A Holiday Eating Guide: Revised... Again

Recently, an article on eating well during the holidays appeared in The Boston Magazine. The writer shared her spin on eating tips that "you can actually use" during the holidays. No surprise. It's that time of the year and everyone is dishing up advice on how to avoid gaining weight during the holidays. I'll be honest, I didn't hate the article. But.... I didn't love it either. So I'll give my take on the age old tradition. Here it goes.

Old Rule #1: Bring a bag of baby carrots with you to munch on during the party. 

Marci's "Rule": Don't eat food you don't like. It's a party for crying out loud! If you LOVE baby carrots dipped in Ranch dressing, go for it. But let's be honest, you can have that 365 days of the year. Eat what you love. Eat what's special. Skip the rest. Do you really like those holiday colored M&Ms?

Old Rule #2: Wear tight fitting clothes to the holiday party, preferably something with a belt.

Marci's "Rule": I don't believe in self-harm. Wear an outfit you can rock! Seriously, wear something you feel dang sexy in. Confidence and self-love often leads to better self-care!

Old Rule #3: Take only three bites of everything on your plate.

Marci's "Rule": I really don't know what to say about this rule, but it's just plain silly. Don't do this. But do stay present and actually TASTE your food. Yes, truly taste it. When you start to notice that you are getting full, take a little break. Socialize. Play with the kiddos or play a game. You can always go back to eating later but give your body and brain time to catch up with one another.

Old Rule #4: Dab a napkin on top of the food, if it leaves an oil mark, leave it behind.

Marci's "Rule": This is also totally crazy. Again, don't do this. Fat isn't bad. Fat is what allows us to feel satisfied. Fat adds flavor and texture. We need to stop demonizing fat. But, too much of anything doesn't leave us feeling good physically. Again, take what you love. Leave the rest behind. Eat what tastes good. Take a pause when you are getting full.

Old Rule #5: Eat less during the day prior to the party to “save” calories for later.

Marci's "Rule": This is a disaster waiting to happen. Eat during the day! Fuel is what our brains and bodies need! You may want to think about balancing your food choices if you know what the evening menu has in store. But please don't starve yourself prior to arriving at the party.

Old Rule #6: Drink multiple glasses of water prior to the party to fill you up and prevent overeating.

Marci's "Rule": Here's a little known fact. Our bodies do NOT process water the same way they process food. You cannot trick your tummy into thinking you have fed it when you guzzled a gallon of water. Anyone who has tried that old dieting gimmick knows it doesn't work. Make sure you've had a little something an hour or two before the party. Stay hydrated. Stay tuned in to how you're food tastes and your body feels. You'll do great.

Remember, our culture thrives on a restrict/binge mentality. So learning to eat in a mindful, balanced, nourishing way takes practice! It's a skill that probably needs developing. But I am fully confident that with practice, you can get there.

Happy Holidays. Your nutritionist in Cambridge.

Marci

What are your tips for healthy eating during the holidays? Do share!

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Mindfulness: The Art & Science of Changing Your Brain

What do you think about when you hear the word "mindfulness?" To be honest, I used to think "nope, not for me!". Breath in, breath out, follow my breath. Ugh! I honestly couldn't see the point and every time I tried it seemed like a miserable failure. 

And then I attended a workshop by the brilliant Dan Siegel, MD and also began reading one of his many books on mindfulness entitled "The Mindful Therapist." My mind has been forever changed now that I'm beginning to understand why mindfulness is so critical to our health. 

I'm going to give you a 3 part synopsis of how Dr. Siegel's work on mindfulness has changed my life:

1. Mindfulness can be defined as: awareness of the present experience with acceptance, no judgement

2. Our brain naturally goes a thousand miles a minute. That's what it is designed to do. When we practice bringing it to the present moment physiological and structural changes occur in our brains! Yes, the act of bringing our mind to the moment changes the very structure of our brain.

3. As this happens, there are PROFOUND consequences. I will name a few: we become more open, less rigid in our thinking, more creative and resilient, less anxious, able to act rather than to react.

Practicing mindfulness is tough stuff. But it's with the act of practicing, the act of drawing your mind to the quite present moment WITHOUT JUDGMENT that the magic happens.

Below is a story of one person's journey with a 30 min meditation. Enjoy.

Recently I went to a 30-minute guided mindfulness meditation session. The teacher spoke for about 5 minutes at the beginning of the session, suggesting ways we could approach quieting our minds for that half hour. She suggested relinquishing following the breath, which is a typical approach to mindfulness meditation.

Instead she referred to a passage she had recently stumbled upon in the Bhagavad Gita that suggested that the labor, or effort, was the goal of this meditation practice; that we should not expect results or a mindfulness “product.” She went on to give us other ideas to use as a focus: the deep red of fall leaves that correlates with the chakra of groundedness, or the fiery red that corresponds to passion for life and self-confidence. We could also focus on an image from nature, or the words “softer, softer, softer.”

Then she was quiet. The room was quiet. My mind was not quiet: “ ‘Effort,’ I like that idea, just keep putting in the work at all my endeavors, yes, effort, interesting.” Then I observed that I was “thinking.” “Thinking,” I told myself.

I tried to see the two colors of red and feel grounded and self-confident. My mind wandered to an image of a leaf I had seen earlier that day; it had startled me by being so loud just by turning onto another leaf after a puff of wind.

The room stayed quiet. My neck felt tired. I felt tired. I wondered if anyone would mind if I quietly lay down. I decided they would.

I remembered an image I like that I recently cut out from a magazine—a young woman, smiling, her arm draped around her painted self-portrait (with the help of Photoshop). My words for that image have been “Here I am; I am good.” I want to be her: solid; self-confident; with an inner self that she herself has created that goes with her throughout her day, unchanging, no matter the circumstances. I stayed with this image for a few minutes.

I continued to move from image to image, occasionally saying the words “softer, softer, softer.” These words were soothing.

Then the session was over. I walked home and Ms. Anxiety swept into me like a Nor’easter. At home I stared out my window at the crescent moon’s light.

No results? Perhaps what the meditation leader meant by the words “effort” and “labor” was “engagement”—that engaging with any activity, including mindfulness meditation, is accepting, not resisting the activity. I stared at the moon and thought, “I will continue this labor as best I can.”

Ha! I’ve just spent 2 hours playing Freecell on my computer. The images from last week’s meditation session have grown pale. Today was an anxious day and “engagement” seemed impossible. I know the labor takes practice (as in, it must take place). I am resisting.

But: Begin again. Loud leaf. Quiet night. Re-engage to groundedness and self-confidence. “Here I am; I am good.” Softer, softer, softer.

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Holiday Tips for Healthy Conversation

Semantics are important. The words we choose hold a great deal of meaning, whether we realize it or not. So I’d like to give you something to ponder during this holiday season. As you spend time with family and friends you may want to consider a few of the following tips. My hope is that they will keep you focused on the reason for the celebrating without the distractions of excessive concerns with weight, food, and body talk.

Tip #1
Try greeting your loved one with “it’s so great to see you!” rather than “you look so good!” A comment on appearance might seem benign but in many cases it isn’t. For example, if you have a family member whose weight tends to cycle, a comment when their weight is low may put a lot of stress, pressure, and anxiety for future visits when their weight may be higher. The goal is for family and friends to feel love and acceptance for WHO they are, not WHAT they look like. 

Tip #2
“Oh, I’m being so bad right now” is a comment that many of us have heard or even spoken. Comments about fat, calories, and “being bad” are nothing but an unhelpful distraction. And quite frankly, it’s obnoxious and may put a damper on the meal for others. Ironically, keeping the focus on enjoying the meal, tasting your food, and listening to your body’s hunger and fullness will improve your mental, physical, and emotional health. And you won’t annoy your loved ones, which is a huge bonus.

Tip #3
Keep your diet and weight loss goals for the New Year to yourself. Seriously, a holiday party isn’t the time for it. Enough said?

I hope you find these holiday tips useful. Do you have any conversation tips you’d like add to the list? If yes, please comment!

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Hot Tamales & Halloween

 Did you read my blog title and think you were going to get a list of do's and don'ts for Halloween? I tricked you! What I would like to do is give you a little homework. While you are out at a Halloween party, trick-or-treating, or passing out candy become an observer. I'll share with you a personal experience to explain what I mean.

My absolute favorite candy is Hot Tamales. I love love love them. And I'm almost always in the mood to eat them. In fact, I could eat a jumbo box of Hot Tamales fairly easily. However, there is something that I learned a few years ago that surprised me. Hot Tamale #22 tastes nothing like Hot Tamale #2. Turns out our taste buds become saturated as we eat. That's why the first few bites of anything always taste more amazing than the last few bites! I love Michelle May's advice to eat the very best bites of your meal first, rather than saving it for last. It will actually taste better and feel more satisfying if you do it that way.

So rather than giving yourself ridiculous rules around eating (or not eating) your Halloween treats, pay attention to how they taste to you. While it may be difficult, notice the physical sensations (how does it taste, how is your stomach feeling, etc.) and do your best to refrain from judgement. Turns out judgement impairs our ability to make healthful choices. So just stick with the objective observations and see what you learn.

I'd love to hear about your Halloween celebrations! Come back and report.

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#endED Twitter Chat Re-Cap: Michelle May

Thanks to all that joined our #endED Twitter chat this Wednesday with Michelle May MD (@EatWhatYouLove) as we talked about mindful eating. For those of you that missed it, here were some of the "highlights."

(If you don't know about Twitter, the @ symbol is the way a username is signified on Twitter. The # before a word makes the word searchable in Twitter.)

1a. How do you define mindful eating?
@EatWhatYouLove Mindful eating is present moment awareness. How do I feel? How does this taste? How do I feel as I eat? How do I feel when I’m done?#ended

@EatWhatYouLove #Mindfuleating is eating with intention and attention – eating with purpose and awareness. #ended

1b. Some people think that dieting is “mindful.” What do you think?
@EatWhatYouLove: Mindful eating becomes more natural with practice. Unlike dieting which just gets harder! #endED
@ScritchfieldRD Dieting is deprivation (negative). Mindful eating holds food accountable to bring pleasure (positive self care)
@EatWhatYouLove Mindful eating is about being in charge; dieting is about being in control. #ended
@EatWhatYouLove: Diets cause you to focus on what and how much to eat - not why and how you eat. Those are the missing link! #ended

2 People sometimes resist mindful eating; how do you introduce this concept? What is a simple way to help someone become more mindful about their eating?
@EatWhatYouLove Remember though, you are not asking “Am I hungry?” to decide if you're allowed to eat but to understand why you want to.
@EatWhatYouLove Mindlessness forces us to re-act. Mindfulness allows us to choose our response (response-ability)
EatWhatYouLove Unlike mindless eating, mindful eating brings more pleasure – and I get to feel good during AND after eating. #ended

3 How does mindful eating help with yoyo dieting and disordered eating?
@HWellsRD Mindful eating helps you be more in tune with your body's needs, which helps decrease the urge to indulge in yo-yo patterns.
@EatWhatYouLove Yoyo dieting and disordered eating are habits; we can only change habits we’re aware of. With awareness comes choice
@Allie_RD AI tend to associate emotional eating with inner battles, mindful eating with being present in the moment #endED

4 Can mindful eating help when there are specific medical issues like diabetes?
@Allie_RD: I believe mindful eating skills are necessary regardless of medical diagnosis! #ended
@HWellsRD: Absolutely! My clients who focus more on mindful eating are more successful with disease management.
@EatWhatYouLove Mindful eating helps us notice symptoms, side effects, problems AND reinforces positive feelings when we make supportive choices. #ended
@EatWhatYouLove check out our #Diabetes and Mindful Eating blog:diabetesandmindfuleating.com 

5 How do you get people to buy into the concept of mindful eating?
@jaresashasteen: I never want to focus on a number, but instead how my body feels and looks. #ended
@eatwhatyoulove always says "eat mindfully, live vibrantly!" #endED
@Allie_RD reinforcement of the all the positives associated with being mindful and aware #endED
@EatWhatYouLove Mindful eating is just a path to more mindful, vibrant living. #ended

About #endED
The goal of #endED is to bring anyone and everyone together who cares about ending eating disorders. My hope is to end the silence and myths about eating disorders, create a place for honest and informed discussion, while offering hope and encouragement. The next chat will be in January, but in the meantime I'll still be tweeting frequently with the #endED hashtag so you can follow recovery-positive discussions on eating disorders by searching Twitter.

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#endED Twitter Chat with Michelle May

If I said it once, I'll say it again: I am STOKED about tomorrow night's twitter chat. We have the pleasure of chatting with Michelle May, author of "Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: Break the Eat, Repent, Repeat Cycle" and creator of "Amy I Hungry?". Michelle is a motivational speaker and guru of mindful eating. So we'll be discussing principles of mindful eating as well as how that relates to eating disorder recovery. HOWEVER, you don't have to have an eating disorder to benefit from this fantastic chat.

If you're new to Twitter, here's a primer on how to participate. It's simple, go to www.tweetchat.com and enter the keyword "endED" and it will appear as if you're in a chat room. Watch the tweets stream live and join in on the conversation.

Here are the questions we'll be chatting about tomorrow evening, 8:30 EST.

1a. How do you define mindful eating?
1b. Some people think that dieting is “mindful.” What do you think?
2a. People sometimes resist mindful eating; how do you introduce this concept?
2b. What is a simple way to help someone become more mindful about their eating?
3 How does mindful eating help with yoyo dieting and disordered eating?
4 Can mindful eating help when there are specific medical issues like diabetes?
5 How do you get people to buy into the concept of mindful eating?

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Calories, Calories

How often have you heard someone say “Oh, that’s only 250 calories, it’s not so bad.” I’ve heard it A LOT and it really gets on my nerves. What if a calorie total wasn’t good or bad? What if we could strip all the morality out of how many calories we consume? Unfortunately, calorie talk is NOT going away any time soon. It’s posted on menus, plastered on magazine covers, and someone you know is probably counting them. But it’s not a total bummer if you can start to practice looking at them more objectively and with less judgment. I’ll show you.

Example #1- Lean Cuisine Meal = 310 calories*
Old way of thinking: 310 calories for lunch isn’t so “bad.”
New way of thinking: Wow, I notice that when I eat a 310 calorie Lean Cuisine for lunch I’m not very satisfied, I feel hungry again an hour later, and I’m still thinking about food quite a bit. If I want to stay full for longer than an hour, I either need more food or I should choose something different.

Example #2- Turkey and Avocado Sandwich from Au Bon Pain =650 calories
Old way of thinking: Oh, I was really “bad” at lunch today. That sandwich had over 600 calories. According to Shape magazine, I should eat less than 400 calories at lunch. I’m so disgusting. I have no self-control. Why couldn’t I eat just half?
New way of thinking: The sandwich tasted delicious. The balance of carbohydrate, fats, and proteins left me feeling satisfied. I feel a lot fuller than after I eat a Lean Cuisine. Plus I noticed that I have more energy and didn’t think about eating again for a few hours. If I need something to tie me over for a few hours, this is a great choice.

See the difference? We have to get out of our heads and into our bodies. How do certain choices make you feel? Energized or sluggish. Satisfied or left wanting more. Happy tummy or upset tummy. If we can let go of the idea o food being good or bad and tune in to the physical experience of eating it, we’ll be headed in the right direction!

Have any personal experiences? Please share!

*Disclaimer: I totally made those calorie numbers up.
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Dining in the Dark & Mindfulness with Meal Makeover Moms

Can you imagine what it would be like to eat a meal blindfolded? Well, call me crazy, but I signed up (along with 34 other dietitians) to dine in the dark. It was a event through the Massachusetts Dietetic Association. The evening began with a mindfulness exercise, which I led. The exercise was followed by a 4 course meal (blind-folded).

But I don’t have to tell you about the event. The Meal Makeover Moms invited me in for an interview to talk about it! Janice (one of the Moms) and I dined together. So enjoy the podcast (episode 139). For about 40 minutes, we have a great time discussing our dining experience, mindfulness and why it’s so important for our health.

Picture Source: Janel Ovrut

Below are some basic principles of mindful eating:
1. Develop an awareness of the positive opportunities of preparing and eating meals guided by your inner wisdom
2. Use all of your senses when eating and exploring your food
3. Acknowledge food preferences (likes and dislikes) without judgement
4. Become aware of physical cues of hunger and fullness to guide when to start and stop eating

If you are interested in learning more about mindful eating, I highly recommend two books. First is "Mindful Eating" by Jan Chozen Bays. The second is "Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat" by Michelle May.
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Happy Valentine's Day

Love it or hate it, today is Valentine's Day. Old, young, single, in a relationship- the advice I'm going to offer applies to YOU! So please forgive me while I step on my soap box (it only happens once in a while!). Here are two small things to consider. Believe me, they are for your own good. 

Give Yourself Some Lovin'
At the end of the day, you are stuck with you. So why not value and appreciate what you love about being in your own skin? Our culture teaches us that it's more acceptable to self-criticize, which is sad. Why don't you take a moment and give yourself a compliment (out loud if you're brave, silently if you are feeling self-concious.) Or at the very least, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all."


Savor Your Food Experiences
Rather than walking around feeling guilty about the Valentine's Day chocolate you might be eating today, enjoy it! I truly believe that eating ought to be a positive experience. And I also believe that food is truly enjoyed when you slow down and savor it. So before munching mindlessly, try these three quick steps: smell it, chew slowly, catch the flavor, and then swallow. You may be surprised by what you find.


Happy Valentine's Day. I hope it's a sweet one.
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Guest Post: Food as Connection

Today we have the pleasure from hearing from guest blogger Ashley Solomon, PsyD. Ashley is a therapist who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, body image, trauma, and serious mental illness. Please check out her fabulous blog Nourishing the Soul. Nourishing the Soul is a look at how our relationship with food can become distorted when our minds, bodies, and souls are not properly nourished. This blog provides a forum for discussion of these distortions, as well as offers news and views on the latest in the field of disordered eating, recovery, and healthy living. You can also follow her on Twitter @nourishthesoul. Enjoy the post!

Food as Connection: Guidelines for shared meals
Stacey hadn’t eaten a meal with other people in almost three years. The thought of having someone else bear witness to her eating patterns and food rituals was overwhelming and terrifying to her, which made eating with twelve other women in her treatment program all the more painful. While she was consumed with anxiety at the first meal, each one became easier. And what Stacey discovered was that there was something incredibly intimate about sharing food with someone else. Something she hadn’t let herself experience – and had missed – for far too long.

While Stacey’s story may seem extreme, many among us can identify with anxiety around sharing meals. Perhaps we are worry that we eat too much, that our food choices are not healthy enough – or are too healthy, or simply that we hate having to talk while eating. In my work as a therapist who works with eating disorders, fears around shared meals come up often.

Eating with others is inherently connecting. I’m sure, if we tried, we could explain this phenomenon from an evolutionary standpoint – something about cave-people joining together in pursuit of the day’s sustenance or whatnot. But the fact is, sharing meals is an integral part of human relatedness. We “break bread” as a sign of intimacy, of respect, of love.

For people who struggle with eating issues, meals that are shared might need some guidelines to feel safe and at ease. Consider the following suggestions for making meals with friends and family more comfortable for everyone:

Choose a Comfortable Setting – If you’re feeling anxious about a shared meal, consider how to make the environment most comfortable. Do you prefer to go to a restaurant or invite others to your home? Do you want something more formal with courses or for everyone to dig into to shared appetizers? If you’re going out, what kind of setting makes it easiest to talk and converse?

Share the Love – Encourage everyone to contribute to the meal so that it feels like a joint effort. Don’t take on all of the cooking responsibilities yourself, nor let someone else. Sharing in the creation of the meal is part of the bonding experience and can help everyone feel a sense of ownership.

Avoid Food or Fat Talk – While at the table, stay away from talking about the food. This can be challenging, as you might see if you try it. It’s amazing how much of our mealtime conversation often centers around food. But think of how much richer the discussion can be if we explore topics other than the spiciness of the enchilada. Also avoid talking about the nutritional aspects of the food or about weight. It’s hard to enjoy a meal when your friend is telling you how what she’s eating (the same as you!) is going straight to her thighs.

Say No - It's important to use your voice when your heart or stomach - is telling you so. Remember that you can politely say, "No, thank you," to more macaroni if you're too full - Aunt Sally will just have to get over it. You should also speak up if the conversation is making you uncomfortable.

Developing comfort in sharing meals can not only help to reduce disordered eating, but can add so much meaning to our lives. Bon Appetite!
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