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Six healthy habits to bring you increased energy and stabilized weight:

1. Stick with whole foods that come from nature and eat as close to the earth as possible. This means eating real food that is clean and not processed, altered, or manipulated.

2. Emphasize fresh fruits and vegetables, both raw and cooked, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. When eating animal protein, try to choose organic and grass-fed if possible.

3. Eliminate refined and processed foods from your diet.

4. Increase healthy fats in the diet such as avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, which contain omega-3 fatty acids.

5. Shop at farmers markets, because they feature local and seasonal foods.

6. Eat a variety of foods that represent all colors of the rainbow.

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Mindful Meals and More
Cooking Classes with Elise Museles and Chef Robyn Alexander

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February 16, 7-9 pm
March 16, 7-9 pm
April 13, 7-10 pm

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Making Mindful Meals and More

By Elise Museles
Mindful Meals and More
Culinaria Cooking School

The way in which you eat is just as important as what you eat. Digestion is enhanced if you actually sit down, relax, and enjoy the food you are eating. When digestion is improved, your metabolism improves, and you absorb more nutrients.

Too often, we stuff ourselves with something, anything to satiate our hunger long enough for us to move on to the next task. This not only takes the joy out of eating, but also our bodies are not relaxed enough to fully process the nutrients, which leaves us hungry for more. That’s what leads to overeating.

Here are some simple ways to be mindful at mealtime.

Sit down, relax, and breathe. Eating healthy food is only half of the goal. Being calm enough to fully digest your food is equally important. That is because our insulin and cortisol levels go up when we are in a stressed state, which can decrease the body’s calorie-burning capacity and increase fat storage. Ultimately, this can cause weight gain. So before you eat, take five deep breaths.

Start a food journal. This is a powerful tool to bring awareness to your eating patterns. Jot down how you feel physically and emotionally before, during, and after each meal, snack, or beverage. Journals do not lie, so if you are honest, you can tune into some patterns and behaviors that you may not have realized until you see see it in writing.

Enjoy your food. Even if you are eating something that’s a guilty pleasure, enjoy it! After all, what is the point of eating the delicious slice of chocolate cake and not getting satisfaction from the indulgence? Taste every morsel, and try to make your next meal more healthful and nourishing.

Use mealtimes to connect with your loved ones. Turn off the TV, set the table, and engage in good conversation as you eat your home-cooked meal. Serve as a role model for children and loved ones to understand the value of family time and slowing down.

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