When I know the relos are going to be around (for an extended period OR even just for a brief visit) and I know that it will involve enough food to feed all of Ethiopia and I don't want to play I put my action plan in place.
I make sure to drink bucket loads of water. I will drink maybe 500mls fairly quickly and then fill up the glass again and sip on it constantly.
I fill up on low calorie vegetable soups, tea, cawfee and low cal soft drinks before and during meals (lunch and dinner), and on rising make a banana smoothie with a cup of low fat milk, ice cubes and a banana. I find it expands my tummy so that when the food is around I'm not as likely to be hungry.
After meals I brush my teeth and pop in some sugar free gum. I'm not a big gum chewer but desperate times call for desperate measures and I find if I have gum in my mouth I'm less likely to reach for a handful of nibbles simply because my mouth already has something in it.
When it comes time to have meals with the family I use a smaller plate, try to make the majority of the food choices on it vegetables or fruits and have a small spoonful of the truly sinful stuff. AND I keep sipping the water right throughout the meal.
I also make a concerted effort to eat slower, concentrate on the flavour, texture and aroma of the food that I am eating and thorougly enjoy what I am eating AND I put my knife and fork down between mouthfuls and also concentrate on conversation. (You can't talk with your mouthful
well you can....but I don't want to eat with you!
)
AND I do increase my walking, so if I'd normally go for a half an hour walk in a day on the days the family are around with all their tempting food, I might increase my walks to 2 half hours or even 3.
I don't attempt to avoid all the yummy food because that just sets up a really bad head space for me and then I discover that I eat more. I just have a little of everything and really enjoy it AND the company.
This isn't exactly the mindful eating program I spent time learning but it's very similar.
Maybe you might find it helpful Woof?
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