What if Overeating Wasn't About Will Power?
There's been a lot of talk lately about the gut, microbes, good bacteria, bad bacteria... You may have even heard the gut referred to as the second brain. But what if the opposite was true too? What if we could refer to the brain as the second gut...?
If you or someone you know has struggled with overeating, poor digestion or a slow metabolism, I feel ya'! I've struggled with those too.
For the longest time I thought I just didn't have enough will power to stop eating and had somehow wrecked my metabolism and digestion for good.
But, what if overeating wasn’t about lack of will power?
And slow digestion and metabolism could be fixed by one simple change in how you eat?
Go with me here...
Imagine in your hand you're holding half of a BIG, JUICY lemon.
Feel the lemon in your hand, squeeze it a little, bring it up to your nose and smell the fresh lemon scent.
See the bright yellow color and feel the juice beginning to drip down your hand.
Now shove that lemon in your mouth and start chewing it, tasting the sour, tart flavor of the lemon...
What did you notice?
If you were paying attention to your body’s reaction to this imagined experience you would notice that your mouth started watering. Actually it would be more accurate to say your mouth starting ‘enzyme-ing,’ or creating digestive enzymes to help you begin the first phase of digestion called cephalic phase digestion.
Cephalic means 'in the head.'
This phase of digestion literally happens in our minds, or in the awareness of the meal or food we’re about to eat. It’s activated by simply thinking about eating something and continues as we are aware of the other sensory input of eating such as smelling it, seeing it, feeling it and tasting it.
Why is this so important to know? Well… experts have estimated that this phase, the simple awareness of food and eating it, consists of 30-40% of our total digestive response!
Wowzas!
Get more great tips and info on how to improve your energy, digestion and metabolism with this free download!
Have you ever had the experience of eating while watching television, driving, or reading something and all the sudden you look down and your food is gone!?!
You don’t even remember eating it! You can barely recall what it tasted like. Your tummy may feel a little full, but your brain is saying,
"I need more food!” because you're not quite satisfied.
So you go for more... and more...
And most people think this is a will power issue, but if you understand that 30-40% of your digestion and metabolizing of a meal happens in the awareness of it, you can see how your brain might be confused.
It didn’t register the experience of eating the meal!
The reason you want your brain involved is because it signals your body to not only release enzymes in the mouth, but also critical gastric juices and enzymes in the stomach and pancreas. These are necessary for proper absorption and assimilation of minerals, vitamins and nutrients.
When the brain doesn’t get the message that you are eating,
You do not absorb enough of the available nutrients from the meal.
But, you CAN bet on absorbing all the calories =(
...which leads you to being nutritionally undernourished and signaling to your brain that you need MORE FOOD to fill in the nutritional gaps.
So do yourself a HUGE favor...
Enjoy your meals. Be present. SAVOR every morsel, every bite.
And forget the idea of “mindful eating.”
Just eat.
Simply eat and enjoy it.
You now not only have permission, you have a scientific reason to enjoy it.
Want more helpful hints?
Click here to get the Goddess Eating Habits free download and find more ways to improve your digestion, ignite your metabolism and double your energy...!!!
Oh, and HAVE FUN too!
To your health and enjoyment!
