BARE Podcast: Season One-Episode Three

The BARE Podcast is a show where we talk about your body and your life.

We discuss things like… how to treat your body with love and respect… how to build more energy and the confidence to go after your goals… and how to make the most of each and every day.

If you’ve been hanging with me for awhile, then you might already know that I’m the creator of a women’s health and empowerment program called The BARE Process. And you might already know that there are seven steps in the BARE process.

Here are the seven steps:

1. Clean up your environment.
2. Add pleasure into your day.
3. Eat with attentiveness.
4. Exercise with love.
5. Declutter your closet.
6. Detox your mind.
7. Show up and be seen.

On the last episode, we discussed Step 2. Add pleasure into your day. On this episode, we’re discussing

STEP 3. EAT WITH ATTENTIVENESS.

What does it mean to “eat with attentiveness”?

It’s actually pretty simple. It means that when it’s time for a meal or a snack, you stop rushing around, you pause, you take a few breaths, and you savor your meal slowly.

You chew your food thoroughly. You really taste it and enjoy it. You’re not zoning out in front of a TV or computer screen. You’re not texting emojis on your phone. You’re not looking at GIFs on Buzzfeed.com. You’re not distracted by a screen or anything else. You’re sitting down and actually enjoying your meal.

Eating attentively also means that you’re paying attention to how your body feels as you eat. You’re listening to the feedback that your body is giving you. You’re noticing, throughout the meal, how hungry am I right now? Am I getting full? Am I satisfied? OK, yeah, now I feel pretty satisfied. I think I’ve had enough food for now.

 You’re letting your body talk to you like this, and tell you what it needs. You’re giving your food—and your body—the time and respect that they deserve.

Here’s an interesting piece of data:

Here in America, 35% of the population is obese.

In Italy, only 10% of the population is obese.

And yet, Italy is the land of pasta, pizza, cheese, wine, olive oil, and bread… so how come Italians aren’t heavier?

Well, the answer is that Italians eat VERY differently from Americans.

From my last trip to Italy, I can tell you that most Italians tend to eat slowly, mindfully, and appreciatively. They don’t rush mindlessly through their meal. They don’t cram food into their mouth and eat until they’re so stuffed they can barely move. They’re not guzzling wine quickly and trying to get drunk. They don’t eat in their car. They don’t gulp down 24-ounce coffee drinks in a to-go cup as they walk down the street. For Italians, mealtime is a special moment in the day that’s meant to be appreciated and savored. It’s totally different compared with how most Americans eat.

So, when you eat attentively—like an Italian woman or a French woman—your food tastes so much better. The whole eating experience is way more pleasurable. It’s much easier to stop eating before you accidentally get way too full… Which means it’s much easier to maintain a healthy weight without dieting or obsessing or stressing about it.

For your next meal, I want you to practice eating attentively.

Set the scene. Use the nice china. Get yourself a nice linen napkin. When it’s time for your meal, take a moment to appreciate it. Smell it. See it. As you taste your food… slow your roll! Take your time.

You don’t necessarily have to sit there for hours and hours. Just slow things down a bit. Notice how different it feels to eat this way.

You will probably notice that you feel calmer, happier, and more satisfied. You might notice that you feel totally satisfied with half a cheeseburger or half a slice of pie instead of the entire slice. You might notice that your body is craving a big kale salad instead of sushi. You might notice that you feel comfortable and energized at the end of each meal instead of bloated and sluggish.

Practice eating attentively… and notice how it changes your entire day.

BARE VICTORIES

Now we’re moving into a segment that I call BARE VICTORIES! This is where I share some posts, emails, and texts from women in my community to say CONGRATULATIONS and YAY!

Here’s the first BARE VICTORY…

I did a photo shoot and just got my pics back. It was fun and scary and I cringe at some and love the others. This was a big step in my BARE work. I’ve dragged my feet on my website waiting. But, I did it and can’t wait to use them. This one feels like my Wonder Woman photo. So, if you are waiting to take pics– don’t! Do it now.

Here’s another victory…

Thanksgiving is not an easy holiday for me. My mother died on Thanksgiving day 15 years ago when my children were 3,2 and new… and it just seemed like our family fell apart after that. I always thought that I would create a community of friends I would spend holidays with and create a supportive and fun group for my kids and I. But when my kids were diagnosed with special needs that just didn’t happen. I didn’t have time to nurture close relationships, and there was always the worry about how they would behave and who would understand. Now they are teens, and amazing but the holidays feel a bit lonely. My dad and his wife invited us over, which is mostly uncomfortable. She is unfriendly, judgemental and serves packaged food but my dad is 83 and I feel like we should see him since he lives close by.
SO…today I am making a small scene, or adulting and decided to cook my own delicious family recipes, bring them to their home so we can enjoy them and then scheduled us to go to a movie so we cannot possibly stay too very long. I’m not sure if this was the right way to handle it, but so far I am proud of myself for cooking up a storm, and feeling some control of the situation. I know she will criticize the kids, and will ignore me, but knowing we are there for a limited amount of time will help. And I now have a full year to plan ahead for next year. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!!

BARE Q&A

And now it’s time for a segment that I call BARE Q&A. I’m choosing a question that’s been submitted by a client, be a BARE DAILY member, or from a podcast listener like you. If you have a question, you can send it to: SUPPORT@SHYATT.COM.

Today’s question comes from Cara. She asks:

I’m doing #attentiveeating week, and I have a post-Thanksgiving ice cream situation I would love some help/ coaching on!

First, I LOVE ice cream, especially the So Delicious coconut milk ice creams, because I’m allergic to gluten and dairy. However, I hardly ever bring ice cream into the house because once it’s there I compulsively eat all of it.

After I eat all the ice cream, I feel shaky from too much sugar, I get a sugar hangover, and my throat gets all yucky with phelgm.

My solution so far has been to just not buy it, but I had Thanksgiving at my place this year. This has resulted in 5 pints of So Delicious coconut milk ice cream sitting in my freezer!!!

My thought is “I should throw out all the ice cream”, but my counter thought to that is “but it’s so expensive and so delicious and I want it!” lol.

Anyway, after listening to the Attentive Eating video, I’m not sure if throwing it all out is the solution, or if maybe there’s a way I can have a healthy relationship with ice cream as a pleasure food? Not sure what to do about this and would love some coaching! Thank you!

Here’s my answer:

I definitely am not someone who thinks that you should do a clean sweep and throw away all the offensive foods.

I would RATHER see you face what happens, what thoughts and emotions come up when you see all the ice cream in the freezer.

My suggestion would be that you do treat it as a pleasure food that you’re allowed to have. Challenge yourself when you have a bowl of ice cream, to NOTICE how it feels in your body. If you like how it feels in your body or not.

So what you indicated here is that in the past when you ate too much of it, you felt shaky from the sugar, you got a sugar hangover and all those things. I would CHALLENGE you to have a little bit and see if you can stop there, and NOTICE the thoughts and emotions coming up, so that we can then coach you on what’s happening.

I can tell you that, YES, we can control what we have in our home, but I would rather help you control your thoughts and emotions, so that you don’t feel afraid to have certain foods in your house.

I hope that’s helpful! Again, if you have a question you’d like to send in, you can send it to: SUPPORT@SHYATT.COM. I’d love to see it. You can send me a BARE VICTORY, too! I’d love to hear all about it.

BARE HERO

This is a segment where I gush about a woman I really admire. It might be a politician, an artist, an entrepreneur, or someone who’s not necessarily “famous” but who has deeply inspired me.

Today, I want to talk about:

Ashley Graham.

I love this woman because she’s amazing.
She’s developed a swimsuit line for all body types called Swimsuits for All.

She’s definitely a champion for body positivity.

She is, I THINK, the first plus-size supermodel to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. 

She has most recently been the co-host of the Miss Universe pageant, of the Victoria’s Secret Angel’s runway show.
She is REALLY disrupting diet culture and CHANGING what beauty is. She’s all about being confident in your body. Confidence and beauty at any size.

You should definitely check out what she’s doing, and you can find her at:

@theashleygraham
She is my HERO. I have a feeling she’ll become one of your heroes, too.

 

RECAP / OUTRO

That’s all for this episode!

To recap what I mentioned earlier…

For your next meal, I want you to eat slowly and attentively. Set a nice table setting for yourself. Sip some water. Breathe. Sloooo-ooow down. Actually chew and taste and appreciate your food.

Instead of munching in front of your computer or TV, sit by a candle, or sit by the window, or sit outside, and have a beautiful moment with your meal.

It totally changes the experience—and it’s such a gift for your body.

You will be helping your digestive system and your metabolism. And you will notice that it’s much easier to stop eating before you get overly full.

Once you get into the habit of eating this way, you’ll be like, “Whoa. This is so, so, so much better.” It really is life-changing.

If you’re enjoying the BARE Podcast, please take 5 seconds and leave an iTunes review, or tell a friend about the show, or tell five or ten friends. That is the BEST way for new listeners to find this show.

Have a beautiful day. Take good care of your body, because it’s the only body you’ve got. We only get ONE body, and we only get ONE life, so let’s LIVE while we can… and make the most of each and every day.

I’m sending tons of love to you—and I’ll see you in the next episode!