Eat Like a Zombie.

I wake up my kids at 5:55am to get ready for school. They respond in a monotone, “G’morning, Mom.” Their little bodies make their way to the kitchen with feet dragging and shoulders slumped, like walking zombies.

Little hands grab the oatmeal packets, fill the same bowl every day, open the right hand refrigerator door and leave it open while they pour their milk. Door closed. 45 seconds in the microwave.

Spoon to mouth, spoon to mouth, spoon to mouth. Dishes in the dishwasher.

I’m not sure they actually woke up during the whole process.

For sure, they didn’t make a lot of decisions about their morning meal.

And while in a perfect world I would have them eating steel-cut oatmeal with organic berries, there is a lot to be said for eating like a zombie.

At our house there is no deciding if we are having a doughnut versus oatmeal.
I always have oatmeal on hand.
Doughnuts not so much.

Breakfast is an automated process that brings satisfaction without making it a major source of joy for the day.

There ARE other ways to have joy in your life.

Lunch is automated too.

Even their afternoon snack is automated. What goes into the protein shake is different for the football player than the writer, but the usual ingredients are always available.

Automating our eating does take a little planning and preparation in order to have these foods on hand, but even the shopping becomes automatic after a while.
It’s nice not to have to think so much about food all the time.
It’s nice to take away some of the choices and struggle.

If it sounds like I am suggesting that you eat unconsciously all the time, that’s not my intent.

What I am suggesting is that every snack and meal doesn’t have to be a party in your mouth.

I am all about mindfully enjoying the incredible flavors and textures and aromas of the food that nourishes you.

Just not all the time.

It doesn’t have to be a spiritual experience every time a lettuce leaf enters your mouth.

If you are overeating because you are eating unconsciously, blindly popping chips into your mouth as you watch Netflix, that’s the time to make sure you wake up and taste what you are eating.

Feel your body and how that food makes you feel.

Does it make you sluggish? Give you energy? Sustain you for 3 hours? Give you a touch of gas?

Get super conscious.

While tuned in, it’s easier to change to foods you like, give you satisfaction, AND fuel your body the way you want.
Plan what you are going to eat.
Then repeat it enough times so you don’t have to think about it

That’s when it becomes unconscious. Automatic.

Automatically eating healthy food…
It’s just what you do.
It’s just who you are.

You don’t have to eat the same thing every day the rest of your life, but you will have a default that satisfies you.

You will have a default that serves you.

And like most defaults, it will make the special taste even more… well, special.

 

 

PS – I do know that oatmeal in a packet might not be some people’s idea of healthy, but as we are moving away from sugary Fruit Loops, I’m happy.  Some people would be delighted with Fruit Loops if they are trying to steer their children away from pixie sticks for breakfast.  (You think I jest.)  It’s all relative.