Take 15 minutes to relax.

Time to relax in mid-December? Really!? 

You want to do the right thing which is - not gain weight that your body doesn't need. You are committed to looking your best. So what happens? This is what happens to me: stress, deadlines, bills, social commitments, etc., and before I know it, I need to relax and get back my perspective of what I want.

Of course, I want to do the right thing. It's not always easy. Everything I want is not always available. When it gets to the point of not remembering what my last meal was, I know I need an intuitive pause.  I need some alone time to notice what I notice. Simple stuff, like tuning-in to the smell of perfume, the itch of my sweater or the fact that I'm exhausted helps me feel less confusion and more in touch with my priorities. Thinking with my senses resets my point of view. My favorite kind of alone time involves eating.

I tune-in to my intuition when I eat a snack alone. I choose something healthy that I enjoy.  Today it is a piece of crusty bread with a tablespoon of peanut butter smeared across it and some yummy honey spread delicately on top.

• I look at it and take a breath:
• to realize how lucky I am to have it.
• to see how much I took and if the portion is what I really want to eat.
• To make it last longer, I take small bites instead of eating the whole thing in three large mouthfuls.
• By chewing extra and savoring it with my tongue, the flavor has more kick. Nice.
• Because the size of the bites is small, I stay focused on chewing and my non-food related emotional tension is relaxing. Focusing on the food for it's flavor has liberated me from the dragon of stress.
• I'm enjoying myself. :)

I try this again a different day with an energy bar and a cup of coffee. The decision to take smaller bites (or sips) and to see and savor what I eat, again, resets my perspective and is ultimately relaxing! Because of the way we are wired, eating with smaller bites resets every part of our being. Who knew it was possible to relax in mid-December?

When you need to exit the discomfort of stress fueled exhaustion without being self-destructive, take 15 minutes to relax and have a pleasing snack.

• Take small bites. Chew each well before you swallow. Enjoy the personal satisfaction of self-control.
• Let part of your tongue tease your sense of taste until you feel pleased.
• Be grateful you are not homeless or hungry this holiday season.

For practical intuitive solutions that are common sense for maintaining a your healthy weight, download: Am I Really Hungry? 6th Sense Diet : Intuitive Eating

and overcome eating challenges.

"If you can't solve a problem, it's because you're playing by the rules." P. Arden

#janebernard