What Do You Call Your Still Small Voice?
When opening the refrigerator door or the kitchen cupboard, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about what your body is saying to you? Are you thinking that your stomach is growling from hunger? Are you feeling light or empty? Or are you thinking about the leftover cream pie that is in the refrigerator or the bag of potato chips in the kitchen cupboard?
Chances are, it's the latter. Many of us do not let our bodies get to the point of hunger before we eat. We know that there is leftover cream pie in the refrigerator or a bag of potato chips in the kitchen cupboard and we go there for the food because we know it's there. We do not even stop to think about whether or not we are hungry.
Mindful Eating
Many people talk about mindful eating. That is, do not eat something just because it is there. Think about it first - for many reasons. One of those reasons is, "Am I hungry?" I am quite certain that many of us would have to answer, "NO". But we eat it anyway. Why is that?
For some of us, we eat because it is habit. For some, it is because the food is appetizing, appealing to our senses and causing us to give in to our greed. Sometimes we eat it because it brings us comfort - at least for the short term. Some of us are gluttons. And to the chagrin of us who are overweight or obese for one reason or another, some people don't eat it!!!! How can they do that? How can they look at something so appetizing and appear as though they are not interested?
Conditioning, Practice, Habit
We know that people like different things so that some foods that tantalize us may not appeal to others. There are those who have conditioned themselves or have made a habit through practice, of not eating things that they consider harmful to their bodies. Some people have made it a practice not to eat foods that will trigger their overindulgence in a group of foods. That is, eating ice cream may trigger an over indulgence in not only ice cream but sweets in general. You have probably heard the saying, "one just tastes like more".
People are "Wired Differently"
Some people are just "wired differently". For those of us who over-indulge, it is difficult to understand and it seems unfair that some people seem to be able to eat whatever they want and not be overweight. People have different metabolisms and it really does not seem fair. Often these people do not even want to eat the way those of us who LOVE TO EAT do.
What Do Us "Heavies" Do?
We all know there is not an easy way out for those of us who do not have over-the-top metabolisms. The bottom line is that if we want to be anywhere close to our "ideal" body weights, we have to work very hard to get there and stay there.
We have to rev up our metabolisms with exercise, we have to eat right (the right amount and the right foods) and we have to pay attention to that still small voice within us that tells us to close that refrigerator door or that kitchen door and walk away without the cream pie or the bag of chips. When we pay attention to that still small voice and do what it tells us, WE HAVE THE POWER! That's when we begin to realize that we are in control of our bodies. No longer are our bodies and our emotions in control of us.
It's very easy to hear the voice, but it's very hard to do what it says.
