I was full—a few times beyond that, but not to discomfort. I still ate too fast at times, but at other times, I paid attention and slowed down.
When I’m out at an event like a conference that is just an ongoing social event, it’s incredibly difficult for me to keep track of when I ate, or in some cases, come up for air from eating.
Savoring Dessert
Every meal offers dessert, and while I wasn’t craving a dessert, I didn’t turn it down either. But what I did do was follow the three bite rule—stop eating when the food stops tasting good from Rebecca Clark’s book The Checklist Diet.
“Next time you have the craving for something amazing and sinful (like cheesecake), take the first bite and savor the deliciousness. Eat it slowly…” By the fourth bite the taste has diminished, Rebecca says.
This was where I totally rocked! I savored every bite and left three-fourths on the plate without wanting more. That was a twofold benefit. I ate something I loved, and I savored the texture, the taste, the experience it gave my taste buds!
I also remembered this mindful moment from Eat What You Love Love What You Eat, by Dr. Michelle May, “If you love what you eat, act like it.”
For once, I actually did that with the desserts, but that wasn’t the case with other meals. It’s small progress, but still progress and I’m savoring that victory. I came away satisfied and not feeling deprived.
Celebrating Victories
Now that I’m home, I haven’t felt I had to deprive myself of foods I love just because I indulged. I also didn’t treat the conference as an excuse for an eating spree because I was away from home. These are both major victories for me.
Do you find it challenging to eat healthy when you’re away from home for work or fun? How do you handle it?