Holiday Nourishment: Mindful or Mindless?

By Gary Kobat on December 12, 2011 in Healthy Living

When the Holiday treats start coming around do you ever say “No thank you, not this time”?

Halloween marks the beginning of the holiday season and with this enters the scary truth about mindless eating. Remember, mindfulness is the practice that brings the mind and body back to now peacefully to the present moment. Every time we practice mindfulness we create an energy and life force; we allow ourselves to come to life again. However, without mindfulness we live like we’re asleep; unaware and unconscious of what is really occurring in and around us—we live mindlessly.

When we examine how mindless eating affects our aging, relationships, and own well being, the outcome is shocking and unloving to ourselves. We consume an enormous amount of empty calories during the year, most in nutrient-poor food groups such as sweets-desserts, soft drinks, alcohol beverages, pizza, and chips totaling nearly 35% of all the food we eat and which contain no vitamins or minerals. In turn, we are becoming undernourished.

65%+ of Americans are actually becoming overweight, obese and malnourished.

The nutritional community is appalled, but loving in its response. They warn in a heartfelt way that this undernourishment contributes to the development of the most chronic of diseases, as well.But wait – but weight – there’s more.

The cues for mindless eating reach far beyond “portion-distortion” or the size of the plate we use. Unhealthy foods release insulin in the body which are then stored as fat. Though many people perceive these treats as a part of celebrating the holidays, they do not realize the tricks or effects these unloving eating choices have on their mind, body and spirit with respect to personal and business relationships.

Remember: comfort foods are not so comfortable. Sugar is not so sweet. Sweets can sour our moods, personality, cause fatigue, inflammation, heart issues, memory loss, infertility, wrinkles, acne, early aging, depression, headaches, brain fog, irritability, blurred vision, temper and more in 150 health areas.

Consciously choosing to stay in alignment with healthy intentions and goals for the holiday season is an effective way to avoid easy weight gain. And remember, the New-You and Healthy-You New Year and Holiday Season actually starts Halloween week and lasts through Super Bowl Sunday; where tens of thousands of calorie choices are made from poor food groups. What an amazing opportunity to course correct a mindless and unloving way of treating ourselves for practically 4 months or 30% of the year, year after year.

We suggest embracing a few simple, loving, mindful tools this holiday season:

* Eat your favorite pre-planned high protein meal prior to leaving for a party.

* Skip the fried finger foods, usually high in fat, sugar and full of empty calories.

* Choose fruits and vegetables, as well as, display portion control versus portion distortion on any food choices.

* Set your health, wellness, and fitness objectives with a health coach through Super Bowl Sunday; stay consistent with your favorite exercise routine.

* Drink plenty of water, add a lemon to lower the acids that develop with holiday stress or choose an alkaline water source.

* And understand that nourishment is more than just carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, that self-care and self-love is the highest form of nourishment.

With a little nurturing, self-love, self-worth, and appreciation for self-care and intention, we will easily be able to improve our health, avoid weight gain and get a jumpstart on the New Year—this year and hereafter.

Gary Kobat, World Class Athlete, and Mind-Body-Spirit-Sport Olympic “Mentalist”, is on a heart-felt mission to inspire millions of people to reveal their vibrational highest best-self: mentally, physically, and spiritually. The author, international speaker, and Integrative Performance Coach blends ancient wisdom with cutting-edge trends in human performance to focus his teachings and practice on the importance of self-love and self-worth.
Click here for a free copy of Gary’s weekly Mindful Tools and ebook: Your Invisible Power.

PHOTO (cc): Flickr / timitalia

About Gary Kobat

“The real story is that we are unlimited beings. The real story is that the world and the universe are unlimited. We must start telling the story of our amazing lives, because whatever story we tell, light or dark, vibrational energies will make sure we receive it… and that will be the story of our life.” – Gary Kobat (from The Mindful Tools, Empowerment Series.) Has there ever been a time in your life when someone believed in you so much that your talents and spirit soared in their presence? What did they see in you that you didn't see in yourself ? Did you grow when they shared their faith in you ? Were you able to reach higher, dig deeper, allow and receive more when you knew they had their encouragement in you? Once in a rare while you come across someone who is willing to set the record straight and tell you a truth that will shift the way you think about yourself, and the world. When it comes to gracefully getting older, yet looking and feeling younger; awakening, healing, and stepping into your true power from the heart, with compassionate self-love and self-care, Gary Kobat is that man. Quickly becoming a world-known authority in the field of Mind, Body, Spirit, and Sport, Gary is the purposed prophet who by loving himself loves the world - one soul at a time. In short, Gary is the best friend anyone's self-esteem, self-worth, and sense of deservingness can ever have. “I am a messenger,” Gary states in introduction, “My Life is about self-love, assisting others in their awakening, self-awareness, self-healing, and self-worthiness.” With an intention to touch millions of people in many countries, Gary creates keys and tools from a simple, yet intimate Self-Mastery Self-Care System to enhance the quality of life—for themselves, their communities, and the world.

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