Eat in gratitude for your body this festive season

Eat in gratitude for your body this festive season
Eat in gratitude for your body this festive season. Image source: Supplied

For most people, the festive season is probably not the best time to start dieting. The festive season is a time when families and friends come together and usually celebrate by indulging in decadent food and treats, but the festive season is also the perfect time to regroup and think about what you can do to better yourself for the new year.  Make it a point to not just focus on your physical well-being but your mental well-being as well.

Instead of putting pressure on yourself to go on a diet in preparation of the new year, focus more on having gratitude for your body.  Practicing gratitude reduces the stress and negative focus off your body.  This means that you will have less room for negative thoughts about your body.  People who appreciate their bodies are more likely to embrace where they are, allowing themselves to connect with what their bodies need.  This results in people taking care of themselves in a way that improves their overall health and well-being.

“Eating healthy becomes easier and enjoyable when you are in sync with your body.  It helps to be aware of what happens inside your body and your mind as you eat.  If you learn to embrace mindful eating, becoming aware of and accepting your relationship with food becomes easier,” says Gert Coetzee Pharmacist and Diet pioneer who founded The Diet Everyone Talks About.  Below he lists some hints and tips that can help you eat in gratitude for your body.

Cut out addictive foods and drinks:  Being addicted to foods that contain caffeine, sugar, alcohol, carbs and dairy can take over your life.  When you try cut out addictive foods, you might start to crave healthier food options.

Explore your food habits:  When you are aware of your food habits, you are able to identify the reasons behind eating what you eat.  Being able to identify which foods your body needs and consuming it will benefit your overall health.

Avoid emotional eating:  Rather than just eating when you get emotional, learn to listen to your body.  Are you eating because you are actually hungry or because you are you feel like eating will take away the sadness, frustration, loneliness?  Mindful eating is when you listen deeply to your body’s signals for hunger.

Watch your food portions:  Whether you want to maintain a healthy weight or want to lose weight, controlling your food portions is as important as sticking to a healthy diet.  Big portions of food contribute to discomfort and indigestion.  Managing your food portions helps prevent bloating after eating.  Consuming small portions of food ultimately helps you lose weight.

Avoid distractions when you eat:  Being distracted while eating does not allow you to listen to what your body needs.  When you are distracted, it becomes hard to listen to what our bodies try to communicate to us.  Get into the habit of sitting down and consciously enjoy your food.

For more information or if you’d like to join The Diet Everyone Talks About:

Tel: (016) 362 4890

E-mail:                 [email protected]

Website:              http://www.the-diet.co.za/

Facebook:           https://www.facebook.com/pg/thediet.co.za/about/?tab=overview

Twitter:                @dietsa

Ends.


Issued By: The Lime Envelope

On Behalf Of: The Diet Everyone Talks About

For Media Information: Kerry Oliver

Telephone: 011 467-9233

E-mail: [email protected]


Notes to the Editor

The Diet Everyone Talks About is a scientific carbohydrate controlled 10-week lifestyle programme that is only accessible at select pharmacies and beauty clinics by professional clinicians and has been utilised by people for 30 years.

When you attend your first meeting with the clinician you will be weighed, your BMI (body mass index) will be calculated, and a guideline of what foods you can eat as well as what must be eaten in moderation will be drawn up for you. During this consultation, the clinician will also discuss relevant and sensitive matters such as why you are overweight and how much weight you could expect to lose. These weekly meetings with the clinician, as well as having weekly weight loss goals will assist you in staying motivated and staying on the diet programme.