Wait for it...

I've been thinking a lot lately about how instant gratification has ruined my life. That's probably overstating it, but only by a little bit. It's not just me. The entirety of modern society is plagued by see-want-grab disease. I'm not one to harp on what we've lost as a society, but I think patience is something that we should revisit.

Taking the way-back machine to my childhood, I remember claymation specials that aired once in a holiday season and the thrill of getting candy and other special treats just a few times a year. It meant something because the anticipation is just as magical as the actual event. The need to have exactly what we want, as soon as we think of it has led to unsustainable levels of consumption and contributed to both obesity rates and insane personal debt... and for what?

From personal experience, during and after college I managed to accrue a staggering credit card debt that left me dodging phone calls throughout my twenties.

Food was the same. When I got away from the routine of family dinners with the 'rents, I went a little crazy. Doughnuts for dinner? Fabulous idea! I was a grown up, I didn't need to stick to the rigid dinner menus of my youth. I've fixed that now, but it was all for the love of instant gratification. /soapbox

So, patience. One of the first things I learned on this journey is to take my time whilst eating. This has been very hard for me, especially when I'm hungry. But savoring every bite can be a big help in the fight against over eating. Studies show (no I have no references, it's a blog) that it takes about 20 minutes for the food to hit the stomach and turn off the "feed me" signals to the brain. I know that most of us are in a hurry when we eat, but think about why you're in a hurry. What's more important than properly fueling your body?

Finally, make sure what you're feeling is hunger. In our haste we often think any grumble of the tummy is hunger. Not so! Or at least not always so. Our brains frequently confuse thirst for hunger. The first thing I do when I think I'm hungry is drink some water. If you aren't drinking lots of water, and you have any interest in losing weight, I highly recommend you start doing so. Sodas (diet and otherwise), coffee, alcohol will all dehydrate you. Water is the best thirst quencher there is (except Brawndo. It has electrolytes... it's what plants want. j/k Honestly, unless you are a very high performance athlete, steer clear of the "sports drinks").