Mindful Eating For Stress Management

Before we get into the topic at hand - mindful eating as a part of your stress management daily routine I want to ask you a question:

How many times you simply swallow your food even without noticing it?

Many times women leaders feel too stressed and they notice neither the taste nor the amount of food they shovel into their mouth on a go, while watching TV or reading something on the computer. And this, let us admit, is a proven way to add some extra stress and extra body weight.

The good solution is to start practising mindful eating: eating one nutritious meal or nutritious item (fruit for example) being fully present and concentrating on the food only.

You are high-achieving woman and have no time to implement any change?

 

With a simple exercise you can change something you have to do anyway.

You change the way you eat and reach profound relaxation state while enjoying delicious and nutritious food. Hopefully :)

Lets make it simple: grab an apple and follow along:

1.Clear everything out of the way - no TV, no books or magazines, nothing should distract you from the food.

2.Look at the food. Observe the colors and shapes. Notice shiny and dull parts of the apple.

3.Feel your apple: hold it in your hand, sense it weight, the smooth surface and the stiff stem.

4.Smell the apple: take in its sweet bitter fragrance. Is your mouth starting to water?

5.Observe your feelings: how do you feel? Hungry, calm, happy or tense and anxious? Affirm yourself that you accept any of your feelings as valid.

6.Notice any thoughts regarding this exercise: is it stupid, fun, waste of time? Any thoughts are ok.

7.Take your first bite. Notice the juiciness, the texture, the taste. Start chewing slowly, notice any change in taste and texture.

8.Swallow and sense your muscles work.

9.Tell yourself that you are nourishing your body with good food.

Stop eating when you feel full and satisfied. You don't need to finish all of your food.

Take Action:

Start using your mealtimes as a 'Me' time of peace and relaxation on a daily basis.

P.S. I must confess that when I had intention to try this exercise for the first time ...I remembered about my objective only some time AFTER I had literally swallowed my apple even without noticing I was eating it...I was anywhere else in my thoughts but not in a present moment! The second time went little bit better...at least I looked at it. Oops!

Yes, this is how it goes...but let's just be patient, and as you know, Practice Makes The Master.

Keep practicing and let me know about your mindful eating or any other stress management success.

 

If you have any questions about stress or stress management, submit them on my Ask The Expert page!

 

Gratitude Journal for Stress Solutions

Stress solutions for high-achieving women dont need to be complicated neither create additional strain in the life of women leaders. Your lives tend to be quite stresfull alreday. In addition to the stress related to trying to balance work, personal life,  health and high expectations others or you have put on yourself, lately a lot of events have taken place across the world that could leave anyone, even the most laid back person, a little on edge.

Having anxiety in times of uncertainty and change is understandable, but worrying about things you have no control over isn't doing any service to you either.

There is one easy, effective and well proved stress management technique that can help you deal with stress in stresfull  times of uncertainty.

Start a Gratitude Journal!

It is impossible to feel stress and gratitude at the same time. When you stop focusing on what you don't have and start focusing on what you do have, you will immediately feel more peaceful.

That is the beginning of your attitude of gratitude. As you continue to write in your gratitude journal, the attitude of gratitude will become natural to you and you will experience less stress in your life and more freedom.

How to start writing gratitude journal?

There is no specific way that you have to write in your journal. You can write long descriptive paragraphs about your activities of the day and what you appreciated about them. You could make a journal that just lists the things your grateful for a year, choose a preset number or leave it open to write as much or as little as you want that day.

Your main goal is to be in a state of mind that reflects gratitude as you write in your journal. The best way to be successful in keeping a journal is to create a schedule and stick to it. The more often you write in your gratitude journal, the more likely you are to continue doing so.

Cant slow down, destress after a busy day and induce sound sleep?

Journaling is also a great stress reduction bed time strategy you can apply in order to slow down. Nothing helps you to be as productive, mentally sharp, emotionally balanced, and full of energy all day long as a good night’s sleep.   

You are your greatest asset! Its time to take good care of yourself. Starting by focusing on what you do have is a good stress solution.

How to Get Stress Under Control in 3 Steps

In the middle of the 20th century physiologist Hans Selye labeled our reaction to life's challenges with a simple word: stress. Now, 50 years later, there's a conversation you hear so often, it's almost a chorus: You ask a friend, "How are you?" and she replies, "I'm OK, but I'm feeling a little stressed."

In fact in the 21st century, stress has become synonymous with life and is associated with almost every aspect of our lives, personal and professional alike.

Not all stress is bad, though. Stress does however become a danger when it goes unrecognized, is poorly controlled or becomes pent up over long periods of time.

For most women, stress ranks at the top of the list of daily problems.

What is the natural stress response?

Whenever you perceive that you are physically or psychologically threatened, an inbuilt alarm-system in your brain triggers the adrenal glands to release complex hormonal cascade of over 30 stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.

Those stress hormones give you the extra strength and speed you need to deal with the threatening situation. This reaction is known as the "fight-or-flight" reaction, or the stress response. Stress isn't always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best.

The problems start when you're constantly running in emergency mode, and you are unable to cope well with the stress in your life, your mind, body, overall health and performance may pay the price.

If you frequently find yourself feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, it's time to take action to bring your life back into balance.

How to control stress?

The good news is that you can learn getting stress under control.

To get stress under control Take Action:

- Find out what is causing stress in your life and identify your own stress symptoms.
- Find out your habitual ways of responding to stress.
- Learn healthier and more effective ways to manage and reduce the amount of stress in your life. 

Dealing with stress is about dealing with change. Change isn't always easy, especially when you doubt about where to start. 

Finding it difficult to do this on your own? Coaching helps…….

 

Improve your stress management and create balanced life simplified

I would like to share a story I just heard from my friend and The Change Expert Ariane de Bonvoisin ,author of The First 30 days .

Here is an inspirational story:

A son and his father were walking on the mountains.

Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: “AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: “AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Curious, he yells: “Who are you?”
He receives the answer: “Who are you?”

And then he screams to the mountain: “I admire you!”
The voice answers: “I admire you!”

Angered at the response, he screams: “Coward!”
He receives the answer: “Coward!”

He looks to his father and asks: “What’s going on?”
The father smiles and says: “My son, pay attention.”

Again the man screams: “You are a champion!”
The voice answers: “You are a champion!”

The boy is surprised, but does not understand.

Then the father explains: “People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.

• If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
• If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.

This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life.

Life will give you back everything you have given to it.

 ”YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT’S A REFLECTION OF YOU!”
– Unknown Author

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Stress in the Workplace: Time To Be Proactive

Stress in the workplace has become an occupational health and safety risk worldwide.

There are many causes of stress and burnout in the workplace but research shows that women’s stress in the workplace is related more to lack of balance and demands of home and work combined.

Today I want to share with you simple steps recommeneded by Carol A. Turkington her book "Stress Management for Busy People"

Take Action:

Implement those proactive steps and let’s celebrate your success together:  

• Learn to say no.
• Reevaluate your goals.
• Reduce your commitments at work and at home: simplify your life.
• Learn stress management skills.
• Get plenty of rest and eat a healthy diet.

Finding it difficult to do this on your own? Coaching helps…….

You might be interested in more  Stress Management Books recommendations.