Put the S’mores Down, It’s Time to Stop Eating Like Our Kids

0

weight lossIt’s time to stop eating like our kids, and here’s why. A friend of mine lost 30 pounds over the last six months. Yes, pandemic, and all! The nerve.

So basically, while we were all busy expanding our waistlines, this sassy lady went against societal norms and didn’t open up her eating repertoire to include “anything and everything” like the rest of us!

So I had to ask, inquiring mind and all, what she did to make it happen because I mean, this woman looks good! Last year she was a moo-moo wearing fool at the pool, and this year she’s sporting a two-piece. Bravo mama! Now spill it!

She told me she began working out more. To which I replied, “Um ookkkaaay, but you can workout till the cows come home, but without changing up your diet…” which is where she stopped me and said, “Well, of course. The real change happened when I stopped eating like my kid.” 

Of course, we eat like our kids (yes, mommy wants another s’ mores!) because we constantly feed them. And I don’t know about your kids, but whenever I go that extra mile to make something healthy for dinner while making it palatable, the finishing garnish is usually a pound of shredded cheese on top. 

At the moment, that seems like no big deal. Still, when you add up the number of times, that’s happened, or when we’ve reached for the leftover bits of tater tots, pizza crusts, or cookies, we’re packing on seemingly insignificant amount of calories that aren’t real until we look in the mirror and shriek. 

My friend took it upon herself to rein it all in, little by little. Which brings me to the point: when we start with little, possible changes that don’t seem overwhelming, we can end up with massive results. Like a two-piece bathing suit kind of results. 

Let’s stop eating like our kids, for real. And while we’re at it, here are three more, simple yet transformative changes we can begin to make that take minimal effort on our part but can yield massive results.

1. Hydrate

Chances are you’re coming up short on your daily intake of H2O. That’s why this is a great starting point for many of us. (My hand is raised!). Water is essential for our cells, tissues, and organs to operate as intended. When we don’t drink enough H2O, we’re disrupting our bodies and often feel tired and lethargic. (Hand still raised!).

I began following the age-old rule of 8 glasses of 8 oz of water a day and adjusted where I saw fit (as that may be too much, or too little for some — remember, we’re all unique beings!). Water is essential and readily available to us all, so let’s start filling up. 

2. Eat lunch!

Heavens to Betsy, please eat lunch. I hear all too often from clients that lunch is the one meal they don’t regularly eat. When I’ve asked, “Why?” never once did I get a good answer. Ahem, ladies, this is not a good habit to maintain as it’s the catalyst for the 4 p.m. pantry raid!

Can anyone relate? There you are finally getting around to making dinner, but you’re so hangry that you end up snacking on cheese or crackers, or all the easy to grab little snacks lurking within easy reach? You can’t control yourself because you haven’t eaten in six hours woman!

Tame the snacking beast by eating a full lunch — a 1/2 plate of veggies (any which way you like them) and a small protein portion. The protein and fiber from the veggies will keep you feeling fuller longer — and this way, when it’s time for dinner, you can all sit down together and eat!

3. Shut it down!

The after-dinner treats are real! If you skip lunch often, and then snack around 5 p.m., by 9 p.m., you’re mindlessly wandering back into the kitchen to get a little treat before you plop down on the sofa, or even worse, head back to your desk to finish up more work!

These little dalliances with the pantry are not helping your waistline since the choices are typically sugar-laden. (Let’s be real, no one is pulling out the leftover broccoli at 9 p.m.).

Close the kitchen by 8 p.m. There are exceptions and if you have to eat a late dinner due to work constraints, eat veggies, a light salad, and a small portion of protein. Skip the dessert. 

When you do these three things, plus stop eating like your kids, you’ll begin to gain a sense of control over your lifestyle, which is the first step to reining back in all that we’ve let go of during the last few months. There are so many things out of our control now, but by taking care of ourselves, we’re finding we do have something we can focus on that will benefit us. 

When you master these three, or you feel they’re already under your control, let’s talk about snacking! Here are two ways to tame the snacking beast that lurks within!