When eating, focus on enjoying the food nourishment as slowly as possible.
This just needs concentration. But it is often not that simple. You were probably told by your loving parents or grandparents to chew your food slowly with your mouth closed. They were so right. Obviously! But think about how you eat now. Do you load your fork with another mouthful, before you have chewed and swallowed the current mouthful? Stop it. Wait. Concentrate. Think about what you are tasting and chewing. Don't read the newspaper or your emails! Don't watch TV. Honestly, this is really important. Just focus on the nourishment. And do not put the next mouthful even onto your fork or spoon, until you have swallowed what you are eating now. Wait to think about the nourishment that you have just tasted. Then have a glass of water. Then put the next mouthful onto your fork or spoon. You will have to concentrate hard. But why should food be boring?
You will certainly be amazed at two things:
1. How much LESS that you need to consume, to feel full
2. How harmful fatty foods then really start to taste distinctly unhealthy. This can happen immediately, so you feel guilty about consuming any more of them
Work at this rule. Then apply it to every meal - and soon a fist-sized portion of food will become entirely adequate. Apply it to snacks too. One nut at a time. One small portion of that chocolate bar at a time. Most bars have small squares. So eat that one square at a time - and focus on ENJOYING it. Very slowly. Make sure you have that sip of water, fresh fruit juice or fruit or fresh mint tea between EVERY mouthful. Master this rule and then you are well on your way to your weight loss goals.
Keep a Food Diary and measure your weight loss just once each week, when you get up on Monday mornings. This is so important. In our view, successful weight loss is:
50% strategy
10% awareness
20% patience
20% just enjoying it!
So, to track your weight loss target loss of 0.5 kilo or one imperial lb per week, write down your progress. We don't want to encourage starving yourself and training for hours through a weekend, to stay on track. In fact you'll then break a few other rules. But seriously, your weight can fluctuate all through the week depending on your hydration, activity, calorie intake, etc. So sticking to a Monday morning weigh-in keeps a consistent measurement. Also, remember to praise yourself and celebrate, if you have lost that bit more. This could be treating your self to something. Anything. Except alcohol. That will just make the weight all go back. Faster than you can say Cabernet Sauvignon.
Also, a daily food diary really makes you aware of how you are still eating a lot of wrong foods. But don't beat yourself up too much. Just cut back on harmful fats or bad carbs through the following week. And when you do feel that you've binged, also write down what you were thinking. Remember how you felt, both before and after the binge or treat. Then next time you feel like that second or third biscuit or chocolate bar, try to focus on the thoughts that you had, AFTER you let things slip the last time. Really focus on this and you will develop a stronger mindset. Read your food diary when you wake up too. Focus your thoughts on how you will feel when you beat that standard time for a marathon or sportive, Focus on when you win an uphill cycling or running sprint against your club-mates, or are first up your toughest killer hill climb or training test.
Eat with the end result in mind. Remember, you are in control.
Alan Taylor competed at Elite levels and won several cycling road and track races in the UK and Italy. He is now a successful international business consultant and one of the founders of Elite Cycling Fitness. In 2011, he lost 18 kilos in 8 months, with this strategy and other techniques. You can get much more detail on this article for a limited period in a free report on http://www.elitecyclingfitness.com.