As I sit and write today, I find my mind whirling with activity.  I start to write, I erase it, and I start again.  I am not sure where to start.  Even though the Strongest You Coaching program has just started for me, I am already learning about myself.

The coaching program is comprised of a variety of parts.  First, I have been assigned my coach (Coach Jen), and she has been assigned no only me, but a small group of women.  With that, we are a community.  We have introduced ourselves through the private Facebook page.  We spend a small amount of time daily, communicating with each other, establishing a network of support and encouragement. 

Coach Jen uses that page to provide us with information and work.  She is taking the necessary time to review the information we provided regarding our usual level of activity, nutrition, and any medical concerns.  In the mean time, she has provided a variety of workouts that can be done with or without equipment.  She has also provided us with our first nutritional assignment regarding “mindset.”

Some of you may be asking, “What does mindset have to do with nutrition?”  “Isn’t your coach just going to tell you when and what to eat?” The short answer is “No.”

The assignment seemed simple enough.  We were given an exercise in slowing down the eating process to focus on how the body feels.  “Stop halfway through whatever you are eating (meal or snack) for a full two minutes.”  Coach Jen provided us with a variety of strategies to employ to make this successful. 

My mind is a very busy place.  From the time I get up in the morning until I lay down at night, I find I am engaged in thought.  I am a champion of multitasking and my brain sorts through the lists in my head, prioritizing my day.  This does not stop when it is time to eat.  This is both a blessing and a curse.  I have learned that I can disengage my mind from the action of eating.  As a nurse, I learned how to eat FAST.

As simple as the task sounds, it has been a struggle for me.  It is forcing me to stop thinking about anything except what is happening when I eat.  I actually have to PLAN the two-minute break!  Sounds crazy, right?? 

I think about how many times I simply blow through whatever I am eating.  I have created a habit… A mindset, if you will.  Stop what I am doing to eat.  Am I hungry?  Maybe.  Am I full?  Not sure.  Eat to eat.  Clean the plate.  I find myself in the kitchen.  Am I hungry?  Not sure.  Am I bored?  Frustrated?  Tired?  Happy?  Sad? Maybe.  Eat the snack.  Am I satisfied?  Hmmm.  Maybe I can find another snack.

And so it goes.

My habits established around nutrition have allowed me to disengage my mind from the process of eating and fueling my body.  I have lost track of whether or not I am hungry or satisfied.  It does not matter if I choose the healthiest foods available.  Too much is too much.  If I continue with my current mindset, I am missing the big picture regarding my nutrition.

This week I am retraining my brain to stop.  I have to stop to think about the assignment.  I literally have to stop and think about when I am going to STOP eating my meal or snack and allow two minutes to go by.  When I am on a roll during my day, and want to blow through lunch to get on with my list, those two minutes seem like FOR-EV-ER!

I am learning that there are times I choose to eat a meal or snack, and I am not really that hungry, or my belly may be rumbling.  There are times I am eating, and I stop, and I drink a glass of water.  I am learning to shut down my brain, and tune into my body.  My progress is slow, but it IS progress.

Willpower is finicky.  There are many factors in life that jump in the way of good intentions.  However, if I establish some habits around what I am doing regarding mealtime, it is a WIN for me.  I am thinking about the holidays, just around the corner.  Learning how to stop and check in with my body will likely save me from feeling stuffed full and uncomfortable when I leave a family gathering!

Before sitting to write, I had breakfast.  I stopped midway and watched the clock for two minutes.  I will get my mind tuned in to my body.  One step at a time.