Are you planning to get rid of extra pounds from the New Year? New Year's Eve and the coming holidays are the best time to master the "mindful eating" technique. Yes, this is not a joke: try not to let yourself get loose at the festive table. In fact, this is not as difficult as it might seem, but most importantly, mindful eating will help you avoid a lot of trouble during the holidays.
Traditional Olivier, the preparation of which has become an important ritual (read "4 recipes for Olivier: from the usual to the exotic"), baked goose, a plate of noble cheeses ─ just the thought of a diet on December 31 and January 1 seems absurd, although most of us perfectly understand what a blow these days take the liver and gastrointestinal tract. But if only physical discomfort was the problem! The psyche also suffers, because the passion for traditionally high-calorie New Year's salads and snacks causes anxiety and even guilt.
Is the heaviness in the stomach after a festive feast really evil, or can (and better) do without it?
Nutritionists are actively advising to change their attitude towards New Year and Christmas feasts. But this does not mean that you will have to deny yourself symbolic snacks such as Olivier salad, or in a hurry to change the holiday menu. If we adopt the technique of conscious (otherwise ─ intuitive) nutrition already now, then there is a high probability not only to maintain health during the holidays, but also to spend the holidays with great pleasure.
The essence of mindful eating techniques is eating with maximum focused attention. Before proceeding directly to the process, you need to spend some time looking at the food on the plate, assessing its color and texture, and enjoying the aroma. The key is to focus on the flavor of each bite as you chew. Dr. Michelle May recommends putting cutlery on the table after each bite of food. Thus, the habit of conscious eating is cultivated, which will allow not only to enjoy the taste of dishes as fully as possible, but at the first stages to notice the appearance of a feeling of satiety.
Earlier, researchers from Pakistan in an online survey of 309 people found a link between mindful eating and mental health. At the University of Colorado, an experiment was conducted, the results of which concluded that students who practice mindful eating were less likely to choose fast food for satiety. Dr. May reviewed research on mindful eating and noted that it can be effective against overeating and even fight obesity and diabetes.
To summarize: trying to practice intuitive eating on New Year's Eve can be a very interesting experience ─ such a “smart” holiday feast will definitely be remembered for a long time.
Photo: Getty Images
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