Day 21-Eliminate Bad Eating Habits

Distracted eating is a bad habit. That's eating when you are watching TV, having drinks, or just random eating. You make bad choices and add extra calories you don't need.

Slow the pace of your eating so you get to feel the full sensation. The faster you eat the more calories you pack in. Savor what you are eating.

Eating as an emotional band-aid helps no one. You get angry with yourself. You grab bad foods. It's pointless to do. It just creates another cycle  you need to break. Learn to recognize the warning signals to emotional eating. Joining a support group, especially one for diabetics can help. If you eating habits are out of control because of emotions, now is the time to get help.

Yes, you can free yourself. Find a new definition of comfort foods. If it's sugar you crave, then make something with fruit in it and fill your sugar craving in a healthy way. Get distracted. If you are a bored emotional eater, make a deal with yourself. Instead of eating the next time, drink a large glass of water and get outside for 20 minutes. Still want to eat? Choose celery with peanut butter. Work with your hands. One of the most popular boredom eating foods is potato chips. Do two things I've done to get over that one. First don't buy them. Second learn to knit or crochet. I make baby layettes. I know some of the best dressed babies on the planet. Work with your hands if you are doing something, you can't eat. Finally try meditation or yoga.

Develop positive eating habits.

• Eat well all day long. By eating three meals and two snacks a day you'll be stopping the sugar plunges and that rollercoaster will end.
• Choose healthy snacks you love. For me an apple is a good one. Celery with peanut butter helps. Sometimes just a handful of nuts. 
• Drink water. I will be the first to admit I am not drinking enough water. Water helps your body process the sugars in it.
• Eliminate cocktail snacking. It's recommended that you only have your alcohol with your dinner meal. Not before and not after.

Here are 11 ways to curb overeating:

1. Eat on a regular schedule. I fail at this. I am working on it though.
2. Go grocery shopping, you can't make healthy healing meals if you don't have healthy foods.
3. Trash the junk. Get rid of the junk food snacks. 
4. Enlist family support. I have done this. My father is following this diet. I am hoping to get a couple other family members involved in it. 
5. Learn to cook with whole foods. Get rid of the processed stuff. Not a cook, time to learn.
6. Set a pleasant table and eat all your meals there. No eating in the living room on the couch...that's for bad habits. 
7. Create a food journal. Keep a notebook handy and write down everything you eat and the time you ate it. In just a few days, you'll have black and white evidence of the choices you've made that don't serve your quest for health. 
8. Eat when you're hungry...this is the reason I have trouble eating on a schedule. I'm not always hungry at the time I should be eating.
9. Become a unitasker. When you are ready to eat stop whatever else you are doing and concentrate on your food. 
10. Trust your feelings. When you find yourself reaching for comfort food in times of distress, recognize that your feelings need attention not your stomach.
11. Enjoy eating. Pay attention to your food. I did something totally crazy. I sliced up two parsnips and threw them and some fresh mushrooms in butter over medium heat and let them cook until the parsnips were done. I added a little sea salt and called it lunch. It was very filling. Not something I'd have normally made. Experiment, try new foods, just make sure they are healthy ones. 

TTFN
PS Today I fell off the food wagon. I don't feel bad as yesterday I was having trouble keeping my blood sugars above 70. My sugars were 45 when I awoke. By dinner they were 72. At midnight I was feeling funny and took my blood sugar it was 46. I am so glad I keep glucose tablets in my house as well as my purse. I ate a teaspoon of peanut butter for protein and took six glucose tablets. I read for an hour and took my blood sugar again. It was up to 71, but mine tends to go down at night, so I took two more glucose tablets. This morning it was 101. I don't mind that it was just over normal. I knew why. Tomorrow I will be back on course.