Health Coach Q & A
What links should I know about?
Lark is here to help!
Lark Customer Support!
https://support.lark.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Here’s the worksheet mentioned in the webinar.
https://www.lark.com/resources/lark-webinar-summer-momentum-worksheet
Facebook page for DPP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/larkdpp
Lark blog
Lark recipes
https://www.lark.com/resource-type/recipe
Email a Lark coach with questions or to make an appointment
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=21319234
How can I stop emotional eating or eating when I'm bored? And…I too would like to know how to stop emotional eating
People often ask about eating for reasons other than hunger - like boredom, cravings, or stress or other emotional reasons. Eating when you’re not physiologically hungry - when your body doesn’t actually need calories or fuel - can interfere with weight loss or other healthy intentions.
Here are some strategies that can help you eat for hunger - when your body needs food - and address other needs - like preventing boredom or managing cravings and emotions - in ways that are more productive.
One strategy is to ask yourself how hungry you are. A simple mindful checkin can help make you aware of the reason you are about to eat something. Here are two ways to gauge hunger - see if they work for you.
Use a hunger and fullness scale by asking yourself, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how hungry am I?” It’s usually best to eat when you’re at a 3 or 4 (a bit hungry), but not when you’re at a 5 (a bit full).
Ask yourself, “Am I hungry enough to eat green beans?” If you’re hungry enough to eat vegetables, you’re probably hungry - so reach for those nutritious vegetables and maybe some lean protein! If you’re only “hungry” for something lower in nutrients - like pizza, chips, candy, or ice cream - there’s a good chance your body doesn’t really need fuel.
Another strategy is to make a list of things to do for when you’re bored. Your “boredom buster” list should have 10-20 things you can do that take 5-10 minutes and are easy to start doing immediately. Examples includ doing a crossword puzzle, phoning a friend, doing laundry, checking the mail, taking a walk, and planning or cooking a meal. At times when you notice yourself reaching for food when you’re not at least at a 3 or 4 on the hunger scale, check your “boredom buster” list and choose something to do!
A strategy for emotional eating is to identify your stress or emotion. Ask yourself, "What am I actually feeling right now?" For example,
- Are you anxious about a big deadline?
- Are you sad or lonely after a tough conversation?
- Are you just completely overwhelmed?
Sometimes, just saying "I am not hungry, I am just really stressed about tomorrow" takes away some of the food's hidden power. You are acknowledging the real problem instead of trying to bury it under a snack.
Another trick is to “surf the urge” - notice the feeling of wanting to eat and embrace it. Notice how it feels, how strong it is - and how it eventually gets weaker. You can also set a timer so that you delay eating - leave the room and do something else while the timer is going. By the time the timer goes off, you may not feel the urge to eat anymore.
Here are some links for further reading.
- https://www.lark.com/resources/tackle-stress-eating-to-accomplish-your-goals
- https://www.lark.com/resources/why-you-may-be-eating-when-you-are-not-hungry-disease-prevention
- https://www.lark.com/resources/mindful-eating-a-powerful-tool-for-managing-blood-sugar-blood-pressure-and-weight
I don't know how to stop eating until I'm stuffed, i miss the que. What other ques can i use?
That’s a great question! Many of us have trouble using our fullness cues as the only way to know that we’re full! Here are some other ways to know when it’s time to stop eating.
- Take proper portions - usually larger portions of vegetables, 3-4 ounces of a lean protein like fish or chicken, and smaller portions of other types of foods - and don’t get seconds until you stand up and feel how full you are. If you still want food, serve vegetables first for your second helpings.
- Stop eating halfway through for a check. Try a 3-5-minute break from eating - tell yourself you can eat more after the break. Often, once you stop for a few minutes, you realize you don’t need to eat more.
- Schedule an activity to do after the meal so you feel ready to leave the table and do the activity. It could be a short walk, cleaning the kitchen, packing the leftovers to eat for a meal tomorrow, or playing a game - whatever makes you eager to get to do it!
Also, keep in mind that eating slowly helps, too! It takes a while for your brain to realize that you’re full, and eating slowly gives your brain time to realize. Eating slowly can also be more satisfying, so you feel ready to stop eating even though you haven’t eaten as much. To eat more slowly, notice all the flavors, chew eat bite slowly, and put your fork or spoon down between bites.
Why do snacking through the day make me full and I don't eat a full hot meal through the day. I don't think about a full meal through the day. but I think of snack more through the day
It’s good you’re aware of your habits! It’s okay to snack if you’re choosing a variety of nutritious foods and you’re getting the nutrients you need within your calorie goals - but often, snacking throughout the day leads to choosing less nutritious foods and more calories.
People who snack often don’t feel very hungry - their bodies may be used to being “barely full” all the time. In addition, frequent snacking can also be due to food being available or visible throughout the day, to not having meals planned or readily available (prepared), and to not having a schedule for the rest of the day.
Here are some tips for shifting from low-nutrient snacking to more nutritious meal patterns.
- Prepare healthy snacks like fresh vegetables. Make them visible - say, in the front of the fridge - so that when you reach for a snack, you choose healthy foods.
- Only eat at the table. Serve yourself from the package or container, bring your plate or bowl to the table, sit down, and eat.
- Ask yourself how hungry you are before you eat. Only eat if you are truly hungry.
- Try extending the time between snacks. For example, if you normally eat every 2 hours, try extending that to 3 hours to see how your hunger levels respond. At the end of the 3 hours, aim for a healthy meal with vegetables and lean protein instead of snack foods.
Remember, you want to eat when *your body* is hungry—not just when the snacks on the counter are telling you to eat!
How much water is needed to produce salmon?
Great question! Compared to beef, salmon is usually far more environmentally sustainable.
Wild-caught salmon doesn’t take much water to produce. Farm-raised salmon takes about 250-400 gallons of water per pound to produce. That’s about ¼ (25%) of the amount of water needed to produce the same amount of beef.