Mindfulness and Eating

Mindfulness, Presence, Awareness. Catchy words these stays, all meaning the practice of staying in the moment. It is getting increasingly more attention for its ability to boost physical and mental health. Mindful eating has been shown in research to help people stop binge eating, lose weight and reduce anxious food and body thinking.

Jan Chozen Bays, MD explains that "Mindful eating involves paying attention to the experience of eating and drinking, both inside and outside the body. We pay attention to the colors, smells, textures,flavors, temperatures and even the sounds of our food. We pay attention to the experience of the body. Where in the body do we feel hunger? Where do we feel satisfaction? What does half-full feel like, or three-quarters full?

1. Avoid distractions like phones, tv and the like. Pay attention to your thinking while you eat. 
2. Become one with your meal in the following ways:
3. Breathe a few healthy breaths and focus before your meal.
4. Sit down at the table. Not standing, not in bed, not driving.
5. Create a positive atmosphere with a nicely set table.
6. Turn off your tv or computer, book, newspaper and quit using your phone. Pay full attention to your meal and your body's signals while you eat.
7. Place a forkful of food in your mouth, put the fork down. This is a lot harder than you think. resist the urge to slurp down your meal, especially when you are hungry. Leave the fork on the table until you are ready for your next bite.Chew slowly and enjoy the texture, flavor, aroma. Be conscious of your different sensations. Eating slowly can lead to eating less during meals.
8. Take a 2-minute break in the middle of the meal. Don't beat yourself up if you did overeat. Pay attention to the physical and emotional distress and strategize how you can prevent overeating at the next meal, Sourced from Cathry Keller Fitbiecom

10 Best Foods to Eat

1.   Sweet Potatoes. A nutritional All-Star-- one of the best vegetables you can eat. They are loaded with carotenoids and are a decent source of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Bake and then mix in some unsweetened applesauce or crushed pineapple for extra moisture and sweetness. I love them as oven fries!
2.   Mangoes. About a cup of mango supplies 100% of a day's vitamin C, one-third of a day's vitamin A, a decent dose of blood-pressure-lowering potassium, and 3 grams of fiber. 
3. Unsweetened Greek Yogurt. Non-fat plain yogurt has a pleasant tartness that's a perfect complement for the natural sweetness of berries or bananas or your favorite breakfast cereal. It has twice the protein of ordinary yogurt-about 18 grams in 6 ounces.
4. Broccoli. It has lots of vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin K, and folic acid. Steam it just enough so that it's still fir and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and a spritz of lemon juice. I like it with lemon pepper or lime juice. Yum
5.  Wild Salmon. The omega-3 fats in fatty fish like salmon may help reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. 
6.  Crispbreads. Whole-grain rye crackers, like Wasa, RyKrisp, Kavli, and Ryvita-usually called crispbreads are loaded with fiber and often fat-free. Drizzle with a little honey and sprinkle with cinnamon to satisfy your sweet tooth.
7.   Garbanzo Beans. All beans are good beans. They're rich in protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, but garbanzos stand out because they're so versatile. Just drain, rinse and toss a handful on your green salad; include them in vegetable stews, curries, and soups; mix them with brown rice, whole wheat couscous, bulgur or other whole grains,
8. Watermelon. Watermelon is a heavyweight in the nutrient department. A standard serving (about 2 cups) has one-third of a day's vitamins A and C, a nice shot of potassium and a healthy dose of lycopene for only 85 fat-free calories. 
9. Butternut Squash. Steam a sliced squash or buy peeled, diced butternut squash at the store that's oven-ready, great for stir-fry, or a soup. It's an easy way to get lots of vitamins A and C and fiber.
10. Leafy Greens. Don't miss out on powerhouse greens like kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens and Swiss chard. The leafy greens are packed with vitamins A, C, and K, folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, lutein, and fiber. Serve with a splash of lemon juice, or red wine vinegar. 

Thanks Nutrition Action for this great information.

Lipid Metabolism: What is it and 5 Tips to Boost it.

Lipid Metabolism is the function in your body that breaks down carbs and helps stop the accumulation of fat.

1-Carbohydrates
Eat the right kind of carbs to increase the lipid digestion, and to decrease accumulation of fat. You
don't have to cut carbs out, just learn to eat the right kinds and in moderation.

2-Protein
Don't eat refined and processed food, and eat natural grains and healthy fruits.
Eat the right amount and type of protein. It is important for boosting that lipid metabolism and for maintaining health. You should have some in every meal as this will increase your fat metabolism and build muscle. Some good protein sources are:

• Lean beef
• soy
• milk
• Beans
• Lean chicken and turkey
• eggs
• yogurt
• cottage cheese
• tuna and salmon

3-Eat more often 

It is actually a good thing to do. Good for your body. You must eat more nutritious and smaller meals. Be careful in eating 4-6 meals a day, as the temptation to eat more each time is there. 

4-Exercise

You can boost your metabolism by moving. You can resolve many weight caused health issues by moving. Some each day. Start small. You can do it. Think about lifting weights and strength training. Just a little. Strengthen your body and it will be in an optimum condition for fat burning and that boosts your metabolism throughout the day.

5-Breathe

Learn to breathe correctly as that can make a big difference in sustaining your metabolism. We don't pay attention our breathing throughout the day and breathe more shallow that we should when we exercise/ Contrary to what you SHOULD be doing...

Pay attention and take deep breaths in through your nose, holding for a few seconds and releasing slowly. Your abdomen should be moving in and out when you place your hand on it if you are doing it correctly.