Mind your health....February is heart month in more ways than one...

Apparently by the second week of February 80% of New Years resolutions fail; all too often we make attempt to make radical changes in our diets or fitness.  Research shows that up to 60% of people make resolutions but only 8% are successful in achieving them long term.  They say less than 25 % of people actually stay committed after just 31 days while more than half say they have 'failed ' by January 31st.   
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February is heart month.. what a better reason to work on our resolutions to eat well, exercise well, time management... (my personal long term resolution needing ongoing attention)

That said, resolutions or not, one should always take to heart...one's health. A quote, unknown author, " your health is a wondrous treasure you own... guard it relentlessly".
One should practice taking a mindful approach to eating... heart disease, diabetes, cancer, nutrient deficiencies ... the list goes on.

What is mindful eating? A practice, a technique that helps us connect with true hunger, satiety and fullness; it is something we each are born with. Babies are born with the innate ability to know when they are hungry; unfortunately we teach or we learn to ignore the satiety marker and move on to reach a 'fullness' after a meal. Re-learnng the 'what, when, where, why and how much" of eating will help us to consume the right amount of food your body actually needs, versus just ' wants'. (don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy food - ice-cream and pasta being two of my favourites) and continually remind myself of wants versus needs.

With an underestimated abundance of food in our world, these internal hunger cues, to the extreme of feeling full are often ignored... external influences including packaging, oversized plates and coffee cups (how often do we use or purchase an 8oz. coffee be it at home or takeout ?)

A beginning to mindful eating:
1.Listen to hunger cues
2. Eat sitting at the table
3. Food should be esthetically pleasing
4. Eat slowly, appreciate the taste and textures
5. Create a calm environment
6. Minimize distractions...

Sound familiar? Have you ever watched a baby eat?
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So let's take care of our heart.... our bodies... our minds. Learn to be mindful of the what, where, when, how and the why's .. of eating.
Yes, this takes motivation... willpower.. which we all have; we just need to learn and find the right tools.
Contact me for more info,