Eating Psychology 101

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Marylou Francis
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1 Eating Psychology 101 Clean Eating 101 & Mind-Body Nutrition Peter Craig, MA Eating Psychology Coach

2 Objectives I. Have a basic understanding of Eating Psychology (How minds and emotions exert a powerful force over our metabolism.) II. Learn 11 Dimensions of Mind-Body Nutrition (Insights that can be applied into everyday life right away) III.Cultivate love and acceptance of our bodies and eating challenges with curiosity and compassion.

3 First What is Clean Eating?

4 Basic Principles of Clean Eating #1: Eat Whole Foods: Eating organic and farm direct is ideal. Examples include whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, organic (local) dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.

5 Basic Principles of Clean Eating #2: Eat Less Processed Foods: Foods that are made in a lab or have many ingredients are processed foods.

6 Basic Principles of Clean Eating #3: Eat Less (Refined) Sugar: Refined sugars cause a rapid rise in blood sugar that could raise your risk of diabetes and other chronic problems.

7 Basic Principles of Clean Eating #4: Eat More Meals (3-5x/day): By eating smaller meals throughout the day, you can help boost your metabolism and curb cravings to eat the less ideal choice.

8 Basic Principles of Clean Eating #5: Prepare & Eat Meals at Home: Making delicious and healthy meals at home can give us more control over the ingredients we eat and can facilitate a deeper connection with food and individuals at the table.

9 Clean Eating Should Be Delicious

10 Get plenty of sleep and rest whenever possible. Clean Eating + Healthy Living Dr Mercola(.com) s Top 10 Health Tips Eat according to your Nutritional Type. Drink a lot of pure water. Manage your stress levels. Exercise. Get enough sunlight to optimize your vitamin D levels. Limit your exposure to toxins. Consume healthy fats. Eat plenty of raw food. Salads anyone? Optimize your insulin levels by avoiding most grains and sugars.

11 Clean Eating Bonus Tips Try fermented foods Try juicing (vegetables) Try (fruit) smoothies Try superfoods - (Cacao powder, Maca powder, Goji berries, Chia Seeds, Hemp seeds, etc )

12 I. Eating Psychology

13 Eating Psychology 101 It is a scientific reality that the mind and emotions exert a powerful influence on the nutritional metabolism and the psyche of the eater. - Marc David

14 The Challenge Today Approximately 91% of women report being unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting to achieve their ideal body shape. -

15 We are all Emotional Eaters Sometimes our feelings are hard to feel or we don t want to feel them. Binge eating behaviors (overeating) or eating lots of empty (simple) carbs or sugar can help us numb. Our eating habits (challenges?) are invitations to see deeper patterns - What is this behavior showing me? Accepting our feelings can allow them to be experienced and moved through, often resulting in us letting go of less healthy eating behaviors.

16 5 Key Factors of our Changing Diet * Lifestyle * Environment * Season * Age * Health There is no single, perfect way to eat. Diet changes as the body changes. Because we fear changes in the body and the inevitability of disease and death, we try to take control by believing in a perfect diet that guarantees perfect health. - Marc David

17 Eating Psychology Concepts * Our journey as eaters is an ongoing process of discovery and learning. * Our bodies go through different phases: cleansing, building, sustaining. * Three levels of diet: therapeutic (treat/heal disease), maintenance (staple fare), experimental (exploratory) * Three types of cravings: supportive (body instinct), dispersive (drains health/energy), associative (meaning from past) * In a fight or flight response, blood flow to digestion in states of high stress may be as much as FOUR TIMES LESS than the usual amount. ( Mood affects digestion ) * We often reach for food as a substitute for love.

18 8 Dimensions of Eating Psychology 1. Family of Origin Issues 2. Primary Relations 3. Work and Money 4. Environment 5. Spirituality/Religiosity 6. Sexuality 7. Deeper Desires 8. Health Constellation

19 II. Mind-Body Nutrition

20 1. Stressed vs. Relaxed Eating What is your level of stress when you eat? Cortisol (produced from stress) desensitizes pleasure! How can you relax into your meal? > Taking a few deep breaths > Offering gratitude > Slowing down! (see next slide)

21 2. Eating Speed Fast? Medium? Slow?

22 3. Rhythm - Bio-circadian Rhythm Eat at the same times each day. Ideal digestive period is ~ 12 pm - 1:30 pm. Find your natural rhythm. Eating most calories at night can lead to excessive weight gain.

23 4. Toxic Thoughts/Beliefs What (negative) internalized beliefs do you have about eating? Are they really true? How can you let them go? i.e. Fat in food = fat on my body (Fat is said to have over twice as many calories as proteins and carbs) Not just about food - About ourselves. i.e. I am not enough

24 5. Pleasure Do you allow yourself to enjoy your meals? Pleasure catalyzes the Relaxation Response, which improves digestion and absorption of nutrients. Do you savor multiple senses when you eat? What does the food smell like? Feel like? Taste like? Look like?

25 6. Embodiment & Nourishment How much are you in-your-body? How much do you feel nourished? When you eat your meals? When you snack? In the rest of your life?

26 7. Macronutrient Balance Balance! Proteins Fats Carbohydrates

27 8. Food Quality Fast food? Fresh food? Quality of the food?

28 9. Food Allergies Have you been tested for food allergies? Gluten intolerance? Dairy allergies? Soy allergies? Corn allergies? Egg allergies?

29 10. Use of Powerful Substances How many cups of coffee do you have a day? (Take L-Theanine from PowderCity.com, promotes relaxation without being sedative) Cigarettes? Alcohol? Other powerful substances?

30 III. Cultivating Love and Acceptance for our Bodies and Lives with Compassion & Curiosity

31 Transform Cravings - The Holding Technique Breathe through a craving, fully experience all the sensations that arise, allow emotions to be fully expressed, and arrive at a place where you no longer need to yield to the desire. ~ Runner s second wind Purpose is to allow the first reaction to pass to see what lies beyond it.

32 Eating with Awareness "Eating with awareness is the most important and powerful tool to transform your relationship to food and the body." We don t just hunger for food alone. We hunger for the experience of it - the tasting, the chewing, the sensuousness, the enjoyment, the textures, the sounds How are you chewing your food these days? Chewing as metaphor for how we digest life. Researchers find changes in masticatory stimuli can modulate neurogenesis and hippocampal function.

33 Compassion & Curiosity The secret to a healthy body image is acceptance - acceptance of what is.

34 Cultivating Love and Acceptance for our Bodies and Lives with Compassion & Curiosity Exercise: 1) Put your hand on your heart (and gut) 2) Relax. 3) Breathe into your heart 4) Offer gratitude for your body and life 5) Say out loud together: I love and accept myself deeply and completely just the way I am.

Emotional Eating / Eating Psychology Tips 1. What is this behavior trying to tell you? 2. Have compassion & curiosity 3. Work to accept your feelings 4. Slow down your eating 5. Listen to your body 6.

35 Emotional Eating / Eating Psychology Tips 1. What is this behavior trying to tell you? 2. Have compassion & curiosity 3. Work to accept your feelings 4. Slow down your eating 5. Listen to your body 6. Take deep breaths before you eat 7. Eat with friends and loved ones 8. Eat meals about the same time every day 9. Have good macronutrient balance 10. Focus on high food quality 11. Eat a nutrient dense dinner (so you re less likely to binge at night) 12. Move your body in ways that feel good 13. Love yourself - Love your body 14. Nourish your body, mind and spirit * List from Emotional Eating talk with Summer Girl Fitness (Youtube)

36 Peter Craig Coaching Resources & Marc David s books * Parts of Clean Eating 101 created by Melanie Weinberger, Wellshift

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